Benjamin Harjo Jr., Seminole, received the Best of Show Award for his gouache painting titled, “The Thunder Bringer LOCV,” at the opening reception Saturday for the Masters Art Show at the Five Civilized Tribes Museum.
Often referred to as the Indian Picasso, Harjo enjoys a successful art career that spans more than 30 years. He became a Master Artist in 1988. He and his wife, Barbara, live in Oklahoma City.
The Indian Heritage Award was presented to Murv Jacob of Tahlequah for his painting titled, “The Booger Dance.” Jacob became a Master Artist in 2002.
He and his wife, Deborah Duvall, won numerous awards for their books featuring “Jistu” (Rabbit) and other forest creatures, when animals could talk.
Spirit of Oklahoma Awards were given to: Norma Howard for her painting, “The Snake Dance;” Troy Anderson for “Standing Water;” Joan Hill for “Milly (Malee) Francis;” Gwen Coleman Lester for “Indian School Days;” Murv Jacob for his sculpture, “Bear Canoe.”
Honorable mention winners were: Troy Anderson’s sculpture “Golden Raven,” Bill Rabbit’s “I Am Bird Clan,” Skip Rowell’s scrimshaw “Old Stories,” Dana Tiger’s painting “We All Belong,” Norma Howard’s work “Berry Pickers.”
During the evening ceremonies three new Master Artists were inducted into the program. Jeanne Rorex Bridges, Anita Caldwell Jackson and Victoria McKinney were recipients of the award for 2009.
Bridges interest in art began at an early when she would study woodcarvings by her uncle, Willard Stone, noting their flow and design. Her formal training at Bacone College as a student under Master Cheyenne Artist Dick West began the development of her award-winning painting style. Bridges’ distinctive use of color creates works, which are strikingly bold, yet peacefully soft, according to a media release. She and her husband, J.R., live in Oktaha.
Jackson is a retired art teacher at the Kiowa Public Schools. After retirement, she turned her full attention to her artwork. Jackson’s award winning career began in the 1980s. Her home is in McAlester.Victoria McKinney uses the Mound Builder motifs in her artwork. By incorporating theseprehistoric motifs into her paintings and pottery, she has increased the awareness and understanding of the Mound Builders civilization and their contributions to the Indian art world. She and Tom live in West Fork, Ark.
June Lee and Wisey Narcomey, Seminoles, were honored with the Master of Heritage awards. This award is given to tribal people who have continued to preserve the culture, traditions and heritage for their tribe.
Lee is credited as the patchwork artist that cultivated, influenced, directed, taught, and sold patchwork shirts, vests, skirts, and dresses throughout the Seminole Nation. Her designs come from Oklahoma and Seminole motifs; intricate clan designs, such as the bird, alligator, sweet potato and deer. Lee continues to teach tribal members this craft.
As a young girl, Narcomey was taught to finger weave sashes from an elder of her tribe. She is one of the few traditional finger weavers still practicing her craft. Narcomey travels to historic events in the Southeast to demonstrate her various techniques.
The Masters Art Show will be on display through November.
Information: 683-1701, fivetribes.org or e-mail 5civilizedtribes@sbcglobal.net.
Care and cleaning
Treat your scrimshawed ivory as you would any fine jewelry. Do not get it wet unnecessarily, because the inks, especially colors, may fade. Keep your scrimshaw out of bright sun; this dries and cracks the ivory and may fade certain colored inks. Detergents, shampoo, heavily chlorinated water, and jewelry cleaning solutions should be avoided, as they turn the ivory surface dull and remove the etched lines. Dirt and oils may be removed with a cotton swab moistened in rubbing alcohol and wiped gently over the surface. Do not scrub, as this will remove some ink from the fine lines. I use a light coat of warm beeswax rubbed into the ivory to preserve the scrimshaw and keep the ivory from drying and aging too fast. Waxing should be repeated when the ivory is cleaned, because the alcohol removes it. If you treat your scrimshaw with care, it will give you many years of pleasure and may become a treasured heirloom.
What is scrimshaw?
Scrimshaw -- Painstaking etching on ivory or bone -- is one of only a few indigenous American crafts. Practiced for centuries by the Inuit and other native groups along the
History & Materials
Scrimshaw is derived from the shipboard practice of sailors creating common tools, and on whaling ships the byproducts of whales were readily available. The term originally referred to the making of these tools, only later referring to works of art created by whalers in their spare time. Whale bone is ideally suited for the task, as it is easy to work and was very plentiful.
The development of scrimshaw took off after the market for whale teeth, which was sought by Chinese traders for use in the Pacific Islands (for example the Fijian market for tabua), was flooded with teeth after a narrative by an American sailor, Captain David Porter, revealed both the market and the source of the teeth. Around this time is the earliest authenticated pictorial piece of scrimshaw (1817). The tooth was inscribed with the following This is the tooth of a sperm whale that was caught near the Galapagos islands by the crew of the ship Adam [of London], and made 100 barrels of oil in the year 1817.[2]
Other sea animal ivories were also used as alternatives for rarer whale teeth. Walrus tusks, for example, may have been acquired in trade from indigenous walrus hunters.
Scrimshaw essentially was a leisure activity for whalers. Because the work of whaling was very dangerous at the best of times, whalers were unable to work at night. This gave them a great deal more free time than other sailors. A lot of scrimshaw was never signed and a great many of the pieces are anonymous. Early scrimshaw was done with crude sailing needles, and the movement of the ship, as well as the skill of the artist, produced drawings of varying levels of detail and artistry. Originally, candle black, soot or tobacco juice would have been used to bring the etched design into view. Today's artists use finer tools in various sizes, mostly borrowed from the dental industry. Some scrimshanders ink their work with more than one color, and restrained polychromed examples of this art are now popular.
Originating in an era when sperm whales were initially plentiful only to be hunted to near collapse, scrimshaw no longer is an artform utilizing an easily renewable animal resource, but one that is susceptible to contraband. Now, the Endangered Species Act and international conventions restrict the harvest and sale of ivory to try to reverse the scarcity of ivory-bearing animals.
- Though there are sources of ivory that are sanctioned and legal, poachers in Africa and other continents where elephants are an endangered species still kill for their ivory, Elephant ivory has been regulated since 1976 by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species and selling African ivory has been prohibited since 1989.
- 19th and 20th century scrimshaw, scrimshaw crafted before 1989 (elephant) or before 1973 (sperm whale ivory, walrus ivory etc.) is legal. It is prohibited after that year for commercial import in the
- Additionally, walrus tusks bearing the Alaska State walrus ivory registration tag, and post-law walrus ivory that has been carved or scrimshawed by a native Alaskan Indian (Eskimo), is legally available.
- Finally, any ivory considered ancient, such as 10,000 to 40,000 year old mammoth ivory, is completely unrestricted in its sale or possession.
Scrimshanders and collectors acquire legal whale teeth and marine tusks through estate sales, auctions and antiqure dealers. To avoid illegal ivory, collectors and artists check provenance and deal only with other established and reputable dealers. Scrimshaw that is found to have been illegally sourced may be seized by customs officials worldwide, dramatically loses value and is very hard to re-sell, as the limited channels through which collectible scrimshaw passes serves as a check on unscrupulous persons. As with any other fine art form, it is usually possible for experienced museums, auction houses or other experts to perceive a fake.
Tuesday 17 November 2009
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