Hearts of Our People Native Women Artists

    Christi Belcourt, Wisdom of the Universe, 2014 Acrylic on canvas

The Minneapolis Institute of Art, MIA, is showing  a ground breaking exhibit of Native women artists work from a multi-generational perspective.  The art and culture of Native peoples have been shared through the generations of women.  Many have not had the recognition that they deserved.  This exhibit is giving voice to Native women artists.  This exhibit will travel nationally and give voice to Native women's art.

 Lou-Ann Neel, Childhood, 2013, a photo mosaic of 3,000 images of children from boarding schools

 Detail of "Childhood,"  Lou-Ann Neel

This photo mosaic by Lou-Ann Neel  of 3000 images of  Native children forced into boarding schools to become assimilated into White Culture in the 20th Century.  The children were not recorded by name. Lou-Ann was one of those children.  Her images "represent the dispossessed.  Generation after generation lined up, row after row, mimicking the same impersonal blue print of the residential school building and each dorm room."  Minnesota Women's Press by Mikki Morrissette

The image that she, Neel, created was a image of her nephew, Daniel in full regalia for his naming ceremony when he was a young boy.  She wants Native children to know that they are loved and they belong and are acknowledged in their families and their culture.

Remember
Remember the sky that you were born under,
know each of the star's stories.
Remember the moon, know who she is.
Remember the sun's birth at dawn, that is the
strongest point of time. Remember sundown
and the giving away of night.
Remember your birth, how your mother struggled
to give you form and breath.  You are evidence of
her life, and her mother's and hers.
Remember you father. He is your life, also.
Remember the earth whose skin you are:
red earth, black earth, yellow earth, white earth
brown earth, we are earth.
Remember the plants, trees, animal life who all have their
tribes, their families, their histories, too. Talk to them,
listen to them. They are alive poems.
Remember the wind. Remember her voice. She knows the
origin of this universe.
Remember you are all people and all people
are you.
Remember you are this universe and this
universe is you.
Remember all is in motion, is growing, is you.
Remember language come from this.
Remember the dance language is, that life is.
Remember.

Joy Harjo, (Muscogee/Cherokee, b. 1951)

This powerful and beautiful exhibit, "Heart's of Our People,"  is at the MIA through Sunday, August 18, 2019.

Bus Stop People

At the Minnesota Quilt Show 2019 in Rochester, Minnesota, a unique display of fiber people at the bus stop was created by Carol Hancuh. She captured a wide slice of humanity waiting for the bus.

Bridge Shadows

 Shadows on the bridge in Winona, Minnesota

 A shadow that makes me look pregnant; no so.  That's a by gone day. That's ok.

 A set of three lovely sayings for inspiration.  Have a lovely day.

Greetings from Winona, Minnesota.  It's a lovely place.  Come visit sometime.

Lake Superior

Looking at Lake Superior out onto Artist's Point, Grand Marias, Minnesota.  A bit of fog in the  morning light.

   Taking a closer look that same morning.

   Sea gulls on shore

A solo gull

    The bay at Grand Marias

  
   Lots of sky and water

    Clouds and light

    Sheets of energy in the form of light

    The day is full of promise.  What will it bring?  What are your hopes and dreams?

Impressions of Prince

Cherrywood is a Minnesota company that creates hand dyed fabrics and they put on this Prince Challenge in 2018.  It was displayed at the Rochester Quilt Show and Conference in June 2019.  Here's a quote from Cherrywood's website:

"We apply our privately designed line of colors to high quality fabrics to offer you the best product for your creative needs. The hand dyeing process we’ve perfected over our 30+ years produces a beautiful tone-on-tone texture that reads as a solid, but has depth and variety that will never be replicated by mass-production. Cherrywood is proudly made in the U.S.A. by women who sew, create and dye a little every day." Go to Cherrywood to find out more or order fabrics today.

Twenty facts you may not know about Prince.

River Walks

 It's a little windy on this walk.

We have a wonderful boathouse community that lives on the Mississippi River.  Many live here all  year round.

The river has been very high with all the the snow and rains of the spring.  The earth is still so saturated.

Usually there is land between the tree and the chairs--a bit more than that little strip of sand.

 The wagon bridge

In previous years we could walk under the bridge and come out on land on the other side.  Now it is still filled with water.

When the water goes down a bit more, we'll go paddling our kayaks all around this area. For now I'm happy to walk over here and check out how the water and plants are doing.

Modern Quilt Studio

 Modern Quilt Studio was a vendor at the Minnesota Quilt Show 2019.  They hold workshops and attend many shows and conferences around the world.  Find out where you may see them next or take a class soon on their calendar.