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Original Museum-Quality Art
Dale Gilbert and his late wife Claire were Degrazia Artists in Residence at Heard Museum from 1992-1997. They gave demonstrations and presentations of beadwork for celebrities and dignitaries including Sandra Day O’Connor. Their own beaded bags were for sale in the museum’s gift shop. Some were purchased by the museum for their permanent collection.
Now there are nearly 20 pieces in the Heard Museum. Artwork by Dale includes his Apache war shirt, quillwork, a necklace, a medicine pouch and moccasins. Artwork by Clara Early Gilbert (Claire) includes moccasins, clothing, a hair tie, a beaded bag, and leatherwork. The couple often collaborated.
“She was my color palette,” says Dale. “I would have all my beads laid out, and in a couple of seconds she would move everything around and it would come alive.”
Post 9-11, Dale beaded a child’s vest entitled, United We Stand. Dale’s intent was to convey the chaos that occurred when the towers were attacked. The bodice features people in different styles of dress from different tribes. There are teepees across the bust, towers on the shoulders. The bottom was Apache blue, representing life.
Two men, one on each side, hold an eagle staff and an American flag. Some women are facing each other; another looks the other way. One with a parasol holds onto her daughter.
“The little girl represents the future,” he says.
The vest received an honorable mention in the 2002 Heard Museum juried competition and was sold to a New York museum.
The small oval medallion by award-winning beadworker, Jackie Larson Bread features 24-karat gold beads. A pair of baby moccasins using porcupine quills made by Anthony Hernandez.
Life & Art Go On
As a 3-year old, Dale sat on a colorful quilt under a willow tree with his sister, watching their grandmother work with beads from a tin box. As a boy, he and his sister were paid by their mother to help with her beadwork -- $20 every two weeks, which they would spend in downtown Globe.
“We used to come here; there were five and dime stores and a bakery,” Dale recalls.
By 12 he had made his first Sunrise Dance dress. From there, Dale worked on his own pieces. His mother continued to ask for his help and he was happy to do it. His father, a rough cowboy type that worked over 30 years in government irrigation projects, helped out too. A “man’s man,” according to Dale, he didn’t want anyone to know he did beadwork.
“But he was a good beader,” says Dale, “and I admired him.”
Dale was 40 when Claire passed away. A year later, one of their sons was murdered.
“I was lost for years,” says Dale. “I couldn’t work on anything.”
He returned to beadwork to make a Sunshine Dance dress for a dear one’s daughter. It took him 4 months.
“I made the dress,” he says, “but it was not the dress me and my wife would have made.”
Two years after her death, Dale commissioned Harold Garcia of Salt Lake City to make a commemorative medallion. It features a man with an otter cap and a woman with a white and blue necklace. He asked that the background be green. Like blue, green represents life.
“That is my favorite color,” says Dale, “and also my wife’s favorite color.”
Now in his mid-fifties with restricted mobility and failing eyesight, Dale has turned his focus to the younger artists that will carry on the beading tradition. This set of beaded medallions were made for Dale by his cousin, Eldred Matt. They are made from Dale’s 20-year collection of beads and will go on the long pelt tail of his otter cap when he dances at the Veterans Powwow in San Carlos in November.
Beaded cuffs with leather fringe and beaded roses were made by Harold Garcia
The medallion by Harold Garcia of Salt Lake City was commissioned by Dale two years after the death of his wife Claire. The otter cap on the man is similar to the one Dale wears when dancing.
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Medallions by artist, Brodie Sanchez, Shoshone, features the beaded faces of Sitting Bull and Geronimo
A Sunrise dress by Claire and Dale Gilbert in 2013.
In 2013, Claire and Dale Gilbert were featured in Globe Miami Times for their work in beading sunrise dresses. Photo by LCGross
Post 9-11, Dale beaded a child’s vest entitled, United We Stand, and was eventually sold to a museum in New York.
A distinguished customer once advised Dale that if you’re going to collect art, collect pieces that make you smile and happy.
“It will be in your home,” she told him. “It will change your whole attitude.”
Dale and Claire began collecting art when they were doing art shows and winning awards and selling their pieces at top prices.
“We would go around and choose something from the other artists to reward ourselves,” Dale recalls. “We would pick a piece that talks to us.”
In time their collection included jewelry, paintings, sculpture, clothing and beadwork. Dale discovered many of the bead artists he admires through Facebook.
He has two medallions by artist Brodie Sanchez Shoshone, featuring the beaded faces of Sitting Bull and Chief Joseph. From Anthony Hernandez, a pair of baby moccasins made out of porcupine quills and smoked hide. From Brad Zavala, a quill medallion with horse and blue lightning. Dale’s collection includes armbands with leather fringe and beaded roses by Harold Garcia and moccasins of smoked hide beaded limegreen by John Murie.
Jackie Larson Bread, an awardwinning beadworker, is the creator of a small oval medallion that Dale acquired via auction. It features a horsehead and moon against a turquoise sky with antique amber and 24-karat gold beads.
“I have admired her work so much,” says Dale. “I never thought I would get a piece.”
Dale has commissioned Jacinta Tsosie to create a fully beaded (front and back) vest in the old Sioux style. It will feature a rider with war bonnets and dragonfly designs. In lime green, to match his moccasins.
“Since losing my sight I’ve actually had to step back,” says Dale. “Now I am buying from other artists because I have the means and the ways.”
His cousin, Eldred Matt, was given Dale’s 20-year collection of beads and created 14 pieces from it in the past year and a half. Dale will wear them on the long pelt tail of his otter cap when he dances at the Veterans Powwow in San Carlos this November.
“That’s when you’ll see me in my otter cap and my Indian clothes,” says Dale.
He dances with Blue Stone, a troupe based in Phoenix that involves dancers from many tribes.
“I gourd dance more now because I don’t have to move as much,” Dale adds, “at least I’m still out there!”
Dale recently stopped accepting new orders for beadwork. However, he continues to express himself through the artform, working on smaller pieces, with bigger beads. Instead of the 13-0 Charlotte cut beads that glitter in the sun, he now uses a 10 or 11. (When it comes to beads, the bigger the number, the smaller they get.)
Dale also employs two 100-watt bulbs, a magnifying board and reading glasses to count his beads. Still, he still can’t see the holes.
“I just put my needle in the pile,” he says, “it’s a whole different process.” u
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