Heard Museum EarthSong, Fall 2023

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

John Coggins

Karen Abraham

Ginger Sykes Torres

Scott Montgomery

David M. Roche

TRUSTEES

Tony Astorga

Nadine Basha

Jeri Y. Ben-Horin

Gregory H. Boyce

Susan Esco Chandler

Adrian Cohen

Dr. Craig Cohen

Judy Dworkin

John Furth

John Graham

Joe Gysel

Sharron Lewis

LIFE TRUSTEES

Kay Benedict

Arlene K. Ben-Horin

Howard R. Berlin

Dr. George Blue Spruce, Jr.

Mark B. Bonsall

Robert B. Bulla

F. Wesley Clelland, III

Norma Jean Coulter

Robert J. Duffy

Mary G. Hamilton

Patricia K. Hibbeler

Joel P. Hoxie

Mary Hudak

Dr. Thomas M. Hudak

Carrie L. Hulburd

James R. Huntwork

Edward F. Lowry

Chair Vice-Chair Secretary Treasurer Dickey Family Director and CEO

HEARD MUSEUM, HEARD MUSEUM SHOP

2301 N. Central Ave. Phoenix, AZ 85004

Open Every Day, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Closed Easter Sunday, Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day & Christmas Day

Main: 602.252.8840

Events Hotline: 602.252.8848

Shop: 602.252.8344 or 1.800.252.8344

THE COURTYARD CAFÉ

Gov. Stephen R. Lewis

Marigold Linton

John F. Lomax

John Lucas

Janis Lyon

John Melamed

John Miller, Guild President

Paige Rothermel

Christy Vezolles

Frank Walter III

Trudy Wiesenberger

Visit heard.org/dining for availability. 602.251.0204

COFFEE CANTINA

Tuesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

WE APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT OF THESE SPONSORS:

Frederick A. Lynn

Carol Ann Mackay

Clint J. Magnussen

Robert L. Matthews

Mary Ellen McKee

James Meenaghan

Dr. Wayne Lee Mitchell

Susan H. Navran

Scott H. O’Connor

Dr. Arthur L. Pelberg

Leland Peterson

Wick Pilcher

David E. Reese

William C. Schubert

Sheryl L. Sculley

Richard H. Silverman

John G. Stuart

EARTHSONG

Kim Alexis Adversario Membership & Circles Manager

Sarah Moore Graphic Design

Sean Ornelas Director of Marketing & Communications

Deborah Paddison Copy Editing

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS:

Kim Alexis Adversario, Velma Kee Craig, Kelly Gould, Dan Hagerty, Amanda Hiatt, Mario Nick Klimiades, Lucia Leigh Laughlin, Marcus Monenerkit, Roshii Montaño, Diana F. Pardue, David M. Roche

Cover: Dana Claxton (b. 1959). Headdress–Shadae, 2018. LED firebox with transmounted lightjet chromogenic transparency, 152.4 x 101.6 cm. Purchase, BMO Financial Group, 2020. 2020.5 Image courtesy of the artist. Back Cover: Tsimshian or Nisga’a. Ceremonial Frontlet, before 1850. Wood with paint and abalone inlay. Purchase 1978. 1978.1

The Heard Museum is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization incorporated in the State of Arizona. Exhibition, event and program funding provided in part by the Arizona Commission on the Arts, the Arizona Humanities Council, the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture.

Dear Members,

This summer, we closed the exhibition He'e Nalu: The Art and Legacy of Hawaiian Surfing after a successful seven month run that set revenue and attendance records. One of the most exciting aspects of organizing this original exhibition was working with Indigenous artists new to the Heard Museum and introducing their work to the Phoenix community. We also had the chance to activate the exhibition with programming that included Hawaiian dance, music, and lei-making that proved to be hugely popular. We are deeply grateful for the invaluable contributions these artists made to the Heard Museum and treasure the friendships that we created with them. Ohana is the Hawaiian word for family, and we now consider these new friends as part of the Heard Museum family.

That's why we were heartbroken to learn that some of the artists and advisors with whom we worked on He'e Nalu were impacted by the devastating wildfires in Maui. To act in service of helping them and others affected by the fire, we partnered with 808 Social AZ and Hawaiian Time AZ Volleyball Club to gather much needed supplies such as baby formula, sleeping bags, and toothbrushes at our August 19th Free Summer Saturday Makerspace Family event in Steele Auditorium. It was gratifying to see more than 1100 people, many of them members, show up to support the event which was organized by the Heard’s Director of Engagement and Learning Programs, Lucia Leigh Laughlin. We wish our ohana much strength and love on their journey to recovery.

Following He'e Nalu in the Grand Gallery is our newest exhibition, Early Days: Indigenous Art from the McMichael. The Heard Museum is the first stop of a multi-city international tour for the exhibition. The McMichael Canadian Art Collection, who organized the exhibition, is an art museum located in Vaughan, Ontario, Canada. The museum was founded by Robert and Signe McMichael in 1952 and has a proud history of collecting Indigenous Canadian art. Since its founding, the museum has grown in stature to become one of Canada's most revered art museums.

Early Days features highlights from the McMichael’s collection and includes eighteenth-century ceremonial regalia, items made for trade with settlers, and works made by the vanguard of Canadian artists from the 20th and 21st centuries. This includes regal 19th century headdresses adorned with plaques of shimmering abalone from the Northwest Coast, 18th century deerskin

moccasins finely decorated with dyed porcupine quills, rare, early finger-woven sashes, and wampum belts from the Great Lakes, as well as sculpture and drawings from the Arctic. As members, you will recognize the work of Kent Monkman and Meryl McMaster, whose work is in the Heard's permanent collection and was recently displayed in our 2020 exhibition Larger Than Memory. But most of what you will experience in this thrilling exhibition will be unlike what you typically experience at the Heard or anywhere in Arizona.

According to the Canada Arizona Business Council, Arizona welcomes more than 975,000 Canadian visitors a year. About 100,000 of them are residential tourists or “snowbirds.” Many of our members and visitors, who are also Canadian, have suggested to us over the years that they’d like to see more Canadian Indigenous art at the Heard. We love the idea and we’re delighted to bring to the desert Southwest a little bit from their home up North.

Most of the exhibitions that the Heard has presented over the years have been created by us. Many of our recent exhibitions have included loans from other institutions from around the world including The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Matisse Museum, the Bishop Museum, and the Fennimore Art Museum. A few recent exhibitions that we presented have been organized by other museums including Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera organized by the Art Gallery of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia and Josef Albers in Mexico organized by the Guggenheim Museum in New York. Presenting exhibitions organized by outside institutions and showing works of art from collections other than our own gives us the opportunity to tell a bigger story about Indigenous art and to share ideas, histories, and work that our members might not otherwise have a chance to experience.

Early Days will give our members the unique opportunity to experience 400 years of outstanding Canadian Indigenous art, history, and culture. Please be on the lookout for membership emails from Kim Alexis Adversario, Circles and Membership Manager, to learn more about the exciting exhibition-inspired programs created by Dan Hagerty, Chief Advancement and Public Engagement Officer, and his team.

I look forward to seeing you at the Heard Museum very soon.

David M. Roche

Dickey Family Director and CEO

Kent Monkman (b. 1965). Wedding at Sodom, 2017. Acrylic on canvas, 183 x 305.5 cm. Acquired with the assistance of Salah Bachir and Jacob Yerex, 2019. 2019.2 Image courtesy of the artist

Early Days

Indigenous Art from the McMichael Canadian Art Collection

Excitement built among the Heard Museum staff as we planned the installation and awaited receipt of the artworks for the exhibition Early Days: Indigenous Art from the McMichael. The exhibition traveled to Phoenix from the McMichael Canadian Art Collection, a museum in Kleinburg, Ontario, just 40 miles from Toronto. The McMichael assembled an exhibition encompassing 112 works by 61 artists, representing about 25 tribal nations from the Atlantic to the Pacific coast. Indigenous peoples represented include First Nations, Inuit and Métis. Early Days features objects ranging from 18th-century ceremonial regalia to the work of the vanguard artists of the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s, such as Norval Morrisseau, Carl Beam and Alex Janvier, and leading contemporary Indigenous artists

such as painter Kent Monkman and photographer Meryl McMaster.

Early Days provides an opportunity to view majestic and transformative Northwest Coast carvings that exist only in limited numbers in the Heard collection and are rarely seen in Phoenix. One such artist, Charles Edenshaw, is known for his wood carvings as well as the silver jewelry pieces he made that feature designs reflective of his work in wood. Some of the works made available to Phoenix residents for the first time in this exhibition include rare Anishinaabe belts, garters and earrings from the late 1700s.

In contrast, contemporary works in the exhibition were created by artists who are well known to Heard members, such as Kent Monkman and Meryl McMaster.

Other artists participated in one of the many biennial invitational exhibitions organized by the Heard in the 1990s and 2000s. Longtime Heard members will have an opportunity to reflect upon past Heard exhibitions when seeing recent works by Lawrence Paul Yuxweluptun, Faye HeavyShield and Rebecca Belmore.

Of special interest in the exhibition is a 144-by-390-inch mural designed by Duane Linklater based on the work of noted artist Norval Morrisseau. For reasons unexplained, Morrisseau could not make it to Montreal, Quebec, to attend the 1967 International and Universal Exposition, better known as Expo 67, even though he designed a mural for the Indians of Canada Pavilion. Instead, another artist painted Morrisseau’s design.

DIANA F. PARDUE | CHIEF CURATOR

ABOVE: Installation view of Early Days: Indigenous Art from the McMichael. Photo: Craig Smith. LEFT: Great Lakes First Nation. Pair of Moccasins, c. 1770–80. Blackdyed deerskin sewn with sinew, decorated with porcupine quillwork and fringed with red-dyed deer-hair tassels inserted in tinned iron cones Gift of Dr. Phil Nuytten 2013.7.2.A-B

Referencing that concept, Linklater designed a mural for Early Days with the intent that another artist would paint it at each venue. The mural is just one amazing work that captures visitors’ attention as they progress through the gallery.

Early Days is the first survey of Canadian Indigenous art of this scope to be presented internationally. The McMichael staff worked in collaboration with current Indigenous stakeholders— scholars, traditional knowledge keepers and living artists—to develop the exhibition. According to Sarah Milroy, the McMichael’s chief curator, “Our intent was to use the collection to tell the stories of the myriad Indigenous cultures that have historically inhabited what we now call Canada, attempting wherever possible to leave the explaining to those Indigenous cultural stakeholders who know these works best.”

THIS EXHIBITION WAS ORGANIZED BY THE MCMICHAEL CANADIAN ART COLLECTION, KLEINBURG, ONTARIO.

SIGNATURE SPONSOR

SPONSOR

Lili Chester

Additional support provided by donors to the Grand Gallery Exhibition Fund.

Installation view of Early Days: Indigenous Art from the McMichael, featuring works by Meryl McMaster and Faye HeavyShield.

Photo: Craig Smith.

Installation view of Early Days: Indigenous Art from the McMichael, featuring the mural designed by Duane Linklater and works by Norval Morrisseau. Photo: Craig Smith

Circles and Members Preview

of Early Days: Art from the McMichael Canadian Art Collection

AUGUST 31, 2023

The Heard Museum is the first to host this magnificent traveling exhibition from the McMichael Canadian Art Collection and there is no better way to celebrate this moment than with our Circles and Members.

Photos: Grand opening of Early Days: Art from the McMichael Canadian Art Collection on August 31, 2023. Haute Media.

This page, top to bottom: Artificial Red. Anna Bursaux, Executive Director, Museum Box; Bonnie Devine, contributor to the McMichael Canadian Art Collection Early Days exhibition and publication; Sarah Milroy, Chief Curator, McMichael Canadian Art Collection; Diana Pardue, Chief Curator, Heard Museum; Jennifer Withrow, Head, Exhibitions and Publications, McMichael Canadian Art Collection. Circles and Members Preview of Early Days: Art from the McMichael Canadian Art Collection

Jim and Sue Navran

Sarah Milroy, McMichael Head Curator

Norman Tait (Nisga’a) carving the Friendship Totem in the Heard Museum’s Gallery of Indian Art, 1976.

The Friendship Totem

Referred to as “The Friendship Totem” by Grace McCarthy, then the provincial minister of British Columbia, the 21-foot totem pole was carved in 1976 by Nisga’a artist Norman Tait. Tait, who has been credited with reviving the art of Nisga’a totem pole carving, was commissioned by the provincial government of British Columbia to carve the totem pole as a gift to the City of Phoenix, which, shortly after its completion, gifted it to the Heard Museum.

Norman Tait’s grandfather, Chief Alfred Watson Mountain (Sganism Sim’oogit), was a leader of the Nisga’a First Nation. His father was a carver who passed on his wood carving knowledge and skills to his son. However, at the time Tait began carving, no Nisga’a master carvers were alive to pass along knowledge specific to the carving of totem poles. Recognizing that this invaluable piece of Nisga’a tradition was in danger of disappearing, Tait made the decision to dedicate himself to learning the skills and techniques required to resurrect this part of his people’s heritage. Tait began to visit museums to educate himself on the history of Nisga’a totem poles and to view the works of his ancestors.

VELMA KEE CRAIG | ASSISTANT CURATOR

“When a totem pole is raised, it is like the birth of an important person. The pole is given a name and treated with the same kind of respect you would give a chief. Like the elders, each pole is a teacher, a storyteller.”

—Norman Tait, Nisga’a artist, in Carving a Totem Pole by Vickie Jensen, 1994

In October 1976, British Columbia sent Tait to Phoenix to represent the province for the annual conference of the American Society of Association Executives. A 26-foot red cedar log was also shipped to Phoenix from Vancouver. Throughout the weeklong conference, Tait worked in the lobby of the Hyatt Regency, adzing and shaping the log into rough forms that would eventually become elegant depictions of an eagle at the top, a beaver in the middle, and a human figure at the base. The eagle is the symbol of Tait’s clan, the beaver is one of his clan’s crests, and the human represents membership to his clan. The word totem comes from the Algonquian word odoodem, meaning “his kinship group.”

At the end of the conference, the unfinished pole was relocated to the Heard Museum’s Jacobson Gallery (formerly named the Gallery of Indian Art), where Tait would continue the carving. While at the Heard, Tait continued to work on the totem pole for 12 days. At both locations, the public was invited to visit and watch the carving in progress, allowing museum staff and visitors, including groups of schoolchildren, to observe the creation of this magnificent structure. When completed, the totem pole was raised outdoors in the Hearst Foundation Children’s Courtyard, with Tait and other guests from British Columbia present. For nearly 20 years, the Friendship Totem remained on display in the same place that Tait had originally approved. In 1999, the Heard Museum underwent a large expansion project that included the addition of new galleries. At that time, the pole was placed in the waterproof covering and stored in an exterior space where it was protected from direct sunlight.

Now, nearly 25 years later, Bank of America is generously funding the restoration and reinstallation of the totem pole. Ron Harvey of Tuckerbrook Conservation in Lincolnville, Maine, who travels annually to the Heard Museum to clean and care for the sculptures on display in the outdoor sculpture gardens, will lead the conservation of the totem pole, in close collaboration with Norman Tait’s surviving brother, Alver Tait, and Norman’s daughter, Valerie

Norman Tait (Nisga’a) with the Friendship Totem in the Heard Museum’s Gallery of Indian Art, 1976.

Visiting schoolchildren observe Norman Tait carving the Friendship Totem in the Heard Museum’s Gallery of Indian Art, 1976

Tait. Alver was among the artists Norman trained in pole carving. As a hereditary chief of the Eagle-Beaver clan, he serves as an ambassador for the Nisga’a. A recognized master carver in his own right, Alver has committed to contribute his knowledge to the project, which includes traveling to Phoenix to consult with Harvey and supervise the raising ceremony as the final act of the restoration project. Traditionally, hundreds of community members gathered to raise a totem pole using ropes and pulleys.

Harvey, in consultation with Alver and Valerie Tait, first will complete an assessment of the Friendship Totem, studying its current condition to understand the techniques and materials Norman Tait used when he carved the pole in 1976. The preparation and cleaning will stabilize the condition of the wood and the paint, and it also will reveal the pole’s original colors.

The totem will require a central support. A 20-foot stainless steel rod will form the pole’s “spine,” bolted to a mount to keep the pole from moving in heavy winds. To keep rainwater from entering through the top of the totem and seeping into the interior, causing wood rot, Harvey may create a metal cap. He will apply bonding agents and adhesives to repair existing splinters and cracks, and he and the Taits will determine if the paint requires restoration. If there are areas of loss that need to be replaced, Alver Tait will carve the replacement for Harvey to attach to the totem.

After the Friendship Totem has been restored, it will be reinstalled in the Hearst Foundation’s Children’s Courtyard, where it will once again adorn the Children’s Garden and welcome school tours and visitors. This location is the optimal choice for public and student engagement—the Children’s Courtyard is the starting point for school tours, so the pole will be one of the first artworks that 10,000+ children annually will see when they arrive at the Heard Museum.

In the past, many kinds of totem poles were carved for a variety of purposes—in memory of a chief’s death, as massive beams to support the structure of a house,

and as giant figures erected to welcome visitors. Male and female chiefs commissioned totem poles to tell the mythic stories of their families and included the family’s crests, or spiritual ancestors. The Norman Tait Friendship Pole has been part of the Heard Museum collection for 47 years. It is a symbol not only of friendship between cities and nations, but also of the survival and resilience of American Indian cultures. After a quarter of a century in storage, patiently awaiting its time to resurface, the Friendship Totem once again will occupy a place of prominence on the museum campus.

THE HEARD MUSEUM IS GRATEFUL TO BANK OF AMERICA FOR SUPPORTING THE CONSERVATION OF THIS IMPORTANT WORK.

The Friendship Totem is lifted by a crane for installation on the Heard Museum grounds in 1976.

at Brushes Work

Exploring the Hidden Artistry of Museum Employees

AMANDA HIATT | ASSOCIATE LIBRARIAN

The Heard Museum’s inaugural employee art show, titled Artists Among Us, was a captivating and vibrant celebration of creativity and talent within the museum’s own community. Held on First Fridays and Summer Saturdays from May 5 through September 1 in the museum’s Monte Vista Room, the event provided a unique platform for museum staff to showcase their artistic abilities and share their personal stories, perspectives and passions with visitors and colleagues alike. The employee art show proved to be an inspiring testament to the museum’s commitment to fostering both cultural appreciation and artistic expression.

A total of 28 out of 105 employees answered the call for original artwork. Featuring 60 artworks, the show accepted all staff-made submissions in a wide range

of styles, from drawing, painting and photography to sculpture and digital media. The diverse display of mediums and themes corresponded to a widespread representation of departments throughout the museum, including security, visitor services, curatorial, preparators, finance, education, development, facilities, administration and the Heard Museum Shop. It was an inclusive employee show in every sense, encouraging museum employees to step into different roles of both creators and curators as they put in extra time to organize, design and install the show.

As a special tribute, the show honored a former Heard employee, Virgil C. Betonie, who recently passed away but left a stamp on the museum with his artwork.

Photos: Craig Smith

Artists Among Us went beyond a mere presentation of art; it was an opportunity to connect with the creators themselves. Through this collection, visitors gained insights into the multifaceted personalities that contribute to the Heard’s dynamic atmosphere and its role as a cultural hub. As attendees meandered through the show, they immersed themselves in the narratives behind each artwork, gaining a deeper appreciation for the people who infuse life into the museum. This showcase not only shed light on the hidden talents of the staff, but also deepened the connection between the institution and its patrons, fostering a sense of unity and shared passion for the arts.

This first-of-its-kind show laid the foundation of a new tradition, strengthening the museum’s commitment to creativity, diversity and inclusivity. Thank you to all the employees and artists who contributed to the success of Artists Among Us.

Artists

Elisa Arenas – Payroll/Benefits Administrator

Olivia (Liv) Barney – Collections Coordinator

Virgil C. Betonie* – Security Officer

Diane Bond – Museum Services Assistant

Zee Brouwer - Security Officer

Paulette Fernandez - Security Officer

Brian Fontenot* - Museum Services Assistant

Alvaro Sebastian Gamez Lopez – Security Officer

Andrew E. B. Joe* – Security Team Lead

Antonio Juarez – Security Officer

Joseph Kolasinski – Lead Preparator

Bryanda Lara – Museum Services Assistant

Landry Lewis* - Visitor Services

Representative

Britney Lopez - Museum Services Assistant

Charissa Lucille – Executive Assistant to the Director/CEO

Marcus Monenerkit – Director of Community Engagement

Mya Parker* - Museum Services Assistant

Meileng Paulk – Visitor Services

Representative

Robert Jay Payestewa-Daugherty – Sales Associate

Rebeka Peshlakai – Mellon Fellow

Melissa Pochoema – Visitor Services

Representative

Megan Richmond – E-Commerce Manager

Heather Sutherland – Director of Security & Visitor Services

Melina TaCheenie – Membership Intern

Brie Taha – Staff Accountant

Sam Toledo – Digital Content Manager

Travis Tubinaghtewa – Facilities Technician

Tawny Waters – Assistant Manager of Security

Special support provided by:

James Greene - Preparator

Amanda Hiatt – Associate Librarian

Katie Hughes* - Private Events Coordinator

Joseph Kolasinski – Lead Preparator

Lucia Leigh Laughlin – Director of Engagement & Learning Programs

Charissa Lucille – Executive Assistant to the Director/CEO

Sarah Moore – Design Production Manager

Heather Sutherland – Director of Security & Visitor Services

* former employee

Photos: Craig Smith

Re-introducing Our Newest Member Benefit!

KIM ALEXIS ADVERSARIO | MEMBERSHIP AND CIRCLES MANAGER

In December 2022, Heard Museum Members were invited to a new series of events to learn more about works in the permanent collection. Together, we learned more about the Heard Museum collection and were introduced to amazing works by Sadie B. Begay (Diné), Brian Honyouti (Hopi), T.C. Cannon (Kiowa/ Caddo), Velma Kee Craig (Diné) and more. As we experiment to bring our members new programming and create exciting benefits, we thank you for turning these events into such a hit!

We are thrilled to discover such deep interest in these opportunities to interact with our curatorial team and explore the art that the Heard Museum has collected over the past 94 years. From Dwight and Maie Bartlett Heard’s personal collection and the collection of the Fred Harvey Company to incredible donations and acquisitions, members have the exclusive chance to view these collections in such a unique way.

Our permanent collection holds more than 45,000 works, some of which have yet to be displayed! Throughout the upcoming year, we will be hosting more of these monthly events, and we cannot wait to share such beautiful artwork with you.

We invite you to continue celebrating artists and their artwork in an everlasting way through Artful Mornings, a member event designed to showcase artwork beyond the gallery space. Join us!

ARTFUL MORNINGS

SAVE THE DATES FOR THE 2023-24 SCHEDULE

All events take place from 11 a.m. to noon in the Monte Vista Room, unless otherwise noted. Stay tuned for upcoming invitations to these events.

SATURDAY, OCT. 14, 2023 | SPECIAL TIME: 2 P.M.

Topic: Our newest acquisition from the Diker Collection

Speaker: Artist Juanita Growing Thunder Fogarty (Assiniboine Sioux)

SATURDAY, NOV. 11, 2023

Topic: Indigenous Veteran Artists

Speaker: Marcus Monenerkit (Comanche), Heard Museum Director of Community Engagement

SATURDAY, DEC. 2, 2023

Topic: Heard Travel – Leather Bags from Sudan

Speaker: Ann Marshall, Heard Museum Director of Research

SATURDAY, JAN. 13, 2024

Topic: Maria & Modernism

Speaker: Diana Pardue, Heard Museum Chief Curator

SATURDAY, FEB. 3, 2024

Topic: Special Exhibition, Announcing Soon

Speaker: David Roche, Heard Museum Dickey Family Director & CEO

SATURDAY, APRIL 6, 2024

Topic: Acquisitions from the Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair & Market

Speaker: Velma Kee Craig (Diné), Heard Museum Assistant Curator

SATURDAY, MAY 11, 2024

Topic: Art & Sole

Speaker: Olivia Barney (Diné), Heard Museum Collections Coordinator

TOP to BOTTOM: Jamie Okuma (Luiseño/Shoshone-Bannock/Okinawan-Hawaiian), b. 1977. Lady in Red, Lakota Woman 2003. Hide, cloth, glass beads, hair, detalium and abalone shells, metal, sequins, wood. Collection of Charles and Valerie Diker. Artist once known (Western Apache). Pictorial basket, early 1900s. Willow, martynia, yucca root, 20.5 x 20 inches. The Eddie Basha Collection: Western American & American Indian Art. Jared Tso (Diné), b. 1994, Jar, 2023, ceramic, 9 3/4 diameter x 11 inches. Heard Museum Collection, 5041-1.

Member

Exclusives!

KIM ALEXIS ADVERSARIO | MEMBERSHIP AND CIRCLES MANAGER

Here at the Heard Museum, we are excited to present the many opportunities for our Members to engage with American Indian art in our upcoming 2023-24 season! We have a wonderful series of exhibitions, programs and events in store for you—and they’re perfect for bringing your friends and family, too.

With your Heard Museum membership, you receive an unlimited number of opportunities to view our exhibitions with your free admission! Currently we have 12 exhibitions on view, with four new exhibitions opening in 2024. As a member, you’ll receive special invitations to upcoming exhibition previews and their associated monthly programs for exclusive experiences with artists, curators and fellow art aficionados.

We invite you to make the most of your membership benefits by enjoying free admission all year long, discounted member admission to special events, and your 10% discount every time you visit the Heard Museum Shop, Café and Cantina!

Your support for the Heard Museum is what makes our work possible. Members are the drivers of our ability to create original exhibitions, expand youth and family programming, and increase our reach to promote American Indian art. We are incredibly grateful for your continued support and community.

We look forward to seeing you and your family here soon!

SEASON CALENDAR

OCTOBER 2023

FRI. 6 P First Friday

MON. 9 P Indigenous Peoples’ Day

THURS. –

SAT. 12-14 W

Master Artists: Pueblo Weaving Santa Fe

SAT. 14 M Artful Mornings: Diker Collection

FRI. 20 P Richard & Jared Chavez in Shop

SAT. 21 D Moondance

NOVEMBER 2023

FRI. 3 P First Friday

SAT. 11 P Veteran’s Day – Daytime / Sunset M Artful Mornings: Veterans

MON. – WED. 13-15 W

Master Artists: Animal Dressing in San Carlos

FRI. 17 W K-12 Educator Night

FRI. – SUN. 24-26 P Ornament Marketplace

THURS. 30 P

Excellence In Leadership Dinner, organized by Phoenix Indian Center

DECEMBER 2023

FRI. 1 P First Friday

SAT. 2 M

Artful Mornings: Leather Bags from Sudan

WED. 20 M Members Holiday Party

WED. – FRI. 27-30 P Holidays @ Heard

KEY CODE:

D Donor Event

M Members only

W Workshop

P Public Event

E New Exhibition

JANUARY 2024

TUES. –THURS. 2-4 W Master Artists: Indian Health Service Center in Santa Barbara

FRI. 5 P First Friday

SAT. 13 M Artful Mornings: Maria and Modernism

SAT. 20 W K-12 Educator Night

TUES. 23 D Maie Bartlett Heard Society Tea

FEBRUARY 2024

THURS. 1 M Circles Preview: Special Exhibition, Announcing Soon FRI. 2

SAT.

SAT. – SUN. 17-18

Exhibition Opens

World Championship Hoop Dance Contest

FRI. 23 M Member Lounge: Maria and Modernism

SAT. 24 E Maria and Modernism opens

MARCH 2024

Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair and Market: Best of Show Reception SAT. – SUN. 2-3

FRI. 1 P

Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair and Market MON. – WED. 11-13

FRI. 22

SAT. 23

Master Artists: Basket Making in New Mexico

Grand Gallery Exhibition Fund Dinner

Maria and Modernism Exhibition Celebration

*Workshops are funded by Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies (MACP)

New Acquisition:

ROSHII MONTAÑO | ASSISTANT REGISTRAR

In May 2023, Robin Chemers Neustein donated a significant collection of five pins and four necklaces by Gail Bird (Laguna Pueblo/Santo Domingo Pueblo) and Yazzie Johnson (Navajo) to the Heard Museum.

For more than 51 years, in a partnership that began in 1972, Bird’s keen design sensibilities and Johnson’s adept skills in fabrication and metalwork have combined to create uniquely innovative fine jewelry. Together, the artists preserve the inherent natural beauty of the materials they use, recalling Southwest landscapes and shifting skies.

The Heard Museum first purchased from Bird and Yazzie a thematic belt titled Route 66/Tourism in 1995, beginning a collection that today has grown to 25 works. In 2007, Chief Curator Diana Pardue authored Shared Images: The Innovative Jewelry of Yazzie Johnson and Gail Bird , publishing the first monograph on the artists.

The necklace pictured demonstrates a remarkable use of gemstones, pearls and metals. The three-strand necklace features South Sea keshi pearls with labradorite clasps and double-sided labradorite satellites set in an 18K gold sawtooth bezel. The reverse of the clasps and satellites feature an overlay of stylized birds and geometric motifs that recall Pueblo pottery designs.

Carved stone appealed to Bird and Johnson, who first incorporated it into their pieces in 1991. The pin shown here features a carved agate by renowned German lapidary artist Dieter Lorenz. The dark grey banded agate is carved in a diagonal curve to accentuate the clouded milky streaks. The South Sea keshi pearl placed above the carved stone mimics the undulating surface. Both pearl and stone display a balance of visual textures, enclosed by an 16K gold sawtooth bezel.

ABOVE: Gail Bird (Laguna Pueblo/Santo Domingo Pueblo) and Yazzie Johnson (Navajo), Pin, 2002, Dieter Lorenz carved banded agate, South Sea keshi pearl and 16K gold. Gift of Robin Chemers Neustein, 5050-8. Photo by Craig Smith, Heard Museum.

Detail of overlay design on the reverse of the necklace satellite.

LEFT: Gail Bird (Laguna Pueblo/Santo Domingo Pueblo) and Yazzie Johnson (Navajo), Necklace, 2013, labradorite, South Sea keshi pearls and 18K gold. Gift of Robin Chemers Neustein, 5050-3. Photo by Craig Smith, Heard Museum.

FirstYoungNations Women

Artists

Fine Art of Indigenous Canada in the Heard Museum

Researching Contemporary

Billie Jane Baguley Library and Archives

MARIO NICK KLIMIADES | LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES DIRECTOR

In the early 21st century, art scholars increasingly have brought to the attention of the public the weak representation of Indigenous women artists in the Canadian art canon. Although Indigenous women artists are gaining greater attention today, female scholars, such as curators and historians Lee-Ann Martin (Mohawk), Candice Hopkins (Carcross/Tagish First Nation) and Dr. Sherry Farrell Racette (Métis/ Timiskaming First Nation/Irish), continue to address the painful absence of Indigenous women artists in Canadian art history.

The artworks of “later” women artists are included in the exhibition Early Days: Indigenous Art from the McMichael, opening at the Heard on Sept. 1. Fine artists Meryl McMaster (Plains Cree/Blackfoot/Scottish, b. 1988), Jeneen Frei Njootli (Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation, b. 1988) and Caroline Monnet (Algonquin/French,

b. 1985) take their rightful place in this prestigious collection. These artists work in a variety of mediums, including McMaster’s artistic photography, which combines the Canadian landscape with self-portraiture; Njootli’s interdisciplinary and performance art; and Mommet’s sculpture and filmmaking.

The number of First Nations women artists born after 1980 continues to grow and exert more significant influence in the dominant world of male Indigenous artists. Other notable young female artists include Joi T. Arcand (Cree, b. 1982), Dayna Danger (Métis/ Saulteaux/Ojibway/Polish, b. 1987), Ursula A. Johnson (Mi’kmaq, b. 1980) and Meagan Musseau (Mi’kmaq/ French, b. 1990). With these young talents, the Canadian sisterhood rightfully takes a more prominent place in Canadian art history.

Historically, the Heard Museum’s Billie Jane Baguley Library and Archives has taken a special interest in the contemporary fine art of First Nations artists. Through its subscription to Canadian art journals like BlackFlash, Border Crossings, C Magazine and the gallery magazine Invitation from the Art Mûr gallery in Montreal, Quebec, the library has kept up to date on the Canadian art scene.

Nearly 1,000 works can be found when conducting a search in the Heard Library and Archives catalog. Important monographs in the collection include the 2020 exhibition Àbadakone: Continuous Fire, led by National Gallery of Canada curators Rachelle Dickenson, Greg A. Hill and Christine Lalonde; the 2017-18 exhibition Insurgence Resurgence at the Winnipeg Art Gallery, curated by Jaimie Isaac and Julie Nagam; and the fourth edition (2018) of the contemporary Native art biennial La Biennale D’art Contemporain Autochtone (BACA): Níchiwamiskwém Nimidet Ma Sœur My Sister in Montreal, curated by Niki Little and Becca Taylor.

Approximately 1,500 Canadian First Nations artists are included in the Native American Artists Resource

Collection Online, a database of 28,000 Native American artists compiled by the Heard library and archives staff. The online database is a comprehensive source on the lives and work of some of these artists. For example, the record for Jeneen Frei Njootli offers a wealth of information including publications, exhibitions, a portrait and downloadable text.

Internet resources are many and often noted in the Library catalog and the Native American Artists Resource Collection Online. One resource of special note is by independent curator Lee-Ann Martin, a previous associate of the Heard Museum. Her online resource “Resilience” (https://resilienceproject.ca/) is based on the Canadian national exhibition by 50 Indigenous women artists and contains in-depth information about the project, a teaching guide and biographical sketches on the artists. This important resource can be found at https://resilienceproject.ca/.

Heard Museum members and visitors are encouraged to visit the Billie Jane Baguley Library and Archives and its website to explore these and many other resources on Canadian art.

C Magazine, issue 141 (Spring 2019). Cover image: Joi T. Arcand, Sweetgrass Store – Sweetgrass First Nation, archival inkjet print, 2009, 50.8 x 61 cm. From the otē nīkān misiwē askīhk – Here On Future Earth series. Image courtesy of the artist. Featured in the article “I’m a Little Too Rebellious for That”: A Conversation with Joi T. Arcand and Winona Wheeler.

BlackFlash, August-December 2015, vol. 32, issue 3. Cover image: Meryl McMaster, Murmur 3 , inkjet print, 2013, 228.6 x 152.4 cm. Image courtesy of the artist. Featured in the article “Identity as Contingency: Meryl McMaster’s In-Between Worlds” by Ellyn Walker.

ACTIVITY PAGES! This

What is cochineal?

Cochineal is a small insect that, when ground up and mixed with water, creates the color red.

is a textile in the exhibition Arriving Forever into the Present World by Navajo artist DY Begay. It is made out of sheep’s wool. To make a textile, artists turn the wool into yarn and then weave it together to make a cloth. When weavers want to use different colors in their designs, they dye the wool. Dyeing involves mixing different materials with water and then letting the wool soak up the color, much like a sponge soaks up water. In this example, cochineal was used to create many different shades of the color red. This textile reminds us of the beauty that comes from nature.

D. Y. Begay, Navajo, b. 1953, Palette of Cochineal, 2013, handspun churro wool, cochineal dye, synthetic dyes, 33 x 47 inches. Heard Museum Collection, Gift of the Heard Museum Council in honor of Werner Braum, the Max M and Carol W. Sandfield Philanthropic Fund of the Dallas Jewish Community Foundation as recommended by Norman Sandfield, and the Bruce T. Halle Family Foundation at the recommendation of Diane and Bruce Halle and in honor of Harvey and Carol Ann Mackay, 4732-1.

The Heard Museum welcomes families, and we encourage you to share these pages with young people in your life.

Color this image in the style of DY Begay’s textile by using light and dark versions of one color.

Master Artist Workshops

MARCUS MONENERKIT | DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

This year marks the ninth year of the Heard Museum’s Master Artist Workshop series. The grantsupported program is dedicated to the transference of cultural art knowledge and skills in American Indian communities in the Southwest and at the Heard Museum.

The program instruction take place in New Mexico, Arizona and Southern California, where the country’s American Indian population is concentrated. According to U.S. Census data, Maricopa County has the largest Native population of any county in the nation, followed by Los Angeles County, California, and McKinley County, New Mexico.

The workshop formats are specifically geared toward tribal youth and families. There is also an open age format. Students’ ages range from 10 years old to

80-plus. The workshop sessions include instruction in pottery, basket making, textile weaving and moccasin making, to name a few. The workshops are intensive, lasting three to five days. They focus on the history of the art forms, concept design, preparation of materials, techniques and innovation. When available, the class takes advantage of a local museum visit or tours a private collection to provide further examination of the history and variety of the art form.

The Heard created this workshop series because tribal members in many communities, both urban and rural, have voiced concern regarding the lack of opportunity to learn about their traditional art forms and the skills involved in creating them. It is important that tribes’ cultural knowledge be passed along to future generations, but it is not uncommon for a tribe to have

ABOVE: Pueblo Weaving Workshop, Poeh Center, June 2023. Photo: Marcus Monenerkit

only a handful of elders or others who still retain the traditional knowledge and are in a position to share it with others. These Master Artist Workshops help preserve that cultural treasure.

The best part of the program are the real, impactful stories we hear from the participants. The feedback is supported by multiple research studies on the power of participating in the cultural arts for building up youth, families and communities (see sources at end of article). The impact of the workshops is profound—99% of the students report that they would refer others to the class, and the most common response from the participants is they want more time to practice the art form.

Participation in these programs builds positive goals and aspirations. The students gain critical thinking skills and draw strength from their cultures to help revive their

languages, improve their peers’ outcomes in schools and improve their communities’ health by bringing back traditional foods. Perhaps one of the most important benefits of the workshops is that they are a way of reaching out and giving hope to Native people when hope is hard to find.

Sources:

Dufrene, P. Utilizing the Arts for Healing from a Native American Perspective: Implications for Creative Arts

Therapies. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED334125. Accessed Aug. 25, 2023.

Center for Native American Youth at the Aspen Institute. State of Native Youth 2016: Drawing Strength from Our Cultures. Available at: https://www.cnay.org/resourcehub/reports-publications/. Accessed Aug. 25, 2023.

It is important that tribes’ cultural knowledge be passed along to future generations, but it is not uncommon for a tribe to have only a handful of elders or others who still retain the traditional knowledge and are in a position to share it with others.

Pueblo Weaving Workshop, Poeh Center, June 2023.

Photo: Marcus Monenerkit

Sash belt weaving, South Mountain Community College, 2023. Photo: Marcus Monenerkit

Holiday SHOPPINGGUIDE

3-strand coral necklace with painted pottery pendant by Allen Aragon (Navajo) • $3900

14K ring with coral cabochon, size 7.25, by Ric Charlie • $6500

Sterling silver money clip with spiny oyster shell star by Tony Chino (Acoma) • $140

Southwest Summer Showers bronze, 8.75 " x 3.5 " x 3", by Doug Hyde (Nez Perce/Assiniboine/Chippewa), open edition • $950

Sterling silver key ring by Peter Nelson (Navajo) • $130

Holiday SHOPPING GUIDE

Stuffed Coyote from Wild Republic • $15

Substance of Stars exhibition catalogue • $55

Native Ground Coffee •

Products by Mudhead Soap & Skincare Co. • $16-30

$18-20

Native Ground Tea • $16-17

SHIMA soaps • $12

Dear Members,

The opportunity to collaborate closely with Heard Museum Members is one of the highlights of my work at the Heard. It all comes down to one word: impact

Our 6,000 Member households represent the single largest source of unrestricted revenue for the Heard. Through your Memberships, donations, purchases at the Heard Museum Shop and more, you make it possible each year for the museum to continue to be a jewel of our community, known internationally for our exhibitions, programs and facilities. Your generosity and your passion for this work that we all share in allows us together to reach ever higher levels of success in advancing American Indian art and artists. We couldn’t do our work without your support. Thank you!

To put a finer point on it: of the Heard’s $12 million annual budget, each year almost $2 million goes directly to Indigenous artists. That happens through a whole range of initiatives: artwork purchased by the Heard Museum Shop for sale; new acquisitions for our permanent collection; prize money awarded at the Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair & Market and the World Championship Hoop Dance Contest; stipends paid to performers and artists at our public programs, like First Fridays and Holidays at the Heard; fees paid to educators, students and guest speakers through the Master Artist Workshop Series and Creative Aging workshops; and so much more.

Thank you for making this possible. Your support fuels our mission and motivates us to fulfill it in new and exciting ways. We appreciate the impact you have on the Heard each and every day.

Gratefully,

Dan Hagerty Chief Advancement & Engagement Officer

YOUR IMPACT

Your membership elevates the Heard’s ability to fulfill our mission each and every day. Memberships support the programs, exhibitions, facilities, and people that have made the Heard Museum a jewel of our community for nearly 100 years. Here is what you make possible:

Each year, our exhibitions educate and inspire

140,000 visitors, who leave with increased understanding & appreciation for Indigenous creativity.

Our work generates $46 million in annual economic impact across Indian Country to help ensure educational opportunities and a better quality of life for the communities we serve.

Through our retail store and public programs, each year the Heard Museum provides more than $2 million

in direct payments to American Indian artists . Denise

We are investing in the Heard Museum’s future patrons, members, and supporters by welcoming more than 7,500 K-12 students on field trips, usually at little to no cost to schools.

O ur 8-acre campus

in the middle of downtown Phoenix serves as a refuge and source of inspiration for residents and tourists alike.

Wallace

Substance of Stars

Scan the QR code to participate or text MD23 to 76278.

Featured Item:

Here Comes the Sun!

GOULD DIRECTOR OF RETAIL OPERATIONS

ASun Katsina doll by Hopi master carver Arthur Holmes Jr. is the Heard Museum Shop’s featured item for this issue of EarthSong. The detail Holmes exhibited in carving and painting this representation of the spirit of the sun is truly remarkable.

Holmes’ carvings are highly sought after by collectors. An award-winning artist, he took home Best of Show at the 64th annual Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair & Market in 2022. This year, he followed that up by winning Best of Classification at both the 65th annual Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair & Market and the 101st SWAIA Santa Fe Indian Market.

He is the son of master carver Arthur Holmes Sr. Artworks by father and son can be found in the most discriminating collections, galleries and museums throughout the world.

KELLY

Opening to members on February 23, 2024, Maria and Modernism will reveal how the famed San Ildefonso potter, Maria Martinez, reinvented, reinvigorated, disrupted, and transformed Pueblo pottery while uniquely contributing to the most important artistic movement of the 20th century. This original exhibition organized by the Heard Museum will deepen the story of American art by centering a groundbreaking female Indigenous artist within the American Modernist era, a time of profound societal change and artistic experimentation. The exhibition and publication will feature more than 50 masterworks from public and private collections from around the United States.

Maria Martinez (1887-1908) and Popovi Da (1922-1971), P ʼohwhogeh Ówîngeh (San Ildefonso Pueblo), Black-on-black plate, 1956-1959. Polished blackware pottery with matte paint, 2.25 x 14.5 in., Gift of Dennis and Janis Lyon, NA-SW-SI-A10-32.