Awards and Recognition
Celebrating decades of juried awards, featured-artist honors, museum exhibitions, and recognition for Victoria McKinney’s original paintings and handcrafted pottery.
A Career Recognized Through Art
Victoria McKinney’s paintings and pottery have received recognition at juried competitions, museum exhibitions, and Native American art markets across the United States.
Her work has earned Best of Show, first-place, museum, heritage, president’s, and featured-artist honors in both two-dimensional and three-dimensional categories. Her awards reflect the craftsmanship, originality, historical research, and storytelling present throughout her work.
Featured Honors
Best of Show
Cherokee Accents Indian Art Market — 2006
Victoria received Best of Show for her vase “Seeing Red” at the Cherokee Accents Indian Art Market in Corpus Christi, Texas.
President’s Award
Red Earth Native American Cultural Festival — 2006
Her large vase “Cahokia Moon” received the President’s Award, described on the original page as the festival’s second-highest honor after Best of Show.
Best of Show & First Place
Tulsa Indian Art Festival — 2000
Victoria won Best of Show and first place in the pottery category at the Tulsa Indian Art Festival.
Cecil Dick Master of Heritage Award
Five Civilized Tribes Museum — 2001 and 2003
Victoria received the Cecil Dick Master of Heritage Award in 2001 and again in 2003, including recognition for her painting “Raccoon Recipes.”
Featured Artist Recognition
Victoria has also been selected as a featured artist by respected museums, galleries, and art festivals.
T-Shirt Artist — Art Under the Oaks
2008
Victoria was selected as the official T-Shirt Artist for the 2008 Five Civilized Tribes Art Under the Oaks Market.
Featured Artist — Gallery of the Plains
2004
She was Featured Artist for the Gallery of the Plains Twenty-Third Annual Indian Art Exhibition in Nichols Hills, Oklahoma.
Featured Artist — Tulsa Indian Arts Festival
2002
Victoria was chosen as Featured Artist for the 16th Annual Tulsa Indian Arts Festival and also received third place in the pottery category.
Featured Artist — Creek Council House Indian Art Market
2001
She was selected as Featured Artist for the Creek Council House Indian Art Market in Okmulgee, Oklahoma.
Featured Artist — Five Civilized Tribes Museum
August 1999
Victoria’s work was featured at the Five Civilized Tribes Museum in Muskogee, Oklahoma, from August 8 through September 7, 1999.
Selected Awards Through the Years
2009
First and third place in Wheel-Thrown Pottery at Art Under the Oaks for “Kingfisher” and “It Cries for Acorns.”
Third place in Wheel-Thrown Pottery at the Tulsa Indian Art Market for “Kingfisher.”
2008
Second place in Paintings at the Five Civilized Tribes Fine Arts Competition for “Homage to Crumbo.”
First and third place in Miscellaneous Pottery at the Eiteljorg Museum Indian Art Festival for “Cheshire Catamount” and “Not Just Black or White.”
Third place in Contemporary Pottery at the Red Earth Native American Cultural Festival for “Cheshire Catamount.”
First and second place in Wheel-Thrown Pottery at Art Under the Oaks for “Buffalo Ring” and “Not Just Black or White.”
Second place in Paintings at the Tulsa Indian Art Market for “When Buffalo Dream.”
2007
First place in Two-Dimensional Art at the Indian Summer Native American Cultural Festival for “Woodlands Majesty.”
Southeastern Wildlife Award at the Five Civilized Tribes Museum Fine Arts Competition for “Woodlands Majesty.”
Third place in Water-Based Paintings at the Red Earth Native American Cultural Festival for “Woodlands Majesty.”
Third place in Pottery at the Tulsa Indian Art Market for “Moundville Mystery.”
2006
Best of Show at the Cherokee Accents Indian Art Market for “Seeing Red.”
First place in Three-Dimensional Art at the Indian Summer Art Market for “Spiro Geometrics.”
Second place in Two-Dimensional Art at the Cahokia Mounds Contemporary Indian Art Market for “The Contrary.”
Third place in Water-Based Paintings at the Eiteljorg Museum Indian Market for “The Contrary.”
President’s Award at the Red Earth Native American Cultural Festival for “Cahokia Moon.”
2005
Third place in Two-Dimensional Art at the Indian Summer Festival for “Harvest Dance.”
Second place in Paintings at the Five Civilized Tribes Museum Competitive Art Show for “Harvest Dance.”
Second place in Miniatures for “Dragonfly and Sun Circle.”
Merit Award in the Wheel-Thrown category at the Creek Council House Competitive Art Show.
First, second, and third place in Wheel-Thrown Pottery at Art Under the Oaks.
2004
First place in Wheel-Thrown Pottery at Art Under the Oaks for “Cahokia Palisades.”
First place in Three-Dimensional Art at the Cahokia Mounds Contemporary Indian Art Show.
Second place in Pottery at the Tulsa Indian Arts Festival.
2003
Cecil Dick Master of Heritage Award for “Raccoon Recipes.”
Honorable Mention for “Illustrated Man.”
First place in the Pottery/Sculpture category at the Creek Council House Competitive Art Show for “Seeing Red.”
Honorable Mention for “Cahokia Palisades.”
Merit Award at the Red Earth Festival.
2002
First, second, and third place in Wheel-Thrown Pottery at Art Under the Oaks.
Third place in Pottery at the Tulsa Indian Arts Festival.
Third place in Non-Traditional Pottery at the Red Earth Festival.
Second place in Three-Dimensional Art and Honorable Mention in Two-Dimensional Art at the Fayetteville Fine Arts Festival.
2001
Cecil Dick Master of Heritage Award and second place in Paintings at the Five Civilized Tribes Museum Competitive Art Show.
First, second, and third place in Wheel-Thrown Pottery at Art Under the Oaks.
Second place in Non-Traditional Pottery at the Red Earth Festival.
Honorable Mentions in both Paintings and Pottery at the Cherokee Heritage Center Trail of Tears Art Show.
2000
Best of Show and first place in Pottery at the Tulsa Indian Art Festival.
Second and third place in Wheel-Thrown Pottery at Art Under the Oaks.
Third place in Non-Traditional Pottery at the Red Earth Festival.
Third place in Pottery at the Chickasaw Nation Festival Competitive Art Show.
Honorable Mention at the Five Civilized Tribes Museum Competitive Art Show.
1998 - 1999
Featured Artist at the Five Civilized Tribes Museum in 1999.
Judge’s Honor Mention at the Lawrence Indian Arts Show in 1999.
Third place at the High Country Arts Festival in 1999.
Chairman’s Choice Award at the Creek Council House Indian Art Market in 1998.
Second place in Non-Traditional Pottery at the Red Earth Festival in 1998.
Museum & Exhibition Recognition
Victoria’s pottery pieces “Spiro Geometrics” and “Wa da du ga,” also known as “Dragonfly,” were featured in the exhibition “Cherokee Pottery, People of One Fire,” sponsored by the Cherokee Heritage Center. The Dragonfly vase was also featured on the back cover of the exhibition catalogue.
She was one of four Arkansas Native American artists featured in an Arkansas Heritage Month exhibition sponsored by the Arkansas Arts Council in Little Rock in 2000.
In 2003, Victoria was selected for the Arkansas Art Exhibit program for U.S. Senator Blanche Lincoln. Her painting “Dance of the Flyers” was chosen for display in the senator’s Little Rock and Washington, D.C. offices.
"Every award reminds me that preserving history through art still matters."
Heritage
Inspired by Native American culture, Arkansas history, and the stories of generations past.
Nature
Capturing the beauty of wildlife, landscapes, and the natural world through original artwork.
Storytelling
Every painting reflects a meaningful story, preserving history through art.
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