First American Art Magazine No. 13, Winter 2016/17 | Page 11

Letters to FAAM “The Archive in Contemporary Indigenous Art” I AM WRITING TO EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION and respect for the thoughtful, intelligent article you wrote for FAAM [No. 12, Fall 2016]. I am so proud to be listed in the company of Rosalie Favell and Marie Watt and delighted to see museum and tribal archives receive recognition and use from a contemporary audience. My hope is that more Native people will investigate this source of historical treasure and begin to research Indigenous histories to inspire—and inform!—their work. I am such a fan of FAAM and the brilliant writing. I joined the brag session to the same tune during “Exhibiting Culture,” our MoCNA panel discussion during SWAIA Indian Market, delivered to an enthusiastic and interested crowd. Keep up the great work, and know that your words are read by an appreciative audience. With kind regards, Shan Goshorn (Eastern Band Cherokee) Tulsa, Oklahoma SHAN, I AM VERY TOUCHED by your generous words! Trust me when I say that an artist’s support means a lot to me as I try extremely hard to do justice to each artwork I discuss. It’s wonderful to hear that you’re pleased with the article, and I can only hope that we cross paths again in the near future. Your research and body of work are important and much needed. I am eternally grateful for the opportunities FAAM has provided me in terms of researching original topics for critical essays and for interacting with the most fascinating artists in the literary section. I hope I don’t sound like a broken record, but I will keep doing my best for the magazine and continue this rewarding relationship. —Matthew Ryan Smith, PhD New Artists I READ EVERY WORD OF EACH ISSUE of First American Art Magazine, even the publisher’s statement! The recent one, Fall 2016, No. 12, is no different. Each issue has profiles and names of artists that I am not familiar with and have not yet been documented in the Heard Museum’s artist files. Four very notable artists in the recent issue (and new to me) include Jodi Webster, Michael Elizondo Jr., Amanda Beardsley, and Emily Arthur. Great talents—and I am embarrassed to admit I have not been paying close attention (or for your Italian readers, “Non stare attento (che non presta attenzione)”) to some of the exciting developments in the Native art world! Thanks to FAAM. As a subscriber, I know I won’t miss out. Peace and congratulations to all the stellar artists in the recent issue. Mario Nick Klimiades Phoenix, Arizona THANK YOU SO MUCH, Mario, for your encouragement and support of the magazine and the Native art world in general. The Billie Jane Baguley Library and Archives are an important resource for researchers of art by Indigenous peoples of North and South America. They include the personal papers of numerous influential artists and more than 300,000 photographs. See you at the Heard Fair! —America Meredith Unknown Nazca artist, Lobster Effigy Vessel with Bridge-Spout Handle, ca. 300–600, clay slip, earthenware, Coastal Peru, 5 5/16 × 9 1/2 × 4 1/8 in., collection of the Walters Museum, Baltimore, Maryland, 2009.20.55 (CC BY-SA 3.0). We welcome your letters to the editor! If we print it, we will send you a complimentary copy of that issue of the magazine. Please send your email to us at: [email protected] or mail letters to: First American Art Magazine, Attention: Editor 1000 Cordova Pl., #843, Santa Fe, NM 87505 WINTER 2016/17 | 9