NATIVE AMERICAN MATRIARCH'S SPIRIT: WOMEN, MOTHERS, AND BABIES
Designing and creating art from historical photos of Native Americans has become my passion. I use historical photos to create digital art, paintings, and beadwork. My focus is on historical photos of Native American women, mothers and babies. Being raised by a Dineh father taught me that being his eldest and female was important to him. He said that women maintained the home and raised the children, they were the heart of the home. I focus on his teachings when I create and design art.
A great deal of time is spent researching and studying historical photos online and reviewing books. I'm always on the search for photos of women, mothers and babies with my father's teachings in mind. I look for how the hair is styled, what material is used to make their jewelry, clothing and footwear. Are they wearing belts and bags and if they are carrying babies, what does the carrier look like and is the surface adorned with organic or geometric shapes. I study each detail by zooming in and out looking to understand how a hair wrap is made and worn, how is ear jewelry worn by piercing their ear or wrapping the ornamentation around the ear to hang below the ear lobe, is a basket they're carrying made for land food or seafood. I've learned there is a lot of information in photos. I take the time to understand each photo I use, and to create art from that photo to be as accurate as I can make it.
I feel my body become aligned and grounded when an art piece is finished.
All proceeds go towards the United Indians' programs and services which support the urban Native community.