EDITOR ’ S GREETING
WELCOME to the tenthanniversary issue of First American Art Magazine ! So much has changed since April 2013 , when this magazine was launched by Native artists who wanted a space to speak freely and honestly about our artwork . We wanted a break from marketing hype and stereotypes and to move beyond “ Indian 101 ,” to instead host serious discussions about Indigenous art in all media from all times but in an accessible manner . We know not everyone has the luxury of attending art school , so we wanted to challenge ourselves : Can we bring the prevailing discourse and latest discoveries about art by Indigenous peoples of the Americas to the public ?
I strongly believe the answer is yes , especially after compiling data from our readers ' survey ( see page 10 ). In this issue , we caught up with the four artists we profiled in FAAM No . 0 , Spring 2013 , to see how things have changed for them
over the last decade . Orlando Dugi ( Diné ), Anita Fields ( Osage / Muscogee ), Tom Jones ( Ho-Chunk ), and Erin Shaw ( Chickasaw / Choctaw ) took a risk in 2013 by being profiled in an unknown magazine . We ’ re glad we can revisit them , now that the magazine has international distribution and a loyal readership .
To commemorate the past decade , FAAM is sponsoring episodes of 5 Plain Questions , a podcast hosted by Joe Williams ( Sisseton Wahpeton Dakota ) and the Plains Art Museum . Joe will interview Orlando , Anita , Tom , and Erin , as well as FAAM writer and Northern regional representative Nadia Jackinsky-Sethi , PhD ( Alutiiq ). Joe is such a great host ; he gives Native artists and creatives space to share what ’ s most important to them . We hope you ’ ll take time to enjoy this more intimate connection with these Indigenous thought leaders . You can access 5 Plain Questions at soundcloud . com / eleven-warrior-arts or wherever you enjoy podcasts .
We are also planning a tenth-anniversary celebration at the Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian in Santa Fe on Saturday , April 29 , from 1:00 to 3:00 pm , with a roundtable discussion followed by a reception with light refreshments . The Wheelwright has been one of our strongest supporters , and the Case Trading Post was the first retail outlet that made FAAM available to the public .
Then on Friday evening , May 5 , we ’ ll host another celebration at the Tulsa Artist Fellowship studios in the arts district of Tulsa , Oklahoma . Details will be available at firstamericanartmagazine . com / tenth-anniversary .
This publication would not have survived the last decade without our readers , advertisers , writers , editors , advertising representative , advisors , regional representatives , photographers , contractors , volunteers , and of course , Indigenous artists across the Americas . I am so grateful to each of you for helping make this dream a reality . Here ’ s to good things ahead in the next ten years !
— America Meredith ( Cherokee Nation )
8 | FIRST AMERICAN ART MAGAZINE