First American Art Magazine No. 6, Spring 2015 | Page 8

Arctic and Indian arts
st
for the 21 century

26 Maine Street
Kennebunkport, Maine
207 967-2122

Earl Plummer
2014 Indian Market Best of Jewelry Award Winner
Sculpture | Prints | Jewelry |Beadwork |Baskets
shop online: www.homeandawaygallery.com

Editor’s Greetings

E

NTERING OUR THIRD YEAR of publication, First
American Art Magazine took a huge leap of faith on the part
of everyone who made it possible. An anonymous writer
suggests, “To expose your ideas, your dreams before a
crowd is to risk their loss. But risks must be taken because the
greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.”
Grupo Sotz’il, a Kaqchikel Maya theater troupe in Guatemala,
has taken the greatest risks. By breathing life into ancient Maya
stories, members of the troupe have been attacked by those loyal to
a political culture and colonial-era ideology considered to be one
of the most oppressive toward Indigenous peoples in the Western
Hemisphere. The bravery of Grupo Sotz’il is awe-inspiring, as is
their commitment to sharing the philosophy and cosmology of
their ancestors to audiences today.
The late Carl Ray (Cree, 1943–1978) was a member of the
Professional Native Indian Artists, Inc., also known as the “Indian
Group of Seven.” Now the group is celebrated, but at the time,
the artists’ dealers warned them joining this group would harm
their careers. According to fellow member Joseph Sanchez (Tewa
descent), Ray took risks in that “he embodied himself in his work.
He communicated with animals in the manner he painted. He
didn’t just paint the legends; he became the legend.”1
Tarahumara people have risked poverty and isolation to
live on their ancestral lands. The tourist trade that commodifies
artwork is often denigrated; however, selling their basketry,
weaving, woodcarving, and other artistic expressions enables the
Tarahumara to participate in the cash economy and remain on their
lands. Art making should not be a vocation reserved only for the
independently wealthy.
In hoop dance competitions, dancers compete against each
other, but more importantly, they challenge themselves. Watching
the Pojoaque Youth Hoop Dancers perform at Buffalo Thunder
Resort, I was moved by seeing young children performing
extraordinary athletic feats but also making mistakes on stage,
in front of a large audience, only to recover and keep dancing.
A gamble can result in failure, but finding the strength and
confidence to keep going is powerful.
Our profiled artists are chosen for their challenging, complex,
and culturally engaged work. The art market does not always
reward these traits. Troy Sice is evolving and exploring new
expressions in Zuni carving, marrying precontact materials with
exotic stones. Alex J. Peña is driven by his passion for mark making
and complex printmaking processes, instead of giving the public
the overtly Native themes it expects. Nadia Myre is willing to
criticize the Canadian government and allow others to speak about
their trauma in her art projects. Judith Lowry took time from a
successful painting career to educate her community about an
unrecognized tribe.
I’m profoundly grateful to all the artists, curators, and
writers throughout this issue who venture into the world, try
new approaches, stumble, rise up, and ultimately prevail in their
commitment to their vision and that of their peoples.
—America Meredith
1. Joseph Sanchez in discussion with the author, January 15, 2015.

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