Apr 5, 2011 | Adventures of Rear-Mirror Rissy, To Market To Market |
Day 2: 1st People's Fund Business Seminar
In my previous recent blog entries regarding the First People’s Fund Business Seminar for their Artists in Business Leadership grant program, I forgot to tell you about who the heck FPF is anyway! Here’s some info on the folks at First People’s Fund out of Rapid City, South Dakota:
(Unidentified), Carol , Alaina Buffalo Spirit, , Alfred "Twilly" Gosuk,
Founded in 1995, First Peoples Fund’s mission is to honor and support the creative community-centered First Peoples artists; and nurture the collective spirit® that allows them to sustain their peoples.
“Our vision is to communicate to the world the roots and philosophy of Indigenous artistic expression and its relationship to the collective spirit of First Peoples. We will strive to provide support and voice to the creative Indigenous artists who share their inspiration, wisdom, knowledge and gifts with their communities.”
Local Minneapolis photographer, Joseph Allen from Ogema, Minnesota was an invited artist sharing a recent triptych
The main drive behind First People’s Fund is the their hard-working, compassionate, visionary President, Lori Pourier. “Her philanthropy work began at First Nations Development Institute based in Virginia where she served as the Associate Marketing Director. Following her tenure at First Nations, she operated her own marketing consultant business specializing in developing marketing strategies for nonprofit American Indian organizations, multicultural arts organizations and tribal communities. Ms. Pourier served on the Board of Directors of the Western States Arts Federation, the Honor the Earth Fund, the Chinook Fund and the National Indian Business Association. She currently serves on the board of directors for Grantmakers in the Arts and is the co-chair of the Indigenous Resource Network. She also is a board member of the Native Americans in Philanthropy and Red Cloud Indian School. In 1993, she participated in AIO’s American Indian Ambassadors Leadership Program funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. She holds a Masters of Science from Southern New Hampshire University, Graduate School of Business. Nominated by the Ford Foundation, Ms. Pourier was selected for the Center for Social Innovation fellowship at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, a partnership between Stanford University and National Arts Strategies. The Executive Program for Nonprofit Leaders-Arts (EPNL-Arts) honors fifty outstanding arts and culture leaders by selecting them to receive a CSI fellowship for the program.”
Lillian Pitt presents her marketing materials including her portfolio, brochures and resume's
I received one of the Artist in Business Leadership grants from FPF. The purpose of this grant is “to cultivate entrepreneurial artists to a small business level (consistent and reliable income) where business concepts are understood and applied.”
It’s Strategy: “First Peoples Fund selects artists based on demonstrated artistic talent, evidence of possessing the qualities of an entrepreneur, and indication of embodying the values of First Peoples Fund.
This self-directed, independent business arts fellowship is a one-year self-directed program is supported by individualized professional development training, and working capital funds to strengthen their marketing strategies. The fellowship also provides a focus on new work to stimulate creativity and a renewal of energy in Native art expression.”
For more information and eligibility for this grant or the other two they have to offer to Native American artists, visit First Peoples Fund’s website.
Ceramist Shirley Brauker from Coldwater, Michigan demonstrates the using her new iPad which displays her gallery housing all 4000+ images of her life's work
Once you have obtained a First People’s Fund grant, you are automatically eligible to apply for the other two grants they have to offer. I encourage any and all Native American artists to apply for their grants. Once you receive a grant from FPF, you become one of their “family members.” This grant organization is like none other.
Beadwork artist Douglas Limon from White Bear Lake, Minneapolis was another invited, local artist sharing his most recent work
Break out session - notice FPF new publication in the foreground
Theresa, Lillian, Ben and Wade share good laughs with the group
Lunch is served!
Between all three grant categories, there were a total of 13 FPF grant awardees and invited local artists in attendance for this business seminar
Apr 4, 2011 | Adventures of Rear-Mirror Rissy, Honoring Others, Showing Off, To Market To Market |
The "All My Relations" gallery where the First People's Fund business seminar is held
Like I mentioned in my last blog about “Museums: I thought they were like haunted houses”, during the weekend of March 24th through the 26th. I was one of the grant awardees to receive the First People’s Fund “Artist in Business Leadership” program. For three days, several Native American artists from around the country met for a marketing seminar in Minneapolis at the new “All Our Relations” gallery/coffee shop facility.
Justin Huenemann, Director of the Native American Community Development Institute (nacdi.org) explains the American Indian Cultural Corridor in Minneapolis - one of the largest blocks of land owned by Native Americans in the nation; no, not reservations, but actual land-owners for self-governance
I was impressed with the information from the presentations by FPF with our hosts, the Native American Community Development Institute. Visit their wesbite to find out more information about the NACDI.
First People's Fund Program Coordinator Miranne Walker explains FPF's goals and objectives to Stephanie, wife to artist Paul Peterson
The following are images of this year’s FPF artists.
Ivory & whalebone Yupik carver Alfred "Tillie" Gosuk from Togiak, Alaska
All the artists were asked to prepare a 10-minute presentation on where we were from, what kind of work we do, and how we were going to use the funds from our First People’s Fund grant. Since I was sitting at the very end of the table, I was the first to do my presentation. I am fortunate to have taken a Marketing class and an Introduction to Digital Media class at the Institute of American Indian Arts during the Spring Semester 2010. I took pride in presenting some of my marketing tools that I created in my classes: my first brochure, my business cards, and my power point presentation which kind of tells it all.
Basket-weaver Carol Emarthle-Douglas from Bothell, Washington explains her basketweaving technique and materials used to create the exquisite basket in the Power Point
My favorite part about the entire seminar was watching my fellow artists introduce themselves and their work. I am always interested in meeting other artists and seeing their work. (This was one of the main motivators as to why Preston Singletary and I started the biennial “Northwest Coast Artists’ Gathering” in Juneau, Alaska back in 2006.) I was thoroughly impressed with the quality and artistry of each individual’s work. I am proud of my fellow artists. It was an honor to be rubbing shoulders with some of the most influential artists of their communities. I introduce them here:
Cheyenne ledger painter and jeweler Alaina Buffalo Spirit from Billings, Montana
Northwest Coast artist Paul Peterson, Sr. from Hoodsport, Washington specializes in making bentwood boxes
Beadwork and parfleche artist Lauren Good Day Frank from Bismarck, North Dakota
From Hays, Montana, Roni Stiffarm presented the ancient art of drummaking
One of the few Ash bark basket weavers, Kelly Church from Hopkins, Michigan
Wasco Warm Springs artist Lillian Pitt from Portland, Oregon
Birch bark basket maker Sandy Peterson from Lac du Flambeau, Wisconsin
Menominee singer-songwriter Wade Fernandez from Keshena, Wisconsin
To find out information about First People’s Fund there is a part two to this blog entry entitled with the same name, but includes “Part II” to the title…AND there are additional photographs…check it out in next week’s blog entry…
Apr 3, 2011 | Adventures of Rear-Mirror Rissy, Honoring Others, Showing Off |
In Minneapolis' 8:00 Morning rush hour; what's that?
Was I really in Minneapolis? Yep, but just for the weekend of March 24th through the 26th. I was one of the grant awardees to receive the First People’s Fund “Artist in Business Leadership” program. For three days, several Native American artists from around the country met for a marketing seminar in Minneapolis at the new “All Our Relations” gallery/coffee shop facility.
"Twilly", Roni and Lauren were crammed in the back seat of our escort's cushy van!
During the afternoon of the first day, we visited the Minneapolis Institute of Art. I am not one who enjoys visiting museums. I have this ingrown pattern of thought that I think stemmed from our own local Alaska State Museum in Juneau, where as a child, the museum was dark, grungy, lifeless with stale air and I saw no purpose in looking at these dark mysterious objects, let alone hang out in spooky “haunted house” of sorts. Like the only thing to do in a museum was to tell ghost stories and play boogie man! – Thank goodness I have grown out of that mode!
The entry to the Minneapolis Institute of Arts
Our tour guide was the Associate Curator of Native American art, Joe Horse Capture originally from Montana. Joe’s father was the first Native American curator. Joe is presently the only Native American curator of a significantly large museum in the nation.
Joe Horse Capture introduced the drift-wood mosaic created by Annishnabe artist George Morrison
A close-up of the wood mosaic by George Morrison - I liked this piece immediately even before Joe Horse Capture pointed it out to us
I’ve kept the text to a minimum in this blog entry; I want to show images of a few pieces of work collected for this museum.
At the introduction of the tour, Joe Horse Capture explains how he curated the entire display of Native American art at this museum organized by region and not by the political state or national boundaries. The map has no reference to geographical borders, no division of lands, nor reference to Canada, Mexico and the U.S. - The map is laid out with reference to the location of tribes
A carved ceremonial headdress by George Hunt in the foreground; a reproduction of a carved and painted house screen by Gordon Locksley in the background - the museum is hoping that George will eventually donate the house screen..
1st People's Fund Executive Director Lori Pourier, Program Coordinator Miranne Walker, and Montana Cheyenne artist Alaina Buffalo Spirit take a rest
Joe Horse Capture says he has collected 42 pair of Plains Indian tribe moccasins - there are approximately 22 pair displayed in the glass case
A close-up of some of the moccasins - notice the child moccasins in the center
A beaded, leather Plains Indian "war shirt" stood in the center of the round of moccasins
Two cradle boards from the late 1800's; the one on the left is quillwork, the one on the right is beaded - the beaded bonnet is modern day
A beaded, leather travel satchel from the 1930's
Lauren, Miranne, Carol and Stephanie prepare for the group photo shoot
Group shot
