Bush Music Fund announces support for Indigenous artists in 2024
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Submissions sought from Native American artists living in Kentucky for new visual art exhibit
The Kentucky Arts Council, the Kentucky Heritage Council and the Kentucky Native American Heritage Commission have announced a call to Native American artists living in Kentucky to submit visual art for consideration in an exhibit.
Goals of this exhibit are to share expressions of Native Americans’ experiences in Kentucky today, and recognize that Native American individuals, families and communities are here and have lived in Kentucky all along. This call to artists is open to federally recognized, state recognized, and unrecognized Native Americans, 18 or older, who are Kentucky residents.
Artwork will be chosen by a panel of Native American Kentuckians. This exhibit will be displayed in the Kentucky Capitol Rotunda in Frankfort in October and November, then travel to locations across Kentucky through May 2025.
For more information about artist eligibility and the application process, please visit the call for entries page.
If you have difficulty accessing or completing the online application, please call Mark Brown at 502-892-3115 or email mark.brown@ky.gov.
Kentucky Arts Council
Tributes to Alex Janvier pour in from across Canada
By Jeremy Appel, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
(ANNews) – Condolences are pouring in from across Canada after the death of famed Indigenous artist and residential school survivor Alex Janvier, whose funeral will be held July 17 at the Cold Lake Energy Centre, followed by a private burial.
Janvier, who hailed from Cold Lake First Nations in northern Alberta, was internationally renowned for incorporating traditional Indigenous styles into modernist painting.
In a statement posted to Facebook, Cold Lake First Nations said Janvier’s “creativity enriched our lives and strengthened our connection to our culture and heritage.”
“Through his profound storytelling, Alex’s artwork beautifully captured the essence of our traditions.”
Janvier’s works are featured in the National Gallery of Canada (NGC) in Ottawa, the Royal Alberta Museum in Edmonton and the Glenbow Museum in Calgary, as well as the Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver.
Two Janvier murals, entitled Sunrise and Sunset, have been displayed in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta’s chamber since 2019.
“It’s the only prominent display of anything Indigenous in any provincial legislative chamber in Canada. And those two murals will remain there for generations to come,” Edmonton-based Indigenous educator Lewis Cardinal wrote on Facebook.
Outside Rogers Place, where the Edmonton Oilers play, sits a large Janvier mosaic, Iron Foot Place. The flagship downtown Edmonton Stanley A. Milner Library also displays his art, as does the Strathcona County Library.
Upon his July 10 death, the NGC called Janvier “one of the most respected artists in Canada,” sharing a 2017 interview with him from the opening of a career retrospective exhibit.
“I live on the natural land that’s still pristine, and so I walk in it and that’s my university,” Janvier said in the interview. “I pick up my information from the land.”
Michelle LaVallee, director of Indigenous Ways and Curatorial Initiatives at the NGC, said Janvier’s “spirit and legacy will live on forever in the beautiful works he created which will continue to uplift, educate and inspire for generations to come.”
Edmonton-West Henday NDP MLA Brooks Arcand-Paul, who is from Alexander First Nation, called Janvier’s death a “profound loss in the art world and NDN country” on Twitter.
“Rest in Power Alex Janvier. Signed, a little nehiyaw napesis who got it. Mahsi cho,” Arcand-Paul added.
Edmonton Journal art critic Fish Griwkowsky described Janvier’s “playful-rascal sense of humour, his utterly expressive art, his hidden Easter eggs, his international impact — especially on so many young artists over decades.”
“So many of us miss you, but you’re still here in a great many ways,” Griwkowsky wrote on Twitter.
Edmonton-Griesbach NDP MP Blake Desjarlais, who is Métis and Cree, described Janvier as a “powerful spirit now made ancestor.”
“May Alex Janvier’s art be a constant reminder of the strength, resilience, and love that has guided him and that he has offered all of us,” Desjarlais wrote on Facebook.
“His work has deeply touched me and countless others. His work and legacy have offered us strength and pride as native people.”
“Sad to hear of Alex Janvier’s passing,” noted Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on social media. “His art reflected so much of Canada’s history, including some of the hardest parts of our story.”
Federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said he’s “saddened” to hear about Janvier’s death.
“Alex was an inspiration, who paved the way for many Indigenous artists,” said Singh. “My heart is with his loved ones and members of the community who are grieving this loss.”
Laurie Hawn, the former Conservative MP for Edmonton Centre, spoke fondly of the times he used to see Janvier when he travelled to Cold Lake.
“We have two pieces of Alex’s work, one original and one giclee; both are treasured,” Hawn wrote on Facebook.
Jill Andrew, the Ontario Member of Provincial Parliament for Toronto-St. Paul’s, expressed her “deepest condolences to [Janvier’s] loved ones and the many hearts and minds he touched through his revolutionary paintings.”
Born on Feb. 28, 1935, Janvier was sent to Blue Quills Indian Residential School near St. Paul, Alta., for forced assimilation when he was eight.
University of Manitoba historian and Indigenous Studies scholar Sean Carleton said he teaches about Janvier in his Residential School Literature course.
“[H]e learned to make art as an escape,” Carleton wrote on Twitter.
After studying at the Provincial Institute of Technology and Art in Calgary, now known as the Alberta University of the Arts, Janvier began his career as a painter, illustrator and occasional teacher.
In 1973, he founded Professional Native Indian Artists Inc., better known as the Indian Group of Seven, alongside fellow First Nations artists Norval Morrisseau, Daphne Odjig and Jackson Beardy.
The naming of Alex Janvier School in west Edmonton is a testament to Janvier’s local significance. On July 10, the public school announced it was lowering its flags at half-mast in honour of its namesake’s death.
“His legacy is far reaching as an artist, community leader, and advocate and we are even more honoured to continue to live out his legacy of resilience, determination, artistic excellence, and hard work here at Alex Janvier School. We remember his words that each of us needs to find and use our voice,” a school spokesperson wrote on Facebook.
Photographer who took iconic photo of bullet near Trump’s ear explains how he got the picture
Photographer who took iconic photo of bullet near Trump’s ear explains how he got the picture
Pulitzer Prize winning photographer Doug Mills discusses his iconic photo of a bullet passing by former President Trump’s ear and the chaos he witnessed at the rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
37TH ANNUAL BLUEBERRY FESTIVAL | REVIEW BY JOE SCRIZZI & PHOTOGRAPHY BY KIMBERLY KANUCK
Review by Joe Scrizzi & Photography by Kimberly Kanuck
Last week, I heard that the Blueberry Festival at the Burnside Plantation in Bethlehem PA was set for July 13th & 14th. I went to it last year and I had a great time! I loveeee blueberries!
Friends Kim and Noah joined me today and toured around taking everything in.
First, we came across this beautiful butterfly garden and it was nice to walk through it and check out all the names of the flowers and trees. It’d be great that I wanted these in my backyard!
When at a blueberry festival, you gotta try Blueberry foods, drinks, cheeses & more!
Christmas City Spirits just bottled their Blueberry Bounce 3 weeks ago, just in time for the festival. I spoke to the event person for their table, and they said the Blueberry Bounce is selling greater than the Cherry Bounce. It’s very low alcohol, however, it’s great in a glass of club soda, drizzled over top of ice cream or ladyfingers, pancakes, french toast.
Several bands were playing on two different stages, We heard Lake of Orchards as we sat to rest under one of the tents. Awesome sound!
We heard there was a blueberry pie eating contest, so we went to check it out. First up the kids took the stage. It was fun watching them as they were having a ball!
Then came the adults, there were only 6 people that signed up. Friend Noah dared me to go….What the heck, let’s do this! Haha!
I’ve never done anything like this, I didn’t know what to do other than you cannot use your hands. How does one get the pie out of the pan. Well, there were experts on both sides of me. Das, guy on my right not only got the pie out of the pan, he came in third and he flattened his pan somehow!
Congrats to everybody who participated in the pie eating contest, it was definitely a fun time and I would do it again!
Back in the one corner by a small stream, there was a group of women from the Second Saturday Spinners. I was intrigued by what they were doing so I talked to a few of them. They get the sheered wool from sheep or alpacas or other animals. Sometimes they have to clean it or it already comes cleaned.
It was a very cool system with foot pedals, spindles and spools. There had to be close to 10 ladies, on site doing this. Spinning out the raw material into yarn and onto a spool, which they then either sell or turn into a garment or other. They will be at the Allentown Fairgrounds, very soon for their own event.
If you ever have an opportunity to go to the Blueberry Festival at the Burnside Plantation in 2025, I highly recommend it!
Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites
Burnside Plantation
https://www.historicbethlehem.org/
Simpsonville Arts Center to host two photography exhibits
“Catalyst Channels & Pathways” collections by Heather Patel and photographs by Nathan DePue will open at the Simpsonville Arts Center July 19.
The two exhibits will be on display at 110 Academy St. in Simpsonville through Aug. 13.
“Catalyst Channels & Pathways” collections feature over 18 pieces by Patel, a local nature photographer. Her portion of the exhibit is sponsored in part by the Metropolitan Arts Council with funds received from the city of Greenville, BMW Manufacturing Co., SEW Eurodrive and the South Carolina Arts Commission. Patel also received funds from the South Carolina Arts Commission.
DePue’s collection consists of 10 to 12 pieces focusing on a mix of subjects such as nature and airplanes.
To celebrate the opening of the two exhibits, the Simpsonville Arts Center will host a reception at 5:30 p.m. July 19. Patel’s and DePue’s collections will be open to the public from 1 to 4 p.m. Wednesday, or by appointment. For more information, visit simpsonvilleartscenter.com.
Photographer Nick Brandt Imagines Surreal Underwater Existence Due to Climate Breakdown
Photographer Nick Brandt has focused on climate issues for decades. Brandt is incredibly prolific (we’ve covered some of his other projects here and here), and his creative and ingenious work consistently explores the devastating effects of human activity on our planet.
“SINK / RISE” is the third installment of The Day May Break series, which “portrays people and animals impacted by environmental degradation and destruction.” It focuses on the consequences of rising sea levels in the South Pacific and the people (Fijians, in this case) who are being impacted by them.
If you’re lucky enough to be in Sun Valley, Idaho, this summer, Nick Brandt’s series is on view at Gilman Contemporary until July 30, 2024.
What initially drew you to explore the theme of rising sea levels in the South Pacific?
‘What drew me? Knowing what is expected to happen. As a result of climate breakdown, sea
level rise will impact hundreds of millions of people that live along coastlines and low-lying areas around the planet. For people who have lived in these places their entire lives, to abandon their homes and land, and often their livelihoods, to abandon everything they know, will of course be deeply traumatizing as they search for a new—and likely very different and compromised—place to call home.
‘The islands of the South Pacific are especially vulnerable. Many of them are barely a few
meters above sea level, and so in time will disappear entirely. Their economies are also
significantly based on the ocean that surrounds them. This is why I ended up choosing to
photograph in this region of the world for SINK / RISE.’
Can you walk us through a typical day on location during the shooting of “SINK / RISE”?
‘Out of about 200 local people living along the coast that we ‘auditioned’ to photograph, we
chose around twenty who looked the most relaxed and natural underwater. Each evening
before, I would choose around 6-8 to come out with us the following morning on the boat.
Each morning, we headed out on our boat one kilometer from the shore, to an area of ocean
floor: a field of broken coral fragments spread far and wide. This destruction had been caused in 2016 by Cyclone Winston, its power intensified by climate change. I don’t think that I fully understood until then just how much damage that cyclones could inflict under the ocean surface, smashing the delicate coral into millions of pieces.
‘We called the location the Boneyard. It would be our underwater studio for five weeks. We had weighted down all our furniture there for the duration. At just 2-4 meters depth, depending on the tide, it made shooting as safe as possible for the ‘cast’, and, in theory, meant that the ocean surface could be seen just over their heads.
‘We spent up to 7 hours a day underwater shooting. However, most days were frustratingly
short, because…..’
What were some of the challenges you faced?
‘…we experienced terrible water visibility day after day. As the tide went out, mud washing do from the from the island mountains muddied the water to such a degree that I could barely see to shoot more than a few meters.
‘Obviously the initial challenge was finding ways of weighting people and furniture to stop them floating upwards and swaying in the current. After much trial and error, and buying up all the island’s lead weights, and some ingenious other methods of stabilizing the people underwater, it was fine.’
How do you establish trust and connection with your subjects in such challenging
environments?
‘Everyone who was photographed – young and old – was already very used to free-diving in the ocean. But they had to get used to using a regulator. They all went through a basic scuba course, and during the shoot, had a couple of safety dive masters just out of shot, standing by to give them back their regulator the moment they felt like they were getting close to no longer being able to hold their breath. So they knew they were always in very good, safe hands.
‘Everyone was on the boat with us for multiple days, and it was really a team effort, to the
degree that when they weren’t being photographed, they volunteered to become part of the
crew, holding the floating large silk frames to block the sun, and ferrying anything up and down between boat and underwater crew.’
How do you approach the planning and logistics of an underwater photo shoot like “SINK /
RISE”?
‘We did preliminary testing in a swimming pool in southern California where I live, but in spite of that, we were wildly unprepared for the surging currents of the real ocean. However, like I
already mentioned, it took a few days of trial and error to figure out how to deal with that.’
In what ways do you hope “SINK / RISE” will provoke a conversation about climate change
and its impacts?
‘It’s always so hard to answer this question because in an ideal world, seeing the work sets the viewer on a journey of greater engagement, awareness and action about the impact humans are having on the planet.
‘As I have mentioned before, we need to all become good ancestors. We need to adopt a way of life that reduces the environmental impact that our actions will have on those billions of unborn yet to come. Can we show that we care about the humans and animals and trees that we will never live to see?’
Discover More
Photographer at rally says bullet took out piece of Trump’s ear
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PHOTOS: The past week in photography, stories in the Bow Valley
PHOTOS: The past week in stories, photography in the Bow Valley
Some of the stories from the July 11, 2024, edition of the Rocky Mountain Outlook.
Alaska Native Arts & Culture Archives
