TULSA – On July 12, FC Tulsa, the city’s professional soccer team, hosted Indigenous Peoples’ Night. 

For the occasion, the team wore kits or jerseys designed by Dr. Jessica Moore Harjo, designer and owner of Weomepe Designs. The kit is meant to represent Indigenous art, sport and community.

“They approached me a couple of months ago to design the – I’ve been calling them jerseys – but they’re ‘kits’,” Harjo said. 

Harjo is Otoe-Missouria/Osage/Pawnee/Sac & Fox, but she said she wanted the kits to represent all Indigenous people and art.

“It was a real honor for me to have the opportunity to not only represent Indigenous people but Indigenous art and design and kind of put an identity to who we are, even if it’s through sport,” Harjo said. “It’s really special to be here tonight.”

She added one of her signature designs is a scissortail bird, which is included in the FC Tulsa kits. 

“I’ve used it in the past in different situations. I think that is how they (FC Tulsa) connected with me. They saw that design and they wanted it,” Harjo said.

FC Tulsa’s third kit of 2023 boasts a scissor-tailed pattern, teal, black, and gold as a base. The scissor-tailed flycatcher is the state bird of Oklahoma and a primary feature on the FC Tulsa crest.

In a press release, FC Tulsa stated that Indigenous Peoples’ Night is “a night crafted to honor and celebrate those who first inhabited the lands of Oklahoma and continue to contribute to its culture, values, and traditions today.”

Harjo explained where her inspiration comes from. 

“I turn to that feeling that I get of being Native, and it’s not a feeling someone can just learn, it’s part of you. It’s a feeling of being Indigenous, you know,” she said. “My style is a contemporary twist on traditional designs. All my designs are original, and come from a place of love. I draw a lot of inspiration from a lot of other artists.”

FC Tulsa is a member of USL Championship. The league features 24 teams from across the country. As of July 14, FC Tulsa was seventh in the Eastern Conference standings. 

Visit shop.fctulsa.com to purchase the franchise’s Indigenous Peoples’ Kit. 

To see more of Dr. Jessica Moore Harjo’s art and fashion, you can visit, www.weomepedesigns.com. 

Between the parties, pools and promiscuity promoted in reality TV depictions of summer in the Hamptons, outsiders may have an impression of tony East End Long Island as existing purely for hedonism. Those who know better also recognize it as a cultural destination amid the bikinis, bellinis and Bentleys.

The Pollock-Krasner House in The Springs near East Hampton preserves the home and studios of Jackson Pollock and Lee Krasner. It hosts exhibitions while sharing the life and story of the dynamic duo of Abstract Expressionism.

Fifteen miles west down Montauk Highway, the Parrish Art Museum in Water Mill specializes in the collection and display of artists long drawn to the area. Since the late 1800s, the Hamptons has been one of the most concentrated creative communities in America. William Merritt Chase and Fairfield Porter, a pair of locals, are particularly well represented at the museum.

Returning to pace the cultural calendar here, Guild Hall, located between the Pollock-Krasner House and Parrish Art Museum, reopened on July 2, 2023, following a year-long, $29 million renovation project.

The museum and education center have been redesigned, exhibition and shared public spaces expanded, the gardens enhanced, and the lobby and visitor entrance hugely improved. The guts of the building are new–HVAC, electrical, mechanical, IT, security, doors, windows. Grounds have been made more sustainable through the planting of new trees, native plants and grasses, and improved stormwater management. The venerable building founded in 1931 has been brought completely up to date with the latest ADA Accessibility Standards.

Fortunately, none of this has taken away from Guild Hall’s beloved charm.

“This renovation goes against the trend of starting over with new construction,” Andrea Grover, Executive Director of Guild Hall, told Forbes.com. “We’ve accomplished a near-total infrastructure replacement of a historic building, maintaining the original scale and character of Guild Hall, but enabling it to function like new construction. It’s a magic trick.”

The updates have provided significantly expanded galleries with increased wall space for the display of art and heightened entry clearances to accommodate today’s artists practicing across a range of disciplines, media, and scales, and their most ambitious works.

“Something is surprising in every space, but the galleries have received the most astonished looks and comments from visitors,” Grover said. “Peter Pennoyer Architects found a way to make the museum appear larger and brighter without changing the basic geometry or adding square footage. This was done by enlarging the entryways, opening up historic ‘lay lights,’ bringing in natural light, and removing build-outs and extraneous doors. The result is clean lines and more vertical and horizontal space for hanging art.”

Gallery flexibility and guest flow have been massively improved and display spaces outfitted with state-of-the-art sound and LED lighting.

Behind the scenes, the renovation allowed for Guild Hall’s first discrete art-handling facility to support the installation, packing, and temporary storage of artworks, a recommended feature for formally accredited members of the American Alliance of Museums.

A robust summer program including ballet performances, culinary events, and musical guests will greet returning visitors, as will an inaugural exhibition in the new galleries by feminist, Jamaican-American photographer Renee Cox (b. 1960). Guild Hall’s museum focuses on artists affiliated with the area and Cox has lived in East Hampton since 1989.

“She is a pioneering artist who, for over three decades, has elevated Black identity through her photographs that represent art history, colonial history, and popular culture through her lens as a Jamaican-American woman,” Grover explains. “Renée’s message is timely, her work is powerful, and we are proud to inaugurate the museum with her show.”

“Renee Cox: A Proof of Being” exhibits the artist’s most celebrated photographs from 1993 to the present. The survey demonstrates how her practice has evolved through a series of performative self-portraits of stylized, powerful, and iconoclast figures.

Onna House

Housed in a Japanese modernist 1960s residence in the center of East Hampton, Onna House is a gallery, artist-in-residency and studio sanctuary filled with art, furniture, and objects by women artists and designers. The home has a fascinating history.

The original owners were taxicab magnates Robert and Ethel Scull. The couple were among the most important art collectors of the 20^th century. The home was a gathering place for Pollock and Krasner, the de Koonings, Robert Rauschenberg. Robert Scull commissioned a then struggling Andy Warhol to paint a portrait of his wife for her 42^nd birthday in 1963. Today, the artwork is jointly owned by The Whitney and The Met and marks the first of what would become Warhol’s countless, iconic celebrity portraits.

A Sotheby’s auction of 50 Scull collection paintings in 1973 remains a watershed moment in contemporary art.

Fashion designer, art collector and women’s rights activist Lisa Perry purchased the home during the pandemic and oversaw an extensive renovation completed in 2021. She renamed the property Onna House–the Japanese word for woman–and welcomed artists to work there and the public to visit in 2022.

With a dual mission to support and create visibility for the artists and provide a gallery space to display their work, Perry combines her passions under one roof curating the private home and studio as a space for women artists to engage and collaborate and for collectors to discover new work.

Onna House hosts three shows each summer opening Memorial Day Weekend and running through October. The East Hampton property does not publicize its address, but free tours are available to the public by appointment via emailing info@onnahouse.com. They’ll give you directions.

Southampton Arts Center

Perry’s influence can additionally be seen during the exhibition “Change Agents: Women Collectors Shaping the Art World,” on view at the Southampton Arts Center which celebrates its 10^th anniversary this summer. Opening July 22 and on view through September 30, 2023, the exhibition showcases the unparalleled vision and mission of women collectors dedicated to championing artists.

In addition to Perry, renowned collectors Agnes Gund, Pamela Joyner and collector/artist Mickalene Thomas are among 14 women contributing works to the show. On view are a powerhouse roster of contemporary artists including Mark Bradford, Nick Cave, Vanessa German, Zanele Muholi, Winfred Rembert and Lorna Simpson.

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Street art brings our city to life! Seems as though you can’t walk a few blocks without seeing his work and if you really look, they incorporate a special language thanks to Alloyius McIlwaine.

His “kudoglyphs” are intentional messages integrated throughout his artwork in order to spread positivity wherever his art is made. You won’t find that word in the dictionary as it is original and if you know him, then you know his art is the essence of what he embodies! Alloyius attributes his positive mentality to both his family and Quacker elementary school for instilling such a loving and accepting mindset. It certainly set a foundation by which it stands and lives by.

Alloyius is a national and international artist who was born and raised in Philadelphia. His humble beginnings started in science class while scribbling in his notebook. Little did he know, he started the blueprint for what is now his career. This graffiti artist turned street artist is living out his passion through artwork.

He is now one of the most highly sought-after street artists featuring his work from Japan to Barcelona and will always hold a special place in his heart for the mural in Paris. It was his first international piece. Some of his clients have ranged from our very own Philadelphia Eagles to Pepsi, and even our parent company, Paramount! Keep a lookout for a rolling SEPTA Bus as you are likely to see his piece for Maker’s Mark!

When Alloyius speaks about painting free style, you can see this artist light up. He loves even impressing himself when taking a step back to admire the finished project. Any boat lovers? Alloyius would love to tackle the challenge of painting one. 

Alloyius is rarely without a spray paint bottle in hand, never knowing where his next canvas may be. He has set the bar to paint a piece for Marvel Comics in the future; Spiderverse to be exact. After all, he gives comic books the credit for those Science Class scribbles. 

USA Today named Philadelphia the “Street Art Capital” of America as we display the most murals of any city in the nation. Alloyius’s artwork is currently displayed over 22 states, 11 countries and showcases 260+ murals in and around Philly. So being featured all over our hometown is no small feat and he is not stopping any time soon. His next endeavor is named Chameleon; an art show collaboration showcasing 43 artists from around the world. This is Alloyius’s first time orchestrating such a monumental event but if anyone can do it, it is obviously him.

Chameleon is being held on August 12 from 6-9 p.m. at The Story Factory, 1600 N 5th St, Philadelphia.

When asked about any competition, he explained how there is never competition, always support for other artists and a lot of collaboration.

This Philly native measures success by the amount of happiness you have in your life and the ability to take care of your family. Needless to say, he hit his mark in the most humble of ways. One of these days this man will get sleep!

July 13 (UPI) — The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City will open an exhibit Friday of Pueblo Indian pottery in what the institution described as its first community-curated exhibit of Native American art.

The exhibit, titled Grounded in Clay: The Spirit of Pueblo Pottery, will include more than 100 historic and contemporary pieces of pottery chosen by Pueblo Pottery Collective — a group that represents 21 source communities across the southwest United States.

The project originated with the School for Advanced Research, a research center founded in 1907 to conduct archaeological research in the Americas primarily focused on Native American studies. The project received support from the Vilcek Foundation.

The Met explained the importance of this exhibit being community curated in its wall text.

“Although general consultation with a few community members to produce an exhibition is becoming more common, it is still unusual to feature community voices in the form of a group curatorial expression,” the museum said.

“Typically, these voices stand behind a single curatorial text that focuses on one narrative, glossing over the richness of community cultures and histories.”

The museum further expanded on that significance in a news release, stating that a community-curated show “shifts traditional exhibition curation models.”

Instead, each of the curators who participated chose one or two works for the exhibition and wrote about their pieces “in whatever format or style they wish” with editing support from SAR staff.

“This significant exhibition, a first for the museum, not only presents an exquisite range of historical through contemporary Pueblo pottery, it also powerfully foregrounds the voices and perspectives of Indigenous communities and creators,” said Patricia Marroquin Norby, associate curator of Native American art in The Met’s American Wing.

“It is essential that we present Native American art with guidance from Indigenous source communities, while encouraging inclusive and thoughtful dialogue. We are thrilled to host this exhibition at The Met and to work collaboratively with individual artists and community members.”

Works in the show range in eras dating back about 1,000 years — before contact between the New World and Old World — and will be exhibited at the museum through June 4, 2024. The works also will be on view at the Vilcek Foundation.

“The featured artworks represent the aesthetic lineages of New Mexico’s nineteen Río Grande Pueblos, as well as the West Texas community of Ysleta del Sur and the Hopi tribe of Arizona — sovereign Indigenous nations where pots and other ceramic works have been made and used for millennia,” The Met said in an overview.

“Visual and material languages of pottery and intergenerational narratives are highlighted throughout the exhibition.”

PABLO — Tacoma, Washington native Nicolas Grant, a member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, has carved a unique path in the world of art. A recent graduate from Salish Kootenai College, Grant’s artistic journey led him to the 2023 capstone art show in June, where he showcased his remarkable talent.

Grant’s artistic odyssey began with a leap of faith. Dissatisfied with his job at Starbucks, he made the courageous decision to pursue his passion for art by enrolling at SKC. He was drawn to photography and intended to specialize in this medium. However, his academic advisor encouraged him to explore different art forms. Reluctantly, Grant conceded to the advice and found himself falling in love with various artistic disciplines.

In 2022, Grant made the choice to double major in Fine Arts, combining his newfound passion with his original love for photography. This decision led him to create his capstone project titled “Strong Indigenous Women.” The project incorporated his expertise in Design Technologies, Fine Arts, and photography, culminating in a series of professionally printed canvas bags adorned with unique beaded designs.

Grant’s inspiration for his project came from his own life experiences and the remarkable women who influenced him. He sought to honor the strength and resilience of Indigenous women, paying tribute to his mother, a strong presence in his upbringing. Additionally, Grant highlighted Michel Munson, a mentor and friend, and Robin, his best friend, who supported him throughout his academic journey. Each canvas bag was a representation of the model it portrayed, blending Grant’s artistic vision with the individuality of his subjects.

Discussing his transition into digital design technology, Grant expressed his initial focus on photography. However, he quickly discovered a deep passion for the field, learning various programs and even creating his own board game as part of his coursework. Inspired by his experiences, Grant aspires to open a photography studio where he can teach and mentor students of all ages, sharing his knowledge and love for the art form.

While Grant’s artistic interests have evolved over the years, he remains committed to exploring new mediums. Recently, he delved into watercolor painting, finding solace in its expression and discovering a fresh perspective on art. Grant’s openness to embracing different forms of creativity allows him to continually reinvent himself as an artist and challenge his own boundaries.

Grant’s artistic journey has been intertwined with his connection to his Indigenous roots. Though he initially resisted labeling himself as an Indigenous artist, he now embraces the unique perspective and storytelling inherent in his heritage. Through his art, he seeks to preserve traditional techniques while infusing them with his personal style and contemporary flair.

As Grant continues to navigate the complexities of adulthood, including a full-time position in financial aid, he recognizes the importance of maintaining a balance between work and art. He understands that creativity provides a vital outlet for self-expression and self-discovery, allowing him to destress and reconnect with his true self.

Grant’s aspirations remain steadfast. In addition to his professional endeavors, he hopes to create art that resonates with others, evoking emotions and sparking conversations. With a vision of opening a photography studio, Grant dreams of mentoring aspiring artists, helping them find their own creative voices.

Grant reflects on his ever-evolving artistic journey. He acknowledges that while his interests may change over time, the love for art will always remain a constant force in his life. With an open mind and a passion for experimentation, Nicolas Grant continues to inspire and captivate with his unique artistic vision.

Visit https://port932545013.wordpress.com to learn more.

Murkowski Scores Wins for Public Safety, Fisheries, and Victims Services

Today, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, scored wins for Alaska in the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies (CJS) Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) and Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) Appropriations Bills, which were approved by the committee, and now will advance to the full Senate for consideration. In the CJS bill, Murkowski secured wins for Alaska’s public safety, fisheries and oceans research, and victim services.  In the FSGG bill, she secured wins for Native-owned businesses, illegal drug prevention, and Alaskan taxpayers. 

The Legislative Branch Appropriations Act of 2024 also passed the full committee with a vote of 29-0. The committee previously approved the FY24 appropriations bills for Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and Agriculture and Rural Development. With today’s full committee markup, five appropriations bills are on their way to the Senate floor for full consideration. 

In addition to wins supporting and improving ongoing federal programs, Senator Murkowski secured funding for 30 FY24 congressionally directed spending (CDS) requests through the CJS, FSGG accounts, resulting in $63.93 million in investments for public safety, fisheries research, and victim support services, entrepreneurship and small business owners, healthcare innovation, and Alaska’s historical and arts communities.

“These additional appropriations bills continue the significant investments in Alaska that will make a difference in the safety of our communities, our oceans research capabilities, abilities to provide support to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault while also supporting Native-owned businesses and Alaskan taxpayers,” said Senator Lisa Murkowski. “The appropriations process is a powerful tool to allow Congress to fund our government, while also using the opportunity to direct investments back to our states. From supplying the Soldotna Police Department with new emergency care equipment, enhancing the research efforts of Alaska Fish and Game to study freshwater salmon habitat, supporting victim services organizations—these federal investments will help support communities across Alaska.”

FY24 CJS and FSGG Appropriations Bills Highlights:

Strengthening Alaska Fisheries and Oceans Research

Alaska’s oceans and fisheries are the heartbeat of communities across the state—and that’s why Senator Murkowski worked hard to include provisions throughout the CJS appropriations bill that will strengthen our blue economy, support coastal communities, promote electronic monitoring development and installation, and enhance research abilities to create healthier fisheries. Senator Murkowski helped secure more than $205 million for Fisheries Data Collections, Surveys, and Assessments, $44 million for Regional Fishery Management Councils and Fisheries Commissions, and $65 million for the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery fund. 

Senator Murkowski also secured the following CDS requests to strengthen Alaska’s fisheries and oceans research abilities:

• Statewide: $4 million to the Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation to conduct research on Bristol Bay red king crab enhancement, including optimum rearing conditions, habitat, growth, and survival through rearing stages and post release.
• Statewide: $2.01 million for the Marine Exchange of Alaska to create a user guide to keep ships safely sailing in the Arctic.
• Statewide: $1.2 million for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game to fund coastal marine surveys that support sustainable salmon management in the northern Bering Sea, southern Bering Sea, and western Gulf of Alaska.
• Statewide: $2.5 million to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game to better equip Alaska Department of Fish and Game research vessels with necessary technology and upgrades.
• Statewide: $520,000 for the Yukon River Drainage Fisheries Association to train Fisheries Technicians to further develop their capabilities in salmon research, project implementation and administration.
• North Slope Borough: $1.5 million to support the North Slope Borough Department of Wildlife Management in estimating the abundance of the Bering-Chukchi-Beaufort stock of bowhead whales.
• Statewide: $2.8 million for the University of Alaska System to research the impacts of environmental stressors on freshwater and marine aquatic life in Alaska.
• Anchorage: $106,000 for the University of Alaska System to research alternative methods of energy consumption reduction in kelp and seaweed drying processes.
• Annette Islands Reserve: $403,000 for the Metlakatla Indian Community for fish hatchery improvements.
• Statewide: $4 million for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game to research freshwater and marine juvenile salmon habitat. 
• Annette Islands Reserve: $1 million for the Metlakatla Indian Community to monitor, survey, and trap European green crab in Southeast Alaska.
• North Slope Borough: $1.5 million for the North Slope Borough Department of Wildlife Management To support the North Slope Borough Department of Wildlife Management in estimating the abundance of the Bering-Chukchi-Beaufort stock of bowhead whales.

Investing in Alaska’s Public Safety and Health

Working with advocates in the state to address the issue of violence, Senator Murkowski worked to include funding for the Services-Training-Officers-Prosecutors (STOP) Violence Against Women Program at $255 million. She worked with Tribal leaders to fund the Special Tribal Criminal Jurisdiction at $15 million.

Senator Murkowski’s funded FY24 CDS requests that invest in Alaska’s public safety efforts include:

• Anchorage: $227,000 for the Anchorage Police Department to provide a Special Weapons and Tactics command response vehicle for the Anchorage Police Department.
• Fairbanks: $2.2 million for the Fairbanks Emergency Communication Center to upgrade the Alaska Land Mobile Radio system.
• Juneau: $2 million for the City and Borough of Juneau to upgrade their first responder radio communications system.
• Soldotna: $110,000 for the Soldotna Police Department to supply emergency care equipment.
• Statewide: $4 million for heavy equipment to support rural maintenance needs
• Haines: $5 million for the Haines Community Safety and Training Center. 
• Northwest Arctic Borough: $2.6 million for the Northwest Arctic Borough Public Safety, Fire, and Rescue Facilities. 
• Craig: $4.1 million for the Craig Firehall and EMS Building Construction.

Supporting Victim Services Efforts in Alaska

Senator Murkowski continues to focus on preventing domestic violence and sexual assault in Alaska and providing critical services for victims. From including funding for the Sexual Assault Services Program at $80 million, to advocating for increases to the Services for Rural Victims program—Senator Murkowski is working to provide significant support for victims in Alaska.

• Statewide: $4 million for the Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault to support victim services organizations.

Supporting Small Businesses and Entrepreneurs in Alaska

Senator Murkowski continues to work hard to support Alaska’s small business owners and those who aspire to make a positive difference in our state, including by continued advocacy for ensuring that Alaskan subcontractors don’t have to have a brick and mortar place of business in every tiny community where they may be doing work. Senator Murkowski’s funded FY24 CDS Requests to support Alaska small businesses and entrepreneurs include:

• Statewide: $1 million for the University of Alaska System’s Alaska Native Entrepreneurship Program.
• Southeast: $350,000 to expand the Ketchikan Indian Community’s State Small Business Credit Initiative Program. 

Fighting Illegal Drug Use

Illegal drugs have devastated families and communities throughout Alaska. Senator Murkowski will continue to support drug prevention efforts and support for those impacted by this terrible scourge. Her efforts include supporting the Community Based Coalition Enhancement Grant Program, which will encourage community-led coalitions to raise awareness on the rise of fentanyl and prevent drug overdose deaths caused by the drug. 

• Statewide: Senator Murkowski continues to support efforts like the Drug Free Communities Program and the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Program.

Supporting Alaska’s History and Arts Communities 

Senator Murkowski funded FY24 CDS Requests that support both the arts and the humanities in Alaska include:

• Statewide: $1.5 million for the University of Alaska System to preserve rare and unique films with historical footage of Alaska and oral histories.
• Statewide: $10 million to the Alaska Leaders Archive, Inc. to Create an archive of the collections of Alaskan leaders who helped shape our state and to develop a research and academic center leading the study and discourse on leadership in business and public policy.
• Statewide: 1.5 million to the University of Alaska Anchorage to install shelving and enhance space for federal and other records related to Alaska lands and resource development.
• Statewide: $295,000 to the Alaska Native Arts Foundation to establish a directory of Native artists, their craft, and their works that is easily available and accessible to the public.

Improving Healthcare in Alaska

Senator Murkowski’s funded FY24 CDS Requests to support and improve healthcare in Alaska include: 

• Statewide: $1.512 million to Rural Alaska Community Action Program (RuralCAP) for the Community Action Resource Center. 
• Statewide: $2 million to University of Alaska System for Alaska Healthcare Innovation.

###

Mexican painter Frida Kahlo survived polio, a car accident, chronic pain and early 20th-century expectations to become a famous artist and cultural icon. Kahlo’s works did not become famous until about four decades after her death when she became a pillar of the feminist movement, as well as the eventual inspiration for Bless Your Bones Boutique founder and Lewisville resident Kimberly Perez.

“I started [Frida Fest] just for North Texas, and we have such an artist community that I felt it was necessary because there was absolutely nothing for Frida,” Perez said. “There’s Day of the Dead, but nothing to celebrate the art of [the culture], and I felt she deserved her own day.” 

The second annual Frida Fest was held last Saturday at Harvest House. The celebration hosted local vendors chosen to market their wares and celebrate Frida Kahlo from 3 to 8 p.m. The event date, July 8, is significant, as Frida Fest is meant to celebrate Kahlo’s birthday, July 6. 

“I think people either know a lot about Frida, or they don’t know that much,” Perez said. “She’s been such a powerhouse inspiration-wise — she created an empire on her own, and she went through hell.”

Like Kahlo, Perez’s artistic nature started in her younger years when Perez’s mother was a commercial artist who encouraged her to paint as a child. 

“Every piece of my artwork, if it’s jewelry that I make or a painting, it all comes from [Kahlo],” Perez said. “Pretty much one of the most inspirational artists that I look up to is Frida.”

Kahlo’s art, while primarily focused on self-portraits, nature and artifacts of Mexico, was influenced most strongly by the native art and Mexican folk culture surrounding her. One of her paintings, known as “The Frame,” was purchased by the Louvre, cementing her place as the first Mexican artist in their collection. The picture is a self-portrait of Kahlo, made of various mediums, including an aluminum sheet, glass and paint.

“I think it’s important to celebrate her through food, culture, music [and] art, she had so many layers to her.” Perez said. “And it all came out in her art.”

Prevalent through all of her pieces was the influence of the Zapotec tribe, the native peoples of the southern tip of the Yucatán Peninsula in modern-day southeast Mexico. Kahlo was inspired by the Zapotecs and Aztec people, with a particular draw to the matriarchal structure and female empowerment woven through Zapotec history. 

“Nizhoni in Navajo means beautiful, so beautiful beadwork, beautiful dreamcatchers,” said James Adakai, Nizhoni Beadwork and Dreamcatchers co-founder and Navajo Apache tribe member. “For myself, dreamcatchers, it goes back to when I was 9 years old, and the story [comes from] my adoptive grandma [whom] was Chippewa, Ojibwe, and that’s where the dreamcatchers actually came from.”

The Ojibwe, a Native tribe also called the Chippewa, hailed from areas of modern-day Canada, Minnesota and North Dakota. While dreamcatchers became more widespread amongst Native communities in the ’60s and ’70s, their origin intertwined with the Ojibwe belief of dreams being a connection to the spirit world.

“We just put two and two together and started our own business,” said Rosa Adakai, Nizhoni Beadwork and Dreamcatchers co-founder and Aztec dancer. “So we just kind of tied [our cultures] together that way. We are on our second year and we have a mixture of Mexican arts and crafts and Northern Native American arts and crafts.”

After two years at Harvest House, Perez seeks a new venue to stretch Frida Fest’s legs to host more vendors and attendees. Frida Fest will be hosted around the same time next July to continue celebrating Kahlo’s birthday, life and art. 

“I think that she had such a big influence on Latina culture, on North America and around the world,” Maria Aguilar, University of Texas at San Antonio graduate and nonprofit JOLT regional organizer. “I lived in Spain for a little bit, and at their museum, they had one of her pieces in the exhibit, and seeing that in a space, seeing her break through the barriers, that is definitely influential.” 

Aguilar also notes that a lot of Kahlo’s influence and public image stemmed from the Black and brown culture that Kahlo grew up around, which they believe is often overlooked when telling Kahlo’s story. 

“She’s more than just really cool paintings and a fashion icon she went through war to be who she was, and I think that’s important for everybody to see because [being] small business owners, artists, like myself, it’s hard,” Perez said. “Some of us don’t see recognition until after we’re dead and gone. And I feel it’s really important to keep all aspects of her in the eyes of the community.”

Featured Image: A Frida Fest vendor’s booth features a graphic T-shirt of Frida Kahlo at Harvest House on July 8, 2023. Makayla Brown