Sarah Ortegon

Sarah Ortegon HighWalking was born in Denver, CO into a family of 12 children. Ortegon HighWalking graduated with
her BFA from the Metropolitan State University of Denver in 2013. Ortegon HighWalking studied art history in Italy during the summer of 2012. The main theme in Ortegon High Walking’s work isher Indigenous Heritage and her relationship to the land.

In 2013 Ortegon HighWalking was titled Miss Native American, USA and the focus of her platform was healthy living. She then traveled to Moldova in Europe, Guatemala, and throughout the U.S. performing the jingle dress dance with the Native Pride Dance Troupe.

Ortegon HighWalking was the artist for the MALCS conference in Laramie, WY at the University of Wyoming and had a solo art exhibition.

Ortegon HighWalking is also featured in PBS’s, “The Art of Home; A Wind River Story” which was nominated for an Emmy
in August of 2020. She was an extra in NBC’s TV series, “Jamestown”, as well as Paramount TV series, “1923”.

In March of 2020, Ortegon HighWalking collaborated with Choctaw artist Jeffery Gibson and performed in Times Square, NY for the Midnight Moment titled, “She Never Dances Alone.” This was featured on over 60 monitors in Times Square, NY
from March 1, 2020 – July 31, 2020 at 11:57-Midnight each night. The in person jingle dress dance performance was March 7, 2020.

Ortegon HighWalking has recently been accepted into the National Museum of Women in the Arts, “Women to Watch” Exhibit, happening in Washington, D.C. in 2024.

She performed and danced in collaboration with Gibson at the Venice Biennale along with 26 other dancers in April of 2024 as well as October of 2024. Sarah Ortegon HighWalking will be participating in the Ucross Artist Residency in Ucross, WY May 26th – June 6th, 2025.