Cherokee High School hosted its annual student art show on the night of Thursday, May 9. The show, which featured a variety of art from paintings to beadwork, ran until the next day.

Ashley Smith, a senior at Cherokee High School, shows off the large white oak basket that garnered her a Best of Show award at the school's art show.

"We will always have artists," said CHS art teacher Alyne Stamper. "These kids are gifted. They are very easy to teach."

"They have the talent."

Ashley Smith, senior, won a Best of Show award for her larger-than-normal-sized white oak basket. "My freshman year was when I first started (basketry), and I took my sophomore and junior year off and this past year I came back. This was the first one I made and Alyne was very encouraging about it."

Smith, who plans to attend the University of Tennessee – Knoxville in the fall with the goal of one day becoming a surgeon, said she has learned patience through her basketry. "I know it can be hard to deal with sometimes, but it is worth it in the end, especially when you get to learn your own culture."

Gabby Thompson, CHS senior, poses with two of her three effigy pots that won awards at the show.

Peri Wildcatt, sophomore, first learned to make baskets when she attended the Cherokee Cultural Summer School while she was in elementary school. The granddaughter of famed Cherokee basket maker Arizona Swayney, Wildcatt won a blue ribbon for a rivercane doubleweave basket.

Of her basketry, she commented, "It's hard at first, but you just get used to it. But, the white oaks are easier than the rivercane. They are easier to cut."

Gabby Thompson, senior, won ribbons (blue, red and white) for three unique effigy pots she created featuring likenesses of a squirrel, frogs and a bear.

"It helps me to learn my culture," said Thompson who plans to attend Western Carolina University this fall. "It feels great to have my pottery win all three places. I plan to do some kind of art in college, maybe make a larger pot."

Reba Elders, CHS art teacher, commented on the drawing and painting entries, "I think the art show has went really well. We had 280 entries…acrylic, pastel, oil, water color and linoleum cut. The advanced students are developing their own individual styles, and the beginning students are really receptive to the techniques that are being taught."