Publication - Indian Arts and Crafts Association

Vol. 3, Issue 3 • Fall 2014 • $5 US
John D. Kennedy
IACA Founder
T H E WOR L D ’S L E A D IN G AM ERICAN INDIAN ARTS ALLIANCE
314 N River St., Dundee, IL
7033 E. Main St., 102, Scottsdale, AZ
866-426-6901
rivertradingpost.com
WELCOME
For 40 years IACA members have joined together to promote, preserve and protect American Indian
art. IACA is a collaboration of American Indian art collectors, galleries and museums, and artists. This
issue of the IACA Journal reflects back on the 40 year heritage of IACA and the changes in the American
Indian art form that have occurred during that time span. Over 40 years, many things in the world of
American Indian art have changed. We hope that you will enjoy this retrospective of your association
over 40 years.
IACA Board of Directors
Joe Zeller, President
Retail Representative
River Trading Post
East Dundee, Il.
Kent Morrow, Vice President
Wholesale Representative
Shiprock Trading Post
Farmington, NM
Dee Dowers, Secretary
Collector Representative
Scottsdale, AZ
Kathi Ouellet, Treasurer
Retail Representative
River Trading Post
Scottsdale, AZ
Beth Hale, Membership
Collector Representative
Albuquerque, NM
Dave Eversmann
Collector Representative
Albuquerque, NM
Georgia Fischel
Retail Representative
Dragonfly Jewelry
Warrenton, VA
Jacque Foutz
Wholesale Representative
Monsterslayer, Inc.
Kirtland, NM
Cliff Fragua
Artist Representative
Jemez Pueblo, NM
Barbara Gonzalez
Artist Representative
Santa Fe, NM
Pam Lujan-Hauer
Artist Representative
Albuquerque, NM
Martin Seidel
Wholesale Representative
Golden Fleece Trading Company
Albuquerque, NM
IACA-EF Board of Directors
Pam Lujan, President
Taos Pueblo
Albuquerque, NM
Beth Hale, Membership
Albuquerque, NM
Cliff Fragua, Vice President
Jemez Pueblo
Jemez, NM
Dee Dowers, Secretary
Scottsdale, AZ
2014 Artist of the Year
Shane R. Hendren
Kathi Ouellet, Treasurer
River Trading Post
Scottsdale, AZ
Michael McNair
Albuquerque, NM
Joe Zeller
River Trading Post
East Dundee, IL
Dave Eversmann
Albuquerque, NM
The Artist of the Year Program is sponsored by Native Peoples
Magazine and produced and underwritten by the IACA
Education Fund. Artists must be IACA Members to be
eligible for this prestigious award.
The 2015 Artist of the Year winner will be announced at the
IACA Spring Market, April 21-22, 2015 at the Isleta Resort and
Casino, Isleta Pueblo, just south of Albuquerque, NM. For more
information about the 2015 Spring Market, visit www.iaca.com
www.iaca.com | (505) 265-9149
1
IACA PRESIDENTS
2 011-2014
2010
2005-2009
2003-2004
2002
2001
2000
1999
1998
1996-1997
1995
1994
1993
1992
1991
1990
1989
1988
1987
1986
1985
1984
1983
1982
1981
1980
1978-1979
1977
1976
1974-1975
Joe Zeller
Shane Hendren
Michael ‘NaNa Ping’ Garcia
Betty Numerof
George Willis
Susan Pourian
Cliff Fragua
Deanna Olson
Georgiana K. Simpson
Andy Abeita
Pam Phillips
Thom Meyers
Rita Alexander
Joe Douthitt
Alpine Rodman
Dorothy Davis
Dr. Kathryn Linden
Leo Calac
Dorothy Davis
Frank Barker
Anita Baker
Fran Pawlowski
Martha Hill
Lillian Samuelson
Joe Lowry
Bill Conolly
Tom Wheeler
Mark Bahti
Tom Woodward
John D. Kennedy
»
IACA PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
IACA Celebrates 40 Years
With this issue of the IACA Journal, the Indian Arts and
Crafts Association celebrates 40 years of continuing the
vision of founder, John D. Kennedy. His vision was to
Promote, Protect and Preserve Authentic American Indian Arts and Crafts. Indeed, 40 years later that continues
to be the mission of IACA.
Joe Zeller, IACA President
IACA Mission
Statement
Today, the IACA is the World’s Leading American Indian
Arts Alliance that includes members from every sector
of American Indian Art, from the great creators of the
arts to the many collectors that love and support the
artists and their work. Today, IACA includes members
from round the world… from Japan to Ireland and
many places in between.
—Joe Zeller, IACA President
To promote, preserve and
protect authentic American
Indian arts and crafts
»
IACA EDUCATION FUND «
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Our Education Efforts Continue
Our mission at IACA-EF is to build appreciation and cultural preservation for the arts of
indigenous peoples of North America through
education. This issue of the IACA Journal
commemorates the 40th Anniversary of the
establishment of the Indian Arts and Crafts
Association.
Together we will continue to promote, preserve
and protect our rich tradition of Native American Arts. Working with and for our membership, we will endeavor to educate and inform
the public utilizing the Journal and our website.
I want to thank all of our volunteers, without
whom this would not be possible. Our IACA
Education Fund Board is grateful for the various contributions of the many talented people
involved in our organizations.
Ta-a
—Pam Lujan-Hauer, IACA-EF President
2
IACA Journal | Fall 2014
«
Pam Lujan-Hauer
Taos Pueblo
IACA-EF President
IACA-Education Fund
Mission Statement
To build cultural preservation
and appreciation for the arts of
indigenous peoples of North
America through education
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Volume 3, Issue 3 • Fall 2014
Welcome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Presidents’ Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Recognizing 32 Years of Artistic Excellence:
IACA Artist of the Year. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
MADE IN CANADA
MADE IN CANADA
Moccasins
Genuine handcraft made by
Native Huron-Wendat
***wholesale only***
IACA: 40 and Still Fighting!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
History of the Creation of the IACA. . . . . . . . . . 12
Joe Douthett: A Force Dedicated to
Protecting American Indian Art . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Cover: John D. Kennedy’s vision
continues to be the mission of
the IACA 40 years later.
40 Years of American Indian Art: From Fringe
and Feathers to Modernism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
IACA JOURNAL
Publisher
Editor in Chief
Managing Editor
Art Direction
Copy Editors
Ad Production
Journal Committee
Advertising Sales
Contributing Photographer
IACA Education Fund
Pam Lujan-Hauer
Joe Zeller
Yvonne Swartz, Kathi Ouellet
Dee Dowers, Beth Hale
Brian Lush
Dee Dowers, Brian Lush, Beth Hale
Kathi Ouellet, David Eversmann
Pam Lujan-Hauer, Joe Zeller
Brian Lush
David Eversmann
1 800 463-6874 Toll free
[email protected]
www.bastienindustries.ca
Give Us Your Story
and We Will Give You
a Sterling IACA Bolo!
IACA EDUCATION FUND
4010 Carlisle Blvd. NE, Suite C, Albuquerque, NM 87107
505.265.9149 • 505.265.8251 fax
www.iaca.com • www.iaca-educationfund.org
We do our best to check all copy and images. If we have made an error or omission,
please accept our apology and contact the office to let us know.
All rights are reserved. Articles may be reprinted for educational non-commercial
purposes with permission.
IACA Policy Statement: IACA was established in 1974 in order to promote, preserve and protect American Indian art, to set ethical
and professional standards for the trade, to provide education about the importance of American Indian art in the breadth of human
experience, and to protect consumers from fraudulent sales practices. IACA members subscribe to a strict Code of Ethics to ensure the
accurate and honest representation of the art that they sell, including the authenticity of origin and the integrity of materials used.
Additionally, through the IACA Education Fund, a separate non-profit 501(c)3 entity, publications, seminars and other educational
materials are produced to educate the public at large about the importance of preserving the precious heritage of American Indian art.
Send us your story, or story idea.
If it is used or published in a future
IACA Journal, we will send you this
classic, sterling silver IACA Bolo!
For more information or to submit
material for consideration, contact:
Pam Lujan-Hauer
Editor in Chief
[email protected]
505-265-9149
www.iaca.com | (505) 265-9149
3
Recognizing 32 Years
of Artistic Excellence:
IACA ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Eight years after founding IACA, the association established an award that
recognizes the best of American Indian art by naming an individual artist as
IACA Artist of the Year.
In the ensuing years, IACA has selected one artist to receive that very special, and unique, honor. While blue
ribbons abound at Indian art festivals throughout the country, being named IACA Artist of the Year is among the
highest honors that an artist can receive.
For thirty-two years, the exceptional
works of hundreds of IACA member artists have been judged for this prestigious
recognition. Yet only twenty-eight have
achieved that honor, with three artists
having been named IACA Artist of the
Year two times.
Many of these great artists have gone on
to have their works published in books
and magazines, featured in museum and
private collections worldwide, and to win
many other awards and accolades. The
work of one IACA Artist of the Year is
now on permanent display in the National
Statuary Hall Collection in the U.S. Capitol Building, Washington, DC.
To celebrate the IACA Artist of the Year
heritage, the IACA Journal would like to
pay a special tribute to each of those spectacular artists and their achievements.
1982: Virginia Stroud (Cherokee/Creek)
Not only the first IACA
Artist of the Year, but also
a former Miss Cherokee
Tribal Princess, Miss
National Congress of
American Indians, and
Miss Indian America. Virginia Stroud
paints with tempera and gouache and is a
fine art printmaker. She also has written
and illustrated several children’s books. She
draws inspirations from ancient pictographs and historical ledger art. Over her
career, Stroud developed a narrative style
with minimal facial details in her people
and lavish floral backgrounds. She also
paints kinetic wooden sculptures and fine
art furniture. Of her work Stroud says, “I
paint for my people. Art is a way for our
culture to survive... perhaps the only way.”
1983: Carolyn Bobelu (Zuni)
Early in the morning, while the world is
still before the sun, Carolyn Bobelu rises
and begins to draw her designs. Steeped in
her Indian heritage, Carolyn creates a style
4 IACA Journal | Fall 2014
all her own, on which she engraves the
title on the back of each bracelet, necklace,
pendant or pin that she creates. Her raised
mosaic inlay jewelry, created in gold or
silver, is distinct in its style. Her inlay includes coral, turquoise, lapis lazuli, lavulite,
onyx and marble. A winner of nearly every
major American Indian art award, Caroline
says, “I believe my drive and creativity
come from the universal spirit of life, love,
wisdom, joy and peace that lives within
each person.”
1984: Jean Bales (Iowa) d.2003
Jean Bales was well known for her paintings depicting the traditional life of Iowa
Indian women. Her works focused on the
activities and dress of the Plains Indians
of the late 19th century. During the early
years of competitions, she signed her work
as J. Bales and was only revealed as a
woman when she came forward to receive
her award. Her works have been included
in prominent private collections as well as
institutional collections, and she has been
exhibited in major museums across the
country.
1985 & 2004: Charles Pratt
(Cheyenne/Arapaho)
Charlie Pratt has won
hundreds of awards over
a long career for his
sculptures and models. As a young man,
he learned welding and
quickly moved into the art world, teaching
himself how to cast bronze sculptures.
Completely self-taught, he is best known
for his work in bronze and stone, but he
has also worked with fiberglass, resins
and acrylics. His work ranges from small
silver sculptures that can sit on a tabletop,
to six foot tall, brightly colored fiberglass
feathers. In 2002, Charlie was honored with
a special IACA “Lifetime Achievement”
award.
1986: Mark Silversmith (Navajo)
Although born and
raised on the Navajo
Reservation, artist Mark
Silversmith does not
limit himself to Navajo
themes. While studying
at Southwestern Oklahoma State University, he became influenced
by Plains Indians and the cultures of all
American Indians. Mark believes that all
tribes have a common bond and this is
reflected in his paintings and posters by
incorporating features of different tribes
into one image. He works primarily in
watercolor and occasionally in pastel and
acrylic.
1987: Clifford Brycelea (Navajo)
Clifford Brycelea has
two distinct styles –
mystical and realistic
– and each image holds
a hidden story, often
with many symbols. His
art reflects his upbringing on the Navajo Nation, with particular
emphasis on Mother Earth. By leaving the
interpretation of the image to the viewer,
he is able to express concepts of Native
American culture without showing too
much and offending his people. His work
is mainly with watercolor, acrylics, and pen
and ink, but he continues to experiment
with different painting techniques. During
the 1980s, Clifford’s work was used as a
book cover by writer Louis L’Amour, and to
illustrate several short stories.
1988: Jake Livingston (Navajo)
Jake Livingston is of
Navajo and Zuni descent
and grew up in Pine Haven, New Mexico. After
serving in the Marine
Corps and in the police,
he became a self-taught
silversmith by watching his father, wellknown Zuni jeweler, Jacob Haloo. With
the guidance and encouragement of his
father, Jake eventually became a master
jeweler. His jewelry designs go beyond the
usual Zuni style in that the inlay is carved
in three dimensions. His work has been
showcased in a number of books, including
those of Jerry Jacka.
1989: Bill Rabbit (Cherokee) d.2012
Bill Rabbit was born
and attended school in
Casper, Wyoming. Here
he watched the color
changing in the skies
and the form of things
in nature which influenced him from an early age. Bill was an
early starter, selling his first watercolor for
$4 while still in elementary school. Other
than a brief two-week class in grade school,
Bill had no formal art training, but his selftaught expertise in painting led to receiving
numerous awards and recognitions.
1990: Angelina Frances Medina
(Acoma/Zia)
Angelina Medina is
a member of the Bear
Clan at Acoma/Zia, and
has been active in creating stunning works of
art from clay since about
1983. She was partly raised by her maternal
grandmother, a traditional potter. Her
work is concentrated mainly on clay sculptures, but she also produces polychrome
jars and effigy bowls, as well as jewelry and
painting. Angelina is an activist for Native
American issues and participated in the
Alcatraz Island takeover during the 1970s.
A trained elementary teacher, she also has
taught her art to other great potters such as
Noreen Simplico.
1991: Denny Haskew (Potawatomi)
After working as a ski
instructor, a carpenter,
and a raft guide in the
Grand Canyon, at age 38
Denny Haskew began
his career as an artist.
He is a member of the Citizen Potawatomi
Nation. His mother took him to a sculpture
show in Loveland, Colorado, and he soon
became apprenticed to Fritz White for a
year before striking out on his own. He is
a painter and sculptor, but is best known
for bronze works of all sizes, which depict
the human body. The figures in his work,
both paintings and sculpture, portray many
emotions of the human spirit including
love, healing, relationship, and strength.
1992: John Balloue (Cherokee)
1995: Andy Lee Kirk (Isleta Pueblo) d.2001
John Balloue was born
in Richmond, California, the son of an
English/Irish mother
and Cherokee father.
After returning from
Vietnam, he formalized his art training
as a student on the G.I. bill, eventually
graduating in 1975 with a B.A. in Art from
California State University Hayward. John
has achieved national acclaim and recognition for his work in oil and acrylic. After
painting in a realistic style for over 30 years,
John now experiments with more contemporary, innovative styles. His works are in
many public and private collections, and
can be seen in galleries throughout the U.S.
Like many artists, Andy Lee Kirk did not
initially realize his calling as a jeweler. In
fact, far from it—Andy actually received
a degree in biology from the University of
New Mexico! It was during his scientific
studies that he began to dabble in jewelry making. He later went on to work for
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services and
then the Forest Service before realizing
his potential as a jeweler. Never one to
settle for the norm, Andy Lee Kirk blazed
through competitions, inspiring fellow
artists and wowing judges. His artistic
innovation reached further than aesthetic
beauty alone. His designs were brilliant—a
perfect balance between clean modern
lines, meaningful symbolism, and bright
southwestern colors such as lapis lazuli,
turquoise, and red coral.
1993: NAVEEK (Navajo)
NAVEEK uses his professional name to honor
both his Navajo and
Greek heritage. Raised on
the Navajo Reservation
and influenced by his
grandfather, a medicine man and silversmith, he also credits his Greek ancestry
for much of his creativity. NAVEEK is an
extraordinary master jeweler whose superb
jewelry shows a harmony and balance between traditional and contemporary styles.
He constantly searches for new approaches
and unique styles, while at the same time
giving strict attention to minute details and
the flawless finish of each piece. One of the
singular features of a NAVEEK bracelet is
the stampwork on the inside, which may be
either traditional in design or representative of mountain wild flowers. Often asked
about the significance, the answer can be
found in Navajo belief that an individual’s
internal beauty lies within, making each
of us special. So it is with each piece, the
internal design adds to the uniqueness and
beauty of the art.
1994: Carol Snow (Seneca)
Carol Snow is a certified
tribal artisan of the Seneca
Nation of Indians. She has
had over 100 paintings
and drawings published
in books, magazines and
calendars. Her focus is on mixed media
painting and collages, using various combinations of oil, metal leaf, ink, dyes, acrylics,
watercolors and textural elements on canvas
and tea-dyed watercolor paper. She most
often works with animal, American Indian
and western motifs, using realistic, whimsical and contemporary primitive styles. She is
also a published poet and writer.
1996: Jesse T. Hummingbird (Cherokee)
Jesse T. Hummingbird
studied art at Watkins
Institute, the University
of Tennessee, and classes
at The American Academy of Art in Chicago. He
established himself as a successful printer,
graphic artist, and commercial illustrator
before becoming a full time artist in 1983.
Jesse pursues both Cherokee and other
American Indian themes in his acrylic
paintings as what he calls “intertribal fantasy.” While painting contemporary images,
Jesse paints in the traditional style of the
Oklahoma Native painters. He and his wife,
Sandy, have also published four children’s
activity books.
1997: Michael Kirk (Isleta Pueblo)
Michael Kirk is from the
Isleta Pueblo along the Rio
Grande south of Albuquerque, New Mexico,
and he is also of Navajo
descent. He began making
jewelry in 1971 after serving in the Marines
in Vietnam. He is known for his delicate
feather designs which he hand cuts and
adds etched and carved details to make
each feather realistic. His satin finish is
spectacular. Michael has won many awards
for his jewelry including first place at
Gallup Intertribal Indian Ceremonial and
Best of Division at Santa Fe Indian Market.
As with many Native American artists, the
jewelry business is a family affair with Michael’s wife Marie, daughter Elizabeth and
son Lawrence involved in various aspects
of the business.
continued »
www.iaca.com | (505) 265-9149 5
1998: Bruce Contway (Sioux/Chippewa/Cree)
Bruce P. Contway was born in Montana
of Chippewa/Cree descent. He is the
grandson of First Holy Woman, Wan Mni
Awacin and the son of Jay (Jake) Contway,
a renowned bronze sculptor. Bruce learned
the casting process from his father and just
after college built a foundry in Bozeman,
Montana. As an active participant in
rodeo, Bruce lives the western lifestyle and
portrays it in his sought after bronzes. His
pieces feature Native Americans, wild animals, horses and cowboys, and are highly
sought after. “My grandparents held me up
to be proud. I make art to honor them. I
want to carry on as my elders would want.
I dedicate any success to my wife Kathy.”
(Artist statement from American Indian Jewelry
II: A – L by Gregory Schaaf)
1999: Pahponee (Kickapoo/Potawatomi)
Pahponee has been working with clay for more
than 30 years. She is a descendant of the Kickapoo
and Potawatomi Nations,
originally from the Great
Lakes. Her Kickapoo name, “Pahponee”
translates into Snow Woman. Her pottery
is inspired by her dreams, personal life
experiences, and is still being guided by
the White Buffalo. The shapes, colors, and
textures vary but they are always sophisticated and elegant with clean lines and
graceful forms. Some develop modeled fire
cloud patterns from outdoor firing, others
are sculptural with White Buffalo or other
animal carvings and some are burnished
with petroglyphs or dragonflies incised
into the surface.
2000: George Shukata Willis (Choctaw)
Born in Quanah,
Texas, George “Shukata” Willis has been a
working jeweler since
1964. Schooled in art at
the University of Texas,
George later moved to California where
he furthered his training at the Southern
California College of Jewelry Design and
the Starline Jewelry School in Los Angeles.
He then opened his own jewelry business and studio in California and began
teaching jewelry making as a trade to
disabled American Veterans through the
Veterans Administration. George creates
his designs using a wide variety of materials
and techniques and creates one of a kind
and limited edition pieces. His designs are
original and many have been copyrighted.
In 1990 George made the decision to close
his retail jewelry shop in order to pursue
6
IACA Journal | Fall 2014
his dream of creating jewelry as art that
reflected his sense of connection to his
Choctaw heritage. Since then, he has been
showing his work at art shows around the
country where he has won many awards.
2001 & 2009: Alfred Joe (Navajo)
Al Joe is a master
Navajo jeweler whose
exquisite jewelry is
created using the finest
materials. He considers
his work both traditional and contemporary, with an emphasis on
the contemporary. Al creates masterpieces
through the use of a variety of metal-smithing techniques, such as hollow forming,
overlay and raising metal. Working in gold
and silver, his pieces are often set with
high quality natural turquoise stones from
famous older American mines, but he also
uses lapis, coral and other stones. In 2001,
he won the IACA Artist of the Year title for
one of his prized double-sided pendants,
strung on exceptional handmade silver
beads. Each side had a different sign, set
with a different stone. In 2009, Al won his
second Artist of the Year Award for a stunning 14k gold necklace with smooth saucer
beads interspersed with elegant fluted beads
that were hand textured with sand.
2002 & 2010: Mary Small (Jemez Pueblo)
From the age of eight,
Mary Small helped her
mother make pottery
and weave yucca baskets. Today, she is one of
the leading potters from
the Jemez Pueblo in
New Mexico. In 1975 Mary stopped using
paint and started using only clay glazes.
She developed her own technique for a gray
glaze and is now known for her white and
gray designs on a light red base. She uses
white clay from San Felipe Pueblo for pure
white designs. The delicate matte gray has
become a trademark of her pots. The gray
glaze is made from the Rocky Mountain
bee plant that is boiled down into a sticky
pigment and then mixed with white clay.
Her work includes traditional and contemporary designs, and large pieces often have
insets of turquoise.
2003: Lorraine Caté (Santo Domingo Pueblo)
As early as five-yearsold, Lorraine Caté
showed an interest
in making jewelry.
Lorraine makes her
necklaces from a variety
of stones and shell—turquoise, clam shell,
olive shell, pipestone, jet and others. While
attending the Sherman Indian High School
in California, Lorraine sold her jewelry to
other students and even to a few local galleries. After high school she continued her
studies and jewelry making at the Institute
of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, also
studying pottery and museum studies, but
always coming back to jewelry making,
specifically heishi, for which Lorraine is
renowned. Her winning piece, an exquisite
20-strand olive and melon shell necklace,
is an outstanding example of the centuries
old technique of making heishi.
2005: Cliff Fragua (Jemez Pueblo)
Jemez Pueblo sculptor,
Cliff Fragua, has
learned the secret of
the stone through his
cultural and ancestral
teachings. Based in
Native American themes, his work shows
pride for his culture and a deep understanding of the inherent spirituality of the
stone. He has chosen stone as his medium
of expression because it is a combination of
the basic elements of the earth. Since 1974,
when he created his first stone sculpture,
Cliff has created a significant body of work
that keeps evolving along with his new influences and new interests. His sculptures
are featured in such public locations as the
U.S Capitol Building in Washington, D.C.
and in permanent collections throughout
the country.
2006: Amelia Joe-Chandler (Navajo)
An art teacher who holds
a Master of Science in
Art Education, Amelia
Joe-Chandler creates
jewelry that, in every
aspect, reflects her traditional Navajo heritage. “A complete shift
from traditional Navajo silversmith design
to modern design will never happen for me.
The Navajo culture is a powerful part of my
life and I want parts of it to always surface
in my designs. I have managed to combine
my traditional ways with contemporary
jewelry techniques.” Indeed, each of Amelia’s pieces tells a story about Navajo life.
2007 & 2014: Shane R. Hendren (Navajo)
With several fine arts
degrees, one from the
University of New
Mexico, Shane Hendren
is now internationally
acclaimed and collected,
and he has won many
awards. Shane has served on the IACA
board of directors, and as IACA President
in 2010. In 2010, he was recognized on the
floor of the New Mexico House of Representatives for his service to the arts. All of
this, and he was called on by the British
Museum in 2009 as an expert panelist
on the new school of Native American
turquoise jewelry—of which he is exemplary—at the Turquoise, Henry Christy, and
museum collections conference. Shane’s
IACA award-winning “Four Directions
Buckle” was featured in the IACA Summer
2014 Journal.
2008: Mary Lou Big Day (Crow Nation)
Mary Lou Big Day
was born on the Crow
Reservation. Traditional
arts have always been
an integral part of her
life. The oldest of five
children, Mary Lou was
raised by her grandmother who taught her
many things, but it’s her mother and fatherin-law she credits for teaching her many
of the traditional arts of the Crow Nation.
Mary Lou and her husband, Heywood,
travel across the country selling her dolls
and talking about Crow traditions and
culture. The dolls were given to young girls
to help teach them about their responsibilities as they grew older, and to teach them
respect for their roles as women—from
giving birth to caring for their children and
grandchildren and, later in life, caring for
their mothers and grandmothers.
2011: Earl Plummer (Navajo)
A Navajo from Thoreau,
New Mexico, Earl Plummer began making jewelry
at age 14 by learning from
family members. He
started with simple stamp
work and has progressed to the fine inlay
work he makes today. He takes many of his
ideas from nature, and creates contemporary designs, using combinations of shells
and natural stones. Earl is known for the
quality of his work, his creativity, and his
attention to detail, which has resulted in
many awards over the years.
2012: Caroline Carpio (Isleta Pueblo)
Caroline Carpio is a
lifelong resident of the
Isleta Pueblo, New Mexico, and has been working
as an artist for over 30
years. Her artwork is a
reflection of her traditional upbringing and Native culture. Most
of Caroline’s pottery is in a contemporary
style made from clays that she gathers herself, and many beautiful bronze sculptures
are produced from Caroline’s originals. “At
times, my artwork is a reflection of my inner prayers and other times, it is the stories
of our ancestors that inspire a new vision.
I would like my sculptures to preserve a
story and educate who we are many generations from now,”
2013: JT Willie (Navajo)
JT Willie is of the
Taabaaha (Waters Edge
People) and born for the
Tachiinii (Red Running
into the Water People),
and is currently studying
for his PhD in Political
Science. JT’s exceptional beadwork reflects
where he came from as a young man, and
his hope is that his artwork will also inspire
young artists to find their vision.
JT expresses his feelings in each beaded moccasin, bracelet, and wearable art
piece that he creates. While beadwork is
always the center for each of his designs,
JT embellishes his pieces by forming silver
around the beadwork in order to protect
the beadwork in each piece.
Biographical information obtained from a
variety of sources with some biographies
courtesy of Georgia Fischel, Dragonfly Native
American Jewelry, and Joe Zeller, River Trading
Post. We apologize for any inadvertent errors.
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The most trusted and authoritative voice
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targets your customer base, and delivers on all counts.”
— Joe Zeller, Owner of River Trading Post and President of the Indian Arts and Crafts Association
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www.iaca.com | (505) 265-9149
7
“Winter Evening in Monument Valley”
by Clifford Brycelea
1987 Artist of the Year
“Ancestor’s Song”
by Cliff Fragua
2005 Artist of the Year
“Mother’s Prayer Box”
by Amelia Joe Chandler
2006 Artist of the Year
“Bearclaw” by Michael Kirk
1997 Artist of the Year
8
IACA Journal | Fall 2014
“Cherokee Legend
of the First Woman”
by Jesse T. Hummingbird
1996 Artist of the Year
“Summer Song”
by Caroline Carpio
2012 Artist of the Year
“Dancing with the Stars (Native Style)”
by John Balloue 1992 Artist of the Year
“Woman Holding the Sky”
by Denny Haskew
1991 Artist of the Year
www.iaca.com | (505) 265-9149
9
IACA: 40 AND STILL FIGHTING!
Continuing its mission to promote, preserve and protect
authentic American Indian arts and crafts By Catherine Baker Stetson
Forty years ago, in 1974, the Indian Arts and Crafts Association
(IACA) was formed in response to the overwhelming influx of
counterfeit indian Art and crafts from overseas. Although the
Indian Arts and Craft Board (Board) had been in existence for
over 40 years at that time, it did not have the resources,
authority, or ability to protect tribal artists and craftsmen.
Thanks in part to IACA, other similarly motivated groups, and advocates such as Senator
Ben Nighthorse Campbell, the Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990 (the Act) was passed,
(not coincidentally the same year in which the Native American Graves Protection
and Repatriation Act was passed). The Act was an attempt to give power to the Board,
authorizing criminal and civil actions against those who misrepresent products as Indian-made. More than two decades later, neither act has enjoyed complete success, in large
part due to limited resources and still-inadequate penalties and enforcement options.
For the past two decades, the protection offered by the federal law has improved. In
2000, the Indian Arts and Crafts Enforcement Act was passed, followed in 2010 by the
Indian Arts and Crafts Amendments Act. These newest additions to the law make enforcement easier and violations of the law more serious. Now, violators face:
•
•
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federal investigations
the specter of both criminal and civil proceedings
treble damages or $1000/day for violations of this Act, whichever is greater
punitive damages, court costs, and attorney’s fees
At the same time, more states have passed their own deceptive trade practices laws,
offering additional protection for artists. These improvements have allowed the Board
to put a stronger focus on education of and outreach into Native communities, to work
more with states’ attorneys general, and to undertake stronger investigations and more
active law enforcement. But while the laws become stronger, the number of offenders increases, both on-reservation and off, from within this country and internationally. IACA
has remained as determined as ever to fight for the rights of tribal artists and craftsmen,
and asked me, as the IACA attorney, to evaluate where we are and what remains to be
done to improve those rights.
The answer—as if there is a single answer—is complicated, and, as with many complex
issues, the overarching solution is often “education.” Even though the laws are strong
and the penalties severe, technical and practical difficulties arise in educating artists
about, and then interpreting, copyright and trademark laws. Although these laws exist to
protect the artists and craftsmen, most artists and craftsmen frankly do not know their
rights, and tribes themselves are generally not actively involved in either the educational
or enforcement aspect. As a result, the unprotected rights are usually lost. The irony is
that those who deal in false advertising and fakes often know exactly how far they can go
while the artists who are being taken advantage of have no ability to defend themselves.
It has often been noted that the key to power lies in the ability to keep your opponents
in the dark, away from the knowledge that could give them the power to act. If you don’t
educate yourself, or don’t protest, or don’t vote, you are far more likely to be oppressed.
Similarly, if the issue of protecting quality, genuine Native arts and crafts is of any importance to you, you need to educate yourself about your legal rights; then you must insist
on them.
I have often tried to explain to people in New Mexico why New Yorkers so often get
what they want: I think it’s because they know their rights, so they start out right from
the beginning expecting to have the rights honored. If someone refuses to honor them,
10
IACA Journal | Fall 2014
New Yorkers will insist and make a lot of
noise. If they STILL don’t get what they
want, they will fight about it. And that,
my readers, is the key to success from the
perspective of a New York attorney.
To turn the tables in the next 40 years,
tribal communities, individual artists,
tribal educational institutions, and
organizations like IACA need to insist
upon learning more—then passing on
more—about business law in general and
trademark and copyright laws in particular. Perhaps if they will take a stand and
offer a hand, artists will be able to take
full advantage of the protections now
offered by the federal and state laws.
Catherine Baker Stetson
In 1997, Catherine Baker Stetson formed
Stetson Law Offices, P.C., a minority-owned
professional corporation. The firm provides
general legal services to tribes and tribal
entities in many states, representing them in
administrative, legislative, and judicial proceedings, sacred site protection and cultural
preservation and in tribal, state, and federal
forums. Areas in which they have the greatest interest and experience include lobbying
and consultation on federal legislation, tribal commercial development and taxation,
tribal environmental regulation, land uses,
Indian gaming, and Indian housing.
Stetson has served as a Vice Chair of the
American Bar Association, Native American Resources Committee, and as a Vice
Chair on the Environmental Quality Committee. She has also served on the Board of
Directors of the Federal Home Loan Bank of
Dallas Board of Directors.
Stetson’s Indian law experience has been
largely in working on housing and commercial transactions on Indian reservations. She
has helped develop on-reservation restaurants, casinos, hotels, shopping centers,
mobile home parks, sanitary landfills, and
gas stations, and also has designed tribal
regulatory and business structures intended
to complement individual tribes’ economic
development objectives.
Cate Stetson was the first New Mexico State
Bar Certified specialist in Federal Indian
law and served as the first Chair of the
Federal Indian Law Specialty Committee.
She is also the owner of Tribal Business Opportunities, Inc. a financial consulting firm
for tribal and reservation-based commercial
development. Source: www.stetsonlaw.com
IACA Members for 40 Years
•
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•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
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Joseph R. Jojola . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Artist
Ben Nighthorse Campbell. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Artist
Joseph Lonewolf. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Artist
Frances and Tom Bayless. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Collectors
Leo D. Calac. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Collector
John D. Kennedy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Honorary
Noel Bennett. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Honorary
The Heard Museum Library & Archives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Museum
John, Bonnie and Lila Boyer - Boyers Indian Arts & Jewelry. . Retail
Bruce and Kathy Uhrig - The Indians. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Retail
Richard A. and Mary Beth Rosenthal - Morning Star Traders Inc.. Retail
Steven R. Pickelner - Benzav Trading Company. . . . . . . . . . . . . Wholesale
Dominic Biava - First American Traders. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wholesale/Retail
Jackson Clark, II - Toh-Atin Gallery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wholesale/Retail
Ron McGee - McGee’s Indian Art. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wholesale/Retail
The Founders of
the Indian Arts and
Crafts Association
Founded in 1974, and filed for corporate
status on January 29, 1975, the Indian
Arts and Crafts incorporation papers
state that “the term for which this corporation shall exist shall be one hundred
(100) years.”
The incorporators were:
• Mr. John D. Kennedy
• Ms. Bertha Dutton (Museum of
Navajo Ceremonial Art)
• Mr. James Cody
• Mr. Bill Ganong
• Mr. Martin Link (Navajo
Tribal Museum)
• Mrs. Joseph Lonewolf
• Mr. Terrell Piechowski (Zuni
Craftsman Association)
The first IACA Board of Directors
included 21 people. Seven for a one year
term, seven for two years, and seven for
three years.
The Hallmark of Excellence in
Indian Arts and Crafts
IACA CODE OF ETHICS
For forty years, Indian Arts and Crafts Association member artists, wholesalers and
retailers have subscribed to a strict code of ethics which is intended to protect consumers as well as retailers, wholesalers and American Indian artists. Aspiring IACA
members are carefully vetted prior to admission, and may become a member only
after review by IACA membership and approval by the IACA Board of Directors.
As part of their application, every IACA member signs to adhere to the Code of
Ethics as follows:
• To honestly represent American Indian arts and crafts as to nature and origin
within the realm of my control and to offer return privileges for articles found by
the Indian Arts and Crafts Association to have been misrepresented by me;
• To abide by all federal, state, local and tribal laws pertaining to Indian Arts
and Crafts, artifacts and natural resources;
• To abide by ethical business conduct regarding advertising, appraising, pricing
and guarantees offered by me;
• To respect and support ethical business activities of all Indian Arts and Crafts
Association members;
• To encourage consumer confidence in the authenticity of all articles identified
with the IACA seal; and,
• To cooperate with the law enforcement agencies and the IACA in the investigation of crimes involving Indian arts and crafts and to promote proper identification of Indian arts and crafts.
Those pioneers included:
• Mr. John D. Kennedy
• Ms. Bertha Dutton (Museum of
Navajo Ceremonial Art)
• Mr. James Cody
• Mr. Bill Ganong
• Mr. Martin Link (Navajo Tribal
Museum)
• Mrs. Joseph Lonewolf
• Mr. Terrell Piechowski (Zuni
Craftsman Association)
• Mr. Fred Kaboties (Hopi
Silvercraft Guild)
• Mr. Don Woodard
• Mr. Bob Sluder
• Mr. Mike Hoeck
• Mr. John Burdon
• Mr. Mark Bahti
• Mr. Al Packard
• Mrs. Beth Clark
• Mr. Rod Savageau
• Mr. Roger Tsabetsaye
• Mr. Cliff McGee
• Mr. Tom Woodard
• Mr. Tom Wheeler
• Mr. Harold Benner (Trader Gene)
1The Indian Arts and Crafts Board was created
to provide marketing support for legitimate tribal products while preventing fakes from entering
the market; however, it was largely ineffective
at that time. By the 70s and 80s, hundreds of
millions of dollars were estimated to be lost to
Native artisans as the result of the influx of
fraudulent products.
www.iaca.com | (505) 265-9149
11
History of the Creation of the IACA
John D. Kennedy, Third Generation Indian Trader and
founder of the Indian Arts and Crafts Association
In 1970, third generation Indian trader John D. Kennedy, became
concerned with the state of the Indian art business. As Indian art
gained in popularity, increased demand and limited production
opened the door to the importation of foreign made knockoffs.
He understood the threat to both the Indian artists and to the
reputable traders who worked with these artists. His constant,
immensely time-consuming and dedicated efforts to deal with this
situation resulted in the founding of IACA in 1974.
Here are some excerpts from his book,
A Good Trade: Three Generations of Life
and Trading around the Indian Capital
Gallup, New Mexico, followed by his
comments about those involved in this
historic event.
“I was concerned by the lack of communication and coordination within the
Indian business and the overwhelming
demand for inventory. An aura of greed
in the trade compounded matters, with
many businesses disregarding ethics. I
talked with Dad about devoting time to
creating an industry trade organization.
At a time when everyone was going to
the bank with a wheelbarrow, I decided
to spend time to develop a trade organization. It proved to be extremely
time-consuming, expensive, and frustrating. Two years later in 1972, I launched
the first trade association in the Indian
business since the United Indian Traders
Association in the ‘40s. I named it the Indian Arts and Crafts Association (IACA).
Trying to organize people during prosperity was challenging. Typically, people
are more receptive to organization in
times of adversity or perceived threat.
Neither existed in the early 70s, but deceptive advertising, inventory, and pricing were increasing… Developing the
IACA was made difficult by the immense
distrust that had developed within the
trade. The Indian business became characterized by greed and distrust of competitors. Many seemed to want all the
business. Many newcomers to the trade
did not understand the market from
wholesale and retail perspectives. My
mission was to get people in the business
to acknowledge and accept others of like
12
IACA Journal | Fall 2014
mind to protect and enhance the market
for American Indian handcrafts.
Several evenings a week, I flew my plane
to Taos, Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Phoenix, Tucson, and Denver. I met with
area dealers to discuss the concept of a
trade organization, and then flew back
to Gallup late at night. Initially, two or
three people attended but eventually
attendance reached twenty or thirty. The
major obstacle was getting people to
recognize others in the trade. Some people considered others as crooks, but not
themselves. If the organization allowed
someone in, someone else refused to
join. It was a never-ending cycle.
Frank Dressman, a Santa Fe dealer, came
to see me about the IACA when it had
no name. He and his wife had attended
several organizational sessions without commitment. He gave me a check
for $100 and said, “For the life of me I
cannot see how this is going to work or
how you can rip me off doing it, so I am
willing to chip in $100 to find out.” He
was one of the charter members.
Aside from convincing people to join
the organization (no name yet), the next
greatest task was to assemble a leadership
team. There were people that expressed
interest in the organization but were not
willing to work at it. For some there was
concern about tainting their reputation
in the business if the organization failed.
From the outset, Bob Allen of First State
Bank in Gallup was both interested and
encouraging to see the organization
come to fruition. Early on Bob recognized the impact that the organization
could have on the economy of the Gallup
area. The Indian craftspeople were a
life-line to our economy. They were
producing a product that arguably was
in limited supply because a handful of
people could not logically overproduce.
He understood my concern that the
popularity of the market would invite
knockoffs and manufactured goods. He
felt that threat would be from outside of
Gallup.
I used Bob as a sounding board for much
of what I was doing and planning. First
the organization needed a name and
an identity. The name was pretty much
a no-brainer. Then we needed a logo. I
went to our resident artist at Gallup Indian Trading, Paul Pendergast, and asked
him to create a logo. In order to protect
the integrity of the logo I felt it needed
to be copyrighted. I heard of an attorney
in Albuquerque who could probably do
it for us. I went to Albuquerque and met
the young attorney, recently graduated from law school. He became very
interested and offered to provide counsel.
That was Tim Sheehan. Tim became a
dedicated and tireless worker for the
IACA. He attended all of our meetings
and gave us good advice in our formative
years and beyond.
Once I had a name and a logo I felt there
was more to sell on the IACA concept,
but it still needed some direction. I made
a majority decision (1-0) to appoint the
first board of directors. I felt that with
a proper pedigree, the core directors
could recruit and build an organization
better than I could. I decided upon
people that I knew or knew of in the
trade that I thought were influential and
committed to the Indian arts and crafts
business. Following are those people that
I recall from memory. After forty years
it was a challenge and I am apprehensive
that someone has been omitted. If so, I
apologize now and hope that they can be
properly recognized.
DOUG ALLARD (ST. IGNATIUS, MT)
Doug was a prominent auctioneer that
plied his trade throughout the western US.
He knew most prominent collectors and
many dealers. He was a very personable
and likeable guy.
BOB ALLEN (FIRST STATE BANK,
GALLUP, NM)
Bob hung in with me for the long haul
and hosted the first official meeting of the
IACA.
MARK BAHTI (TUCSON, AZ)
After several “recruiting” trips I was ready
to give up on Tucson. Mark called me to
say that if I would come back again, he
could get about twenty people to attend.
From that time on, Mark was a tireless
ambassador of the IACA and later served
as president. He is a respected dealer,
author, and authority on Native American
handcrafts.
LEO CALAC (ESCONDIDO, CA)
Leo and his wife, Monte, had a retail
store. Leo was the business manager for
the county school system. Both he and
Monte were among the nicest people I ever
met. Leo brought good sense and stability
to our group.
BILL CONNELLY (ARCADIA, CA)
Bill and his wife, Thea, were long-time
reputable and respected dealers in California. Early on they saw the coming
onslaught to the handmade Indian arts
and crafts market. I was glad that he lent
his reputation and integrity to the IACA.
FANNIE ETTSITY (WINDOW
ROCK, AZ)
Fannie was the general manager of the
Navajo Arts & Crafts Guild. She had an
uncanny eye for quality that attracted
many dealers and collectors. She was very
grounded and contributed a great deal.
MIKE HOECK (RENO, NV)
Mike was a very likeable guy who retired
from corporate America, moved to Reno,
and opened an Indian shop. He had
good organizational sense and traveled
throughout the southwest. His good sense
and contacts were important to the IACA.
FRED KABOTIE (SECOND MESA, AZ)
Like Fannie, Fred was the prime force
behind his tribe’s arts and craft cooperative, the Hopi Arts & Crafts Guild. He was
a prominent artist and lent his reputation
and people skills to building the IACA.
THERESA LONEWOLF (SANTA
CLARA, NM)
Theresa was Joseph Lonewolf ’s wife. She
ran the business aspect of his pottery
enterprise that allowed him to devote his
quality time to creating pottery. Theresa
was influential with many prominent
people in the trade. She was never hesitant
to speak her mind on anything that pertained to the betterment of the IACA.
DOUG MURPHY (CLINES
CORNERS, NM)
Doug was a well-known and respected
dealer with years in the business. He understood organizations and was influential in the IACA formation.
AL PACKARD (SANTA FE)
Al owned a longtime business on the
plaza in Santa Fe. Right away he saw
and understood the mission of the IACA
and never wavered in efforts to build and
sustain the IACA. He was influential with
New Mexico dealers and collectors the
world over.
ROD SAVAGEAU (CA)
I did not come to know Rod until after the
IACA was formed. However, as an auctioneer, I recognized his influence in the
trade and among collectors. We had never
met, but he agreed to come on board.
ROGER TSEBETHSAYE (ZUNI, NM)
Roger was the director of the Zuni Arts
& Crafts Cooperative. Of all the Native
American artisans, the Zunis arguably
had the greatest skin in the game for a
protective and market-conscious organization like the IACA.
TOM WHEELER (HOGBACK, NM)
Tom is a fourth-generation trader in Navajo country. Very personable and levelheaded, he had good dealer contacts and
great energy for the IACA for many years.
I think that he initially came on board as
a favor and then provided great leadership. He served as the third president
during which time the IACA launched its
first trade show.
TOM WOODARD (GALLUP, NM)
Tom was the first Gallup trader to commit
to the IACA. He was well-connected and
respected among dealers and collectors.
He was influential in bringing Al Packard into the IACA. From the outset he
was a tireless worker. He understood the
quality and integrity of handmade Indian
arts and crafts. He served as the second
president.
BARTON WRIGHT (FLAGSTAFF, AZ)
Barton was the director of the Northern
Arizona Museum. He was a highly-respected artist and authority on the Hopi
culture. He never wavered in his work
and support for the IACA. He brought a
good measure of prestige to the early IACA
pedigree.
At the Shalimar Inn in Gallup we all met
each other collectively for the first time
in 1973. We held our first meeting, created bylaws, elected officers and set the
course for the IACA in one day. It was
the most dedicated, energetic group of
people with which I ever associated. We
were on a mission to which everyone was
committed. By the end of that first day,
we had also determined classifications
of membership and gathered names
of potential people that could become
members and possibly agree to serve on
the board of directors.
First we recruited them into the IACA
and then we roped them in as potential
board members. In 1974 the first unofficial board of the IACA was replaced with
a duly elected board from the membership classifications that were initially
determined. Other events followed such
as the selection of the first director, Fran
Pawlowski, and lobbying efforts to create
protective legislation in several states. In
1974 the National Park Service adopted
the guidelines of the IACA for its concessionaires.
I was young, energetic, focused, and
fortunate to be a part of what has proven to be a highlight in my life. In the
early years the annual IACA meeting
and trade shows were really an event.
Hundreds of members regularly came
to the annual meetings that were held
from Kansas City to Tucson. For years
Fred Kabotie from Hopi made his annual
suggestion at our board meeting that we
meet in Hawaii. He wanted to get to Hawaii in the worst way! Perhaps the most
fun that I had was in 1978 (I think!)
when Tom Wheeler of Hogback Trading
became the new President. The meeting
was being held in Scottsdale with another great turnout. When Tom accepted the
gavel, I paraded out a small pig wearing an imprinted shirt with “Hogback
Trading” and the IACA logo. Everyone
cheered and Tom was perplexed. He was
staying in the hotel for another two days!
I applaud the IACA and its membership
that has been sustained for forty years.
The cause and ideals are no less significant today than they were in the early 70s.
Keep fighting the good fight!
—John D. Kennedy
IACA President - 1974
www.iaca.com | (505) 265-9149
13
Joe Douthitt: A Force Dedicated
to Protecting American Indian Art
an interview with brian lush
IACA is 40 years old this year. As a past president of IACA, what
was it about IACA that drew you to becoming a member?
To be very honest—and you’ll find that I am—the ideals of the association were what I
always believed in and what I thought was the right thing. In the very beginning I didn’t
join IACA. The organization started in ’74 and I joined in ’78. At first I was very skeptical because so many of the folks who had started it had been in the business a while.
There were some shady practices that were going around in different places. I wanted to
give it time and evaluate it before I joined. I joined in 1978.
As the proprietor of Towayalane Trading what drew you to the business?
I was teaching school on the Navajo
Reservation in Window Rock School
District on Fort Defiance.
I lived up there in the late sixties with
my wife and four children for about five
years. In between classes teachers would
stand at their classroom door as kids
passed from one class to another. I would
stand there and a young Navajo boy
or girl would say, “Mister D., my mom
made this ring last night and she needs
five dollars for it.” It looked like a deal to
me so I would give them the five bucks.
Over the years I started to accumulate a
few things and at one point I wondered
what the heck I was going to do with
them. That was after I gave some to my
wife and I would wear a piece designed
for men and so on. I went to college at the
University of Arizona in Tucson and I got
to know quite a few people there through
the Bachelors and Masters programs.
When I came home to visit family on
Holidays I’d bring my purchases with
me and I would sell it to people at my
cost or give it to people. After a while
I thought that maybe I should at least
be making gas money selling the work.
After a while my business really started
to heat up. I bought more and more and
went to one of the stores here in Tucson
and showed it to them. I quoted what I
thought was a reasonable mark up over
what I had bought it for and they bought
all of it. I figured the whole notion of
selling to stores as a wholesaler was the
way to go. That was how I got started.
What have been some of the biggest changes that you’ve noticed in the industry?
It seems to me that one of the big chang14
IACA Journal | Fall 2014
es has been the increase in manufactured
pieces and cast jewelry. People get away
with calling that hand-crafted and I
think there is a little bit subterfuge there
in my opinion. They got that through the
legislature somehow. What you have now
are manufacturers taking things away
from the artist and that in my opinion
has been the biggest change.
To me there cannot be any Indian art
without Indians. Even though companies
that do the manufacturing do have Native people it still takes the art away from
the designer. Usually there is a designer
or someone who makes the format and
I always say what artistic ability does
it take to cut a square stone and put it
into a square hole? So there is that and
of course the fake stuff that you have
coming in. I could keep going couldn’t
I? With the shortage of good turquoise
there have certainly been a lot of changes
to the materials that go jewelry making.
All of those changes make it less unique
and more of a commodity - a manufactured item and it just seems to take away
the real charm of Native jewelry to me.
You also served as an IACA President
back in 1992. As you entered office what
issues did you want to address and how
successfully were they addressed?
I had been fighting the fight for authenticity since the beginning. I guess you
could say I’m a throw back. I’m a black
and white guy. I’m not a gray guy. To
me, if it’s Indian and handmade then that
is what I believed that is what members
should sell. But if it’s not Indian then I
didn’t and if it wasn’t handmade I didn’t
believe that IACA members should sell
those things.
I had been fighting with the imported
business particularly and also the fake
material business. I had inadvertently
bought a fake bracelet that I thought was
a Navajo inlay bracelet I came to find
out that the piece was done with block
turquoise. This was back in the very
early eighties and I didn’t have a clue.
I just figured the price was right and it
looked well made. I sold it to a customer
in Pennsylvania and I started seeing the
person who “made it” and saw more of
those bracelets and I finally figured out
what was going on.
I had to call the customer in Pennsylvania and asked her if she had sold that
bracelet yet. She did sell it and I asked
her if she could get it back because it’s
not right. There were some materials in
it that weren’t real and that I’d be happy
send her a nice Zuni bracelet that’s worth
a lot more to replace it.
She did and I did and that got me off on
the warpath. Since then I’ve continued to
do seminars. I do one called “Fakes and
Frauds” which was a two hour seminar
at the IACA Markets. One year they quit
asking me to do it and I think the reason
for that was I was stepping on some
people’s feet. In 1998 I did an undercover
thing for Dateline. That was my biggest
deal. My biggest defeat as president was
the issue of stabilized turquoise. Until
that time we had never allowed stabilized
turquoise in the market with the exception of Santo Domingo work and Zuni
fetishes. Otherwise if it was Navajo or
anyone else it had to be natural. We had
quite a debate over it and I took the stand
for quality and for value and a stand for
natural and I lost it. Now IACA allows
stabilized turquoise but it has to be
labeled as such. After I was outvoted and
at the very next show one of the exhibcontinued on page 16
»
40 Years of American Indian Art:
FROM FRINGE AND FEATHERS TO MODERNISM
Patchwork – An Expression of Creativity
Susan Howard
(Lower Muskogee
Creek)
For thousands
of Sapronetti
years, Native
American
peoples have been embracing art in all its various forms—carving petroglyphs, decorating with shells, carving bone and horn, creating containers
and figurines from clay, and painting animal skins with natural
pigments. The last forty years is a mere ripple in time when
viewing the history of Native arts, but this ripple has turned into
a tsunami of innovative and creative artwork.
Many fine artists have grown and developed during this time, and we are very
glad to see that there is a strong contingent of extremely talented young artists
ready to continue forward. A visit to any
show or market featuring Native American work will highlight the remarkable
changes that are taking place - high
fashion clothing and accessories, jewelry,
paintings, glass, metal, photography,
giclée prints, and much more.
Some artists, who have been producing
work for many years, still like to try out
new styles or techniques. Cliff Fragua
(Jemez Pueblo), well-known for his
large masterpieces in stone, has also
experimented with glass and making
smaller items such as pendants. Navajo
elder and artist, Joe Yazzie, enhances
his drawings with computer programs
to create work that results in stunning,
contemporary images. Yazzie believes he
can carry on traditions learned from old
masters like Allan Houser (Apache) and
Quincy Tahoma (Navajo) using today’s
modern tools.
Hopi artist and teacher, Ramson Lomatawama, participated in traditional Hopi
life as he was growing up. For many
years he has carved “old style” katsina
dolls using traditional materials and
techniques, even spinning his own twine
to attach feathers to the dolls. But in the
1990s, Lomatawama discovered the art of
glass-blowing. In the conservative Hopi
culture in which he was raised, men were
not allowed to work with clay, so working with glass let him create traditional
pottery shapes using a new medium that
would not violate his cultural beliefs.
Debbie Lujan (Taos Pueblo) works in
a medium that barely existed in Native
American art forty years ago—photography. While many photographs of
Native Americans have been taken for
well over a hundred years, it is not until
fairly recently that they have got behind
the camera lens themselves. Although
many people have taken photographs
of Taos Pueblo’s distinctive architecture,
Lujan has a unique advantage because
she can go to places such as rooftops and
restricted areas, which are off-limits to
the average visitor. Lujan is preserving
her culture in a digital format.
If we can remind ourselves
that cycles exist in all things
and occur in all places, and
that there will be cracks along
the way, we can learn. After
all, that’s how the light gets in.
—Ramson Lomatawama, Indian
Country Today
Beaded pumps and tennis shoes? Bright
green ball gowns with beaded decoration? This is the work of JT Willie (Navajo), an extraordinary new talent, and
the recipient of the 2013 IACA Artist of
the Year. He gives a whole new twist to
the art of decorative beadwork. Willie
calls on his Navajo heritage for inspiration, but expresses his ideas and values in
a totally new way.
There are also young, talented artists
who use their skills to produce artwork
which maintains the traditional styles
and techniques of their cultural heritage,
such as Randy Brokeshoulder (Hopi/
continued on page 16 »
www.iaca.com | (505) 265-9149 15
Joe Douthitt
continued from page 14
itors put out this very crude looking sign at his booth saying
“Don’t ask me! Everything is stabilized in the world!” Nowadays,
most people don’t even ask and I don’t even think they know the
difference. There is actually a large difference.
Your tenure with the IACA board and presidency coincided
with passing the Indian Arts and Crafts Act. How did IACA
help that to happen?
In either ’86 or ’88 Ben Nighthorse Campbell was running for Congress. I was in Ouray, Colorado and he was walking around on the
streets for votes and I ran into him with a good friend of mine.
He asked me if I had his vote and I told him that I couldn’t vote
in Colorado but I asked him if he gets into Congress, will he help
American Indian people. He laughed and said “I’m gonna try
and help people.”
So I said, “Well why don’t you, as a Native American, do something about this doggone imported stuff?”
He didn’t know anything about it so I showed him a catalog that
I carry around that shows items that were made in the Philippines, and I’ll be doggone if one of his necklaces wasn’t in there.
That gave him the impetus to really address the problem.
The Indian Arts and Craft Act was passed in 1990 and IACA was
very active in writing that. I remember sitting down and trying
to define who was going to be an Indian because there were a lot
of folks who were in the wannabe department you might say.
I remember staying up until two or three o’clock in the morning
with four or five of the guys on the board discussing arguing and
trying to figure out what is an Indian?
The final conclusion was what came out in the law which was
letting the tribal governments determine who was an Indian.
So yes, IACA was very much involved in the creation of the
Indian Arts and Crafts Act with the help of Ben Nighthorse
Campbell.
Authenticity is very important. I had a lady come into my business with some pieces most of which were made in the Philippines. Cheap imports have done a lot of damage to the industry
and to the Native peoples. I still think that authenticity is important. I also think that helping Native people achieve success
is another goal IACA. One thing that I find interesting—there
has always been an element of Native folks who think that we
Indian traders are just out to take advantage of them. But I think
that when we consider all aspects of the trade, retail, wholesale
and the artists themselves you have a stronger industry. By keeping all interests on the straight and narrow so to speak then you
are going to have a much more vibrant industry.
Joe Douthitt is an outspoken advocate of authenticity in the marketing of
American Indian Art. Douthitt pulls no punches in his opinions. He was
a driving force in the implementation of the 1990 Indian Arts and Crafts
act, and served as IACA president in 1992. He pulls no punches in this
interview either, with criticism about certain IACA standards.
40 Years of American Indian Art
continued from page 15
Navajo/Shawnee) with katsinas, and Zach Ben (Navajo) with
sandpaintings. Both young men come from a long line of
family members dedicated to their respective art forms and
use their talents to preserve traditional arts.
Probably one of the most widely known, and certainly most
worn, art forms is that of jewelry. This has also seen amazing
changes over the past forty years. Native American art has
always had designs which are geometric, and modern jewelers
have used these basics to create jewelry with angular pieces
using many different stones and materials. Silver continues to
be the main metal used, but many jewelers are working with
gold or using gold inlay, and some are experimenting with
copper and other metals. The stones used can be from mines
or localities near the jeweler, but many fine jewelers import
stones from all over the world to make their pieces bright,
colorful, and unique.
Since IACA started in 1974, American Indian art has evolved
dramatically, and American Indian artists are breaking
ground into areas, techniques, and media that were unknown
forty years ago. The one thing that has not changed is the unwavering link between contemporary artists and their cultural
heritage. Artists will always experiment but they will always
hold to their roots. A
16
IACA Journal | Fall 2014
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