August Issue 2001
Wickwire Gallery in Hendersonville, NC, Offers Exhibit on Native American Heritage
Wickwire fine art/folk art Gallery in Hendersonville, NC, proudly presents Our Heritage - Native America, an inspiring exhibition of photography, artist dolls, wildlife paintings, gourds of original design and horsehair pottery. The participating artists and artisans are Tracey Schmidt, Bob Travers, Beverly Gable, Cindy Vandewart, Lynn Allen and Lynn Jenkins.
Tracey Schmidt has been documenting various American Indian cultures in photographs and film since 1988. With her camera, she captures the spirituality of people. She shares the cultural reawakening and revival of bonds with nature she has found among American Indians. Schmidt's search for authentic, indigenous tradition in America can be seen in her remarkable giclée prints.
Beverly Gable uses reference material to masterfully convey her impression of Indians. Her artist dolls are really clay sculpture - full body clay creations with detailed natural facial expression. Gable taps her imagination to add character to her dolls. She also ingeniously designs and meticulously hand-sews their dress in either cloth or leather. Such creativity "brings to life" her interpretations thus freeing her own spirituality.
Bob Travers endeavors to create the illusion of absolute realism as a wildlife artist. Working one-on-one with the animals he paints, Travers' connection with animals is as strong as animals are inherent in the Indian culture. He can be found near his subjects, such predators as wolves and cougar, thus gaining a sense of perspective and understanding. The believability of each animal painting as a whole is the reason for his success. He wants the various movements and moods of his subjects viewed as if that moment in time was actually being seen by the beholder. Through his work Travers hopes to bring further awareness and appreciation for the world out-of-doors and for the wildlife with which people share their lives. "This is our heritage and something that must be preserved for future generations to enjoy," says Travers.
Cindy Vandewart intuitively combines her exuberance for colors with her fascination for the celestial and makes very different gourd art. The first gourd art she ever completed showed overtones of distant cultures native to America. The designs she developed were inspired by the weavers and guided by her appreciation for celestial bodies - the sun, moon and stars. She finishes her natural hued gourds by sewing on pine needles. Occasionally she uses beads or feather to adorn the rim. She has learned to "talk" in the language of gourds.
Lynn Allen prefers to put her own spin on gourd art. She works without a specific plan and sees each gourd as totally unique; working on gourds just seems to take on a life of its own. Gourds are authentic to our heritage; they are indigenous to Native American culture having been functional as well as ornamental. Allen chooses to borrow a gourd's natural look, embellish it and yet still allow its one-of-a-kind nature to evolve. Allen wood burns, carves, uses leather dyes, yarn, bones, feathers, roots, vines, nuts and any other earthly material she can find. She thoroughly enjoys incorporating weaving, coiling and twining into her designs.
Lynn Jenkins makes decorative, unique clay pots. She has perfected two designs of the Raku process and also gives her own originality to another technique on pottery - the use of horsehair. Horsehair pottery has been made throughout many generations of many different Indian Artisans. This irreplaceable pottery gets its originality by placing horsehair over the pot during the firing process. The horsehair is singed right into each piece of pottery. In this fashion, no two pieces of the artwork are alike. The splendid Raku process exposes an extraordinary crackle through a clear glaze. The word Raku means "enjoyment of freedom" - a word synonymous with our American heritage. All of Jenkins' materials come from the earth, pass through her hands and emerge as if her "offspring" for the world to enjoy.
For further information check our NC Commercial Gallery listings or call the gallery at 828/692-6222.
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