IAIA Rocks the Sixties

Billy Warsoldier today






IAIA Students in Sixties Real Originators of Contemporary American Indian Art Movement

This morning, read this message from Monica Charles on alt . native

“I talked with Billy WS a few weeks ago. Really good people. That's my

old school. [IAIA] Arlo went there too btw.

I'm glad you're busy. I have another play

and I'm working on another. Yes Kevin is alumni. So is Alfie Youngman,

and Billy War Soldier, Danny Long Soldier and Don Montileaux. Billy

did a painting that was five sided. You had to crawl inside, the

painting surrounded you. It was amazing. I love my home but I miss the

old Santa Fe days. I miss being around and talking with other artists.

We were very young but it was exciting times and deep conversations.

Bob Robideau is alumni too although he went much later. The only

theatre there was a small one.”

Spoke to Billy Warsoldier last week while we were one the road in Cali.

I showed Billy's five sided painting in the IAIA Rocks the Sixites ehibit at the IAIA Museum in 2001. It is a great piece.

We recreated Billy and TC's easels and drafting table in the old IAIA painting studio in the museum. Woody (Linda) Cywink was my exhibition designer and she, Marita Hinds and I scoured through the storage sheds at the SF Indian School to retrieve desks, furniture and other props to recreate the ambiance of those early days at IA.

When curating that exhibit in 2000 and 2001, I spoke nearly daily with Billy, Alfred Youngman and BJ Goodluck and interviewed Kevin Red Star,

Don Montileaux and many other students and teachers at IA back in the early and late sixties who originated the ndn painting

revolution. Though I'd known many of the artists since the mid-seventies, it was great to reconnect with them and hear first hand

their recollections and stories from those exciting days.

The museum director at the time promised to bring the IAIA Alum from the Sixties back to Santa Fe to speak at a seminar and to have a reunion, but she renegged and instead honored Fritz Scholder by naming a gallery after him and featuring him at the IAIA Annual Indian Market Banquet. The artists were furious since they believe that Fritz stole credit for the new ndn painting style generated at IAIA, when it was their ideas he stole, even stealing an actual painting Billy WS did, finishing it and claiming it for his own.

My exhibit "IAIA Rocks the Sixties" documented that it was the students, particularly, Billy Warsoldier Soza, T.C. Cannon, Alfred Youngman and Kevin Red Star who began the contemporary painting movement that revolutionalized ndn painting. But the IAIA Museum director refused to print a catalog and denied a request from Alfred Youngman and George Longfish to travel the exhibit at no cost to IAIA for exhibition at the CN Gorman Museum in Davis, California. The museum director also refused to consider a request to facilitate the exhibition being shown at the Tate Contemporary in London. It was unfortunate because I designed the exhibit to give IAIA a platform to recognize the importance of this art to raise money to restore the historic paintings. If IAIA Rocks the Sixties had toured as a traveling exhibit it could have done much to increase awareness and respect for American Indian Art worldwide.

Although the important contributions to ndn art by IAIA students of the late sixties and early seventies is a well-known fact in our community, there is a continued effort to obscure the truth and to continue to credit Fritz Scholder for the innovations and ideas he stole from his students. One student from the Northwest Coast told me that whenever Fritz would go through the studios, she and other students would rush to hide their paintings so he couldn't steal their ideas. She regretted that one day she missed hiding her painting of a dog and saw the image show up in Scholder's paintings soon afterward.

In his essay in Creativity is our Tradition for the opening of the IAIA Museum at the former federal building at Cathedral Place, Rick Hill, then IAIA Museum Director, credited the innovative ideas of the Contemporary Indian Art Movement to the students. In the interim, the money Scholder and his estate have donated to IAIA influenced the institute to obscure the truth.

Last December, we were driving back from Window Rock past the Rte 66 Casino and I got a call from Billy Warsoldier. Good news, Billy told us, NMAI has acknowledged in the exhibit text for the Fritz Scholder exhibit that it was the students Billy Warsoldier Soza, T.C. Cannon and Alfred Youngman who inspired the revolutionary painting style of the Contemporary Indian Art Movement. Hopefully, Billy and Alfred and the other IAIA students will finally get the credit and interest in their art they have so long deserved.

I kept the exhibit catalog text I wrote for IAIA Rocks the Sixties and plan on publishing it online soon. It tells the real story of the ndn painting revolution at IA in the words of the students who were there. Look for it here on my One Earth Blog in the next few months.

By Charleen Touchette – April 23, 2009

www.OneEarthBlog.blogspot.com

Make Everyday Earth Day - Be grateful the Earth Does

The Earth is our home and our mother. She gives us everything we need to live.

This prayer heard often in the Inipi ceremony is simple truth.

I worked outside today preparing the earth digging, making swales and weeding. With my hands in the still moist earth from the most recent spring mountain snowstorm, I was reminded that everyday is Earth Day. It's a good thing the Earth knows that. Despite all the foolish, greedy and destructive things people do, the Earth prevails and spring plants push out of the earth, fruit trees leaf out and fish come out of their winter hibernation as sure as day follows night.

When our grandparents were hungry, they planted seeds and ate fresh food from their kitchen gardens. We can do the same.

With small changes in conserving water, we cut our water consumption by 2/3 this year.

Remembered how our friend Sara Vigil from Jemez Pueblo who lives in Dulce, New Mexico told me she tells her friends "The pinons are calling me."

Found some fat pinon nuts on the forest floor moist with the recent snow. Munched on them and shared them with the new puppy Taj. Grabbed some chives green and fresh first spring growth and chewed on chives I shared with Kiko our 210 pound English Mastiff. Re-entered our home at dusk with the taste of pinons and chives blending in my mouth, the perfect taste of spring.

Will be planting the lettuce and spinach in tall pots this year to avoid tempting the new English Mastiff puppy Taj. The New Moon is April 24th, a time for planting, starting new projects and setting intention.

Hope you will consider planting a seed, a plant or a tree in honor of Earth Day and try to take small steps to conserve, reuse and recycle to honor the Earth and all our relations.

by Charleen Touchette April 22, 2009

“Mixing It Up” by Sage Paisner

MIXING IT UP
Family, Friends and Mentors
CalArts MFA 1 Photo Exhibition
by Sage Paisner




Sol Bentley, Santa Fe, NM (left)
Alissa Alba, Santa Fe, NM (right)

Sage Paisner and Scarlett Widgeon with 4 x 5' silver gelatin b & w prints at CalArts opening of "Mixing It Up"


Sheila Sigesmund Paisner, Winnipeg, MB, Minneapolis, MN, Palm Desert, CA (left)
Hy Paisner, Rossburn, MB, Minneapolis, MN, Palm Desert, CA (right)

Lower Right CalArts Exhibition Hall



Harry Gamboa, Los Angeles, CA (left)
Deago Sanchez, Albuquerque, NM (right)

Lower Left CalArts Exhibition Hall

Center left CalArts Exhibition Hall

Center to Lower Left CalArts Exhibition Hall

Upper Left CalArts Exhibition Hall

Gala, Los Angeles, CA (left)
Brian Rougemont, Santa Fe, NM (right)

Upper left CalArts Exhibition Hall

Sheila and Hy Paisner

Hy Paisner













Sheila Paisner

Orlando, Los Angeles, CA (left)
Charleen Touchette, Santa Fe, NM (right)

“Mixing It Up”

by Sage Paisner
Artist Statement MFA 1
04/06/09


“Mixing It Up” – is about voice, body, representation, identity politics, and the unique multicultural experience that identifies each subject. This body of work consists of large 4x5 foot gelatin silver mural prints of family and friends in Santa Fe and Los Angeles with a sound component involving personal storytelling about culture, food, xenophobia, and racism.



“The body exists within a larger “body” - a human energy field or aura, which is the vehicle through which one creates her/his experience of reality.” Race is a social construct that has no scientific evidence to fall back on but it does exist in our society. Instead of denying that we are different and trying to assimilate and lose our culture and heritage, we must find our history and our culture through oral tradition and genealogy. America and all patriarchal societies have practiced acculturation and have presented the idea as beneficial, when in reality only the people in power benefit from acculturation. The ideas of the indigenous elders of our sacred mother earth need to be taught along with tolerance for all people. Using my Mom’s text about multicultural revolution I point to many authors and artists that are sometimes ignored because of the patriarchal society and as she challenged the art world to accept all artists and bring more diversity to the art world I again reiterate her challenge for all to hear.
The work also shows the contradictions and humor inherent in a mixed culture. Some food may be part of one culture and forbidden by the other. Food is one of the last bits of culture retained when fully assimilated by any patriarchal society. Food also can bring people close together. Offering to feed someone is one of the most caring gestures a person can offer. Or food can be used as derogatory terms and stereotypes.


Mixing It Up video interview with Matt

The stories also show that language is a metonymy depending on the culture you are coming from language and the meaning and the appropriateness changes from community to community। The challenge is to take your time to listen to people and understand their story and where they come from। The photos reverse the gaze upon the viewer challenging their ideas of representation and who they perceive the person to be."

Sage Paisner, April 2009

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Contact Sage Paisner at SagePaisner@aol.com
www.myspace.com/BurningSagePress
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?sid=29aca6da5530f22adffe46522122e71b&id=630296766&hiq=sage%2Cpaisner&ref=search

Spring 2009 News from Ndn Country

Spring News from Ndn Country



Lots of news this spring in Ndn Country from the tragic passing of our first Native American Judge Carol Vigil to the important work done by Valerie Taliman and the folks at the Indian Law Resource Center, a new petition President Obama to grant Clemency to our brother Leonard Peltier and the jury ruling in favor of Ward Churchill in his wrongful dismissal from Colorado University and violation of First Amendment Rights and Anishinaabe elder Josephine Mandamin from Thunder Bay who was "moved by the spirits" to speak out for the Great Lakes and has already walked 17,000 kilometres around the lakes alerting people to heal the water.

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Judge Carol Vigil's passing is a great loss to New Mexico and the legal community of Santa Fe.

Judge Vigil was loved for her compassion and wise judgment and was a warm and friendly presence that will be much missed. I will always remember her warmth and kindness.

Condolences to the Vigil family and the people of Tesuque Pueblo. The nation's first Native American judge will be missed by New Mexicans.



See - Nation’s first Native American female judge dies Indian Country Today National & World News

Source: www.indiancountrytoday.com

TESUQUE PUEBLO, N.M. (AP) – “The first Native American woman to be elected as a state district judge in the United States, who was also widely beloved for her compassion toward people dealing with domestic abuse cases, has died.”



Valerie Taliman, Editor and Director of Communications at Indian Law Resource center shares news of indigenous struggles in the Americas at Indigenous Notes Indian Law Resource Center

Source: www.indianlaw.org

“Welcome to the first edition of the Indian Law Resource Center's-newsletter, Indigenous Notes. We are pleased to share news about cutting-edge issues and information about our work in the Americas to seek justice for Indigenous peoples.”



Hope you will join me in signing this petition for Clemency for our brother Leonard Peltier.
Please read the message below from our sister Eda Gordon who has contributed greatly over the last four decades to the struggle.



Petition to grant clemency to Leonard Peltier
Dear Friends,

Please circulate this petition far and wide to all who may be committed to freedom for Leonard Peltier, after 33 years of imprisonment on the basis of specious evidence and coerced testimony. This is the Justice Department who may be poised to hear that a severe injustice has been done and act courageously and in good faith. Certainly there is a bigger opening than we have had in eight years to press the struggle. Thank you.

Eda

(Eda Gordon)

http://www.petitiononline.com/Clemency/petition.html



News organizations from the left to far right reported this week on the jury deciding in favor of Ward Churchill in his law suit against Colorado University. Check out http://www.wardchurchill.net/ for the man’s story first-hand.

Jury Verdict for Ward Churchill

“What was asked for and what was delivered was justice.” - Ward Churchill



On April 2, 2009 the jury returned a verdict for Professor Ward Churchill in his case against the University of Colorado.

The jury found unanimously that Ward’s 9/11 essay was a significant factor in the Regents’ decision to fire him, and that he would not have been fired but for his exercise of his First Amendment rights.”



The story was also covered by Democracy Now, Fox News and The New York Times - http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/03/us/03churchill.html?scp=1&sq=&st=nyt in and article by titled “Jury Says Professor Was Wrongly Fired” published on August 3, 2009. DENVER — A jury found on Thursday that the University of Colorado had wrongfully dismissed a professor who drew national attention for an essay in which he called some victims of the Sept. 11 attacks “little Eichmanns.”



Whether you agree with what Ward Churchill really said about the U.S. bearing some responsibility for the attacks of 9/11 because of the violence of U.S. policy abroad, free speech is a zero-sum game. It is for everyone. The jury victory is a victory for First Amendment Rights and academic freedom.



Artist America Meredith shared this article by her cousin - "The Kiowa Clemente Course in the Humanities and Two Perspectives on Poverty”. This study examines the history of poverty among Oklahoma Indians and the crucial role reviving culture has in abating poverty.



Source: www.wce.wwu.edu




Thanks to Anishinaabe elder Josephine Mandamin for her journey of prayer, thanks and renewal to speak for the water. Josephine a Thunder Bay grandmother who was born and raised on Manitoulin Island eating fish and drinking water from Georgian Bay has walked 17,000 kilometres on her path to circle the lakes and tell people that "the water is sick ... and people need to really fight for that water, to speak for that water, to love that water." For Josephine’s inspiring story, go to

http://www.thestar.com/News/Insight/article/613541












In closing, I wish all those working for United Nations recognition of the Indigenous Peoples of the Americas luck, perseverance and success in getting the wisdom and issues of our First Peoples to the world stage at this crucial time for all the people of the earth.



Charleen Touchette

April 5, 2009

www.TouchArt.net

www.OneEarthBlog.blogspot.com

Connecting with Like Minds

Art-making in public is a great way to meet people of like minds who value creativity.

Every time I take my portable studio out into the world and paint, knit, or do beadwork in public spaces I meet someone who teaches me something new or shares a story.

Sometimes those chance meetings are truly serendipitous and I connect with someone who not only values creativity and knows the joys of a productive life, but also shares my belief that healthy communities depend on the wholistic integration of the arts into every aspect of daily life and culture.

This morning was beautiful with blue skies and a clear view of the snowcapped Sangre de Cristos Mountains beyond the Santa Fe Rail Stations. The light was glorious and made the New Mexico Rail Runner shine and everyone remark how beautiful the day was. After setting out my paintings and paints and brushes and painting for a few hours, I took a break outside on the concrete benches outside in the sun and worked on fixing the mistake in the Beaded Bag visiting with people going into The Station for coffee or pastry or passing to and from the train.

A group of ladies a decade or so older than me stopped for awhile and talked about their Monday night knitting group and beading with beads. A young grad student and her articulate beautiful children paused to talk about knitting and we chatted for awhile about how the family had lived in Brazil last year while she did field work for her degree and how struck she was with the integration of art into every aspect of life in the Afro-centric community on the northeast coast of Brazil geographically opposite Sierra Leone in Africa.

She said the people in the community didn’t have a word for art because it was seamlessly integrated into every aspect of their lives and I shared that there is no one word for art in any American Indian languages for the same reason.

Turned out we had lots to talk about. She brought up bell hooks who I was lucky to meet and hear give the keynote address at the WCA Conference in NYC. I shared that one of my most precious memories is spending time sharing food, stories and laughter with Audre Lorde and a few of the other presenters at the National Women Studies Conference at U of M in Minneapolis in the late 1980s after Audre gave the most inspiring keynote speech at the plenary session. It was great to share that memory with someone who knows how important Audre Lorde and her writing and activism are.

We agreed to meet next week to knit and her nearly 6 year old daughter promised to bring her yarn and needles too. The Station is a nice place to work and I never fail to meet someone who broadens my understanding of the world. The owners and staff are urbane, former art museum workers who attract a diverse crowd from locals to train riders. Weldon and Penny are excellent hosts and make a great cup of coffee or tea. The pastries are delivered daily from Zodiac on Old Santa Fe Trail and the puff pastry is authentic. Take it from a former pastry line croissant and brioche assembler at Voila Bakery in New York City. The only place that makes a better croissant is Clafoutis on Guadalupe near Paseo de Peralta. Pastry aside, the light and energy at The Station makes it a great place to make art in public and meet interesting creative people.

Charleen Touchette
www.TouchArt.net
www.OneEarthBlog.blogspot.com
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Photos by Charleen Touchette 2009