Cal Art Gallery

This article contains some of my newest creations, inspired by my wanderings through the land. As always larger images are in the Gallery, and also available for purchses as limited edition giclee prints.

Art has a very special place in Native American culture. As a person with a smattering of Sioux blood (1/16) I guess I come by the artistic trait naturally. Some of the most intriguing moments of mine as a teenager involved coming across ancient paintings on the sides of giant granite boulders adjacent to some equally old holes in the stone where acorns were ground into flour. I stood there for what seemed like hours gazing at the ancient images, wondering how many hundreds or thousands of years old they might be.

Some of these same thoughts came rushing back to forefront of my mind last weekend when we came across the 37th Annual Stanford powwow. My wife and I enjoyed strolling through the massive encampment, displays and dance competition arena.

For most people in the U.S.A. the sum total of their exposure to Native American Art is the popular silver and turquoise jewelry popular with southwest tribes. However, for the native peoples of this land art was used as a form of expression for all aspects of life. Art told the story of tribe and family, as well as connecting these peoples with the world around them.  Much of this art was created using symbols, such as a bear, walrus, eagle, or people. The materials to make this artwork varied from rocks, feathers, cloth, clay, and fabric. Artistic depictions were incorporated into basket weaving, pottery, clothing, weapons, and even their lodging.

The most dramatic display of art at a large powwow has got to be in the category of clothing and regalia. This weekend we were privileged to observe a wide variety of dress styles. Styles from most every region were paraded in the dance arena.

At powwows, such as the annual Gathering of Nations for the Annual Stanford powwow, members of drum groups sit in a circle around a large drum. Drum groups play in unison while they sing in a native language and dancers in colorful regalia dance clockwise around an arena. Familiar powwow songs include honor songs, intertribal songs, crow-hops, sneak-up songs, grass-dances, two-steps, welcome songs, going-home songs, and war songs. Most indigenous communities in the United States also maintain traditional songs and ceremonies, some of which are shared and practiced exclusively within the community