When Kenneth Johnson sees a historical tribal photograph digitally printed on a traditional quilt, he can’t help but wonder if American Indian art is at somewhat of a crossroad.

“The traditional point of view is you want to do your best,” Johnson says. “I think that the tradition means you don’t want to cross a line to where things look slick. On the other hand, you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do.”

Johnson, a metalsmith from Santa Fe, N.M., was one of two jurors for the 18th annual Lawrence Indian Arts Show. The other juror was Benjamin Harjo Jr., a painter from Oklahoma City.

They had the task of sorting through the 120 pieces of art to distribute honors, which will be awarded during an opening reception from 7 p.m.-9:30 p.m. today at the Lawrence Arts Center, 940 N.H. The show runs through Oct. 7.

The opening also is tied to the Haskell Indian Art Market, which will be Saturday and Sunday at the powwow grounds of Haskell Indian Nations University.

“It’s hard to judge your peers,” Johnson says. “For each of these people it’s a representation of their best. When you do that, it’s very personal. They’re not absolutes, but you strive for objectivity.”

This year’s adult Best of Show winners:

¢ Mac Coyote of Cortez, Colo., who won the two-dimensional category for “Wild Indian,” an acrylic work on canvas.

¢ Ronnieleigh Goeman of Nedro, N.Y., who won the three-dimensional category for a basket named “A Song for Spring.”

¢ Veronica Poblano of Zuni, N.M., who won the jewelry category for a bracelet called “Visions of Haida Gwaii.”

Maria Martin, the local gallery owner who has organized the show since its inception, says technology and trends do play a role in what’s entered each year – despite a potential stereotype that American Indian art never changes.

“Some things are very traditional form, and the material may have been from the same sources their ancestors may have used,” Martin says. “But then again, artists of today are influenced by their life now, and the use of material has changed somewhat.”

One example, she says, is the quilt entered by Charlotte Herr of Manhattan, which is titled “Signs of My Life” and includes photos on it. Another example, Martin says, is a sterling silver and turquoise sculpture entered this year – traditional materials used in a form other than jewelry.

Harjo says some trends in American Indian art are driven by the marketplace. One popular form now is petroglyph figures.

“The most trendy works now are ledger art, mimicking what was done in the past,” Harjo says. “It’s popular. It sells. That’s why people do it.”

A similar marriage of traditional and contemporary could be said of the use of American Indian artists of the Internet to sell their works. While some resist the trend, many have realized it can be a profitable endeavor.

“People are more skilled in the marketing and more sophisticated,” Johnson says. “The bottom line is if you’re doing this for a living, you want to be professional.”

But even if the Internet is becoming a popular venue for checking out art, Martin says there’s something different about coming to an exhibition like the Lawrence Indian Arts Show and seeing the works in person.

“The Lawrence show,” she says, “is an excellent venue to see what’s being done across the country by American Indian artists.”