Vancouver Designer Turns Mexican Leather Handicraft Into Trendy Fashion

Just a Few of the Colorful Creations
in Anaya Leather's Vibrant Collection

I will go on record saying that hand-tooled Mexican leather work is a highly underrated art form.  When it's done well, it can be exciting.  Oftentimes, you can find it, but the work is not attributed to anyone. 


A Vancouver woman is branding herself as the source for traditional Mexican leather work in Canada and turning it into an on-trend contemporary mainstream fashion business.   

 

 

Thirty-four year-old Mexican-born Johanna Anaya de Guevara is the brains behind Anaya Leather and Vibrant, a hand-chiseled and painted handbags and accessories collection.  Tired of seeing the same old fashionable bags in dark and drab colors, Johanna decided to create her own line reflecting who she is and the aesthetic she wants to embody. She is building a considerable following in the Vancouver area since her work has become available in established retail shops such as Timeline Boutique in Gastown and A to Z on Robson Street. 

 

 

Johanna Anaya de Guevara in Vancouver with
Pieces from Her Vibrant Collection

While she may be new to fashionistas, Johanna has a long history with leather.  She began learning the art of leather working as a child growing up in her native Leon, Guanajuato.  The region has a rich history and is internationally renown for its leather industry.  Her blood runs rich with leather as well, since her father was a shoemaker.  Her grandfather opened his first shoe "factory" in a small garage, where he used to make handmade shoes with his sister.  Within three years, his business grew, and he opened a larger factory in which he even built his home. There, in Leon, a town where most school kids were required to wear uniforms, he made shoes to match. 

 

 

At the same time, Johanna's grandmother ran a small leather work studio in the Central Bus Station (the Central Camionera de Leon) where she would make leather clothing for a clientele consisting of mostly Americans and Canadians who worked at the General Motors assembly factory in town. 

A product of a bilingual education administered by nuns, an adolescent Johanna translated and became a "Jill of All Trades" at age 13, cutting and burning threads, finishing leather jackets, putting on snaps--anything that needed to be done.  Along the way, she participated in large leather trade shows in Leon and also worked at a leather tannery for a year-and-a-half.  

 

 

Finally, at 21, Johanna embarked on a new adventure to Canada to pursue college studies in Saskatchewan.  She made her way there via Vancouver and, as a result, fell in love with Western Canada.  But school awaited, so she completed her studies there and returned to Vancouver. It was then that she met her soon-to-be husband, well-known Vancouver visual effects guy, Georgia Straight illustrator, and fine artist Krystian Guevara. 

 

 

One of Anaya Leather's
Hand-Chiseled Laptop Bags

When it comes to product development at Anaya Leather, Johanna is involved in every step from her Vancouver studio--from conceptualizing and drawing a sketch of the piece to outlining which graphic will be added.  Once she is satisfied with the look, she selects the perfect piece of leather. For her first collection, she utilized vegetable-tanned leather (the best type of leather on which to carve, stamp or use a chisel). 

 

 

One of Anaya Leather's Mexican Artisans
Hard at Work on a Handbag

When all the designing is complete, specifications are sent off to Mexico where the magic begins.  Before local artisans begin carving, the leather must be completely wet.  A metal plaque is used to mark the outlines where the planned design will be carved.  Afterwards,  several stamping tools and a mallet complete the design.  It is then left to dry before it is painted with German water based dyes.  The final steps involve sewing the pieces together and applying one last finish.  In the case of Johanna's handbags, it can take many hours of labor to get the final product to look just right. 

 

 

It would be impossible to deny the Latino influence in her work. After all, that is her background and she is proud of her heritage. Her handbags, wallets, coin purses and more showcase the brightest color palette--from orange to yellow to fuchsia, green and turquoise--an extension of Johanna's sunny disposition.  Her positivity and love for life, family and other people around her almost radiates from her work elevating her pieces from fined-tuned craft to art. 

 

 

Clutch This!  An Assortment of Handbags in
Anaya Leather's Vibrant Collection

"People love my handbags, I think, because they make you stand out instantly in a crowd," she says. 

 

 

And while she is positive about the direction her life has taken, moving to Canada and leaving her family in Mexico was always a point of sadness.

 

  

"The most challenging part was saying goodbye to my family," she explains. "Mexico is a very traditional and family-oriented country. So, it made it even more difficult to leave," Johanna says of her early days in Canada. Even in recent years she experienced homesickness. 

 

 

For years, she traveled back and forth between Canada and Mexico visiting her family. After her father died following a four-and-a-half year battle with Leukemia, she brought her mother to Vancouver to live with her.  

 

 

Even though she has built a successful business that has received very positive coverage from some top Vancouver media outlets, it didn't happen overnight.  Her family has always been a priority with her entrepreneurial ventures taking second position in her life. When her children were young, she wanted to be sure to stay home with them to savor those moments that no parent ever gets back if they miss them.  Between motherhood and life, she diligently took courses, such as sewing and pattern making at Vancouver Community College, which would help her achieve her business goals. After that she bought her first sewing machine and began applying what she had learned in class to what she already knew about leather.  Later, she enrolled in a screen printing class at Emily Carr.    It took ten years, but her business was finally ready to get off the ground.   

 

 

Johanna Anaya de Guevara is inspirational because she is the perfect example of what a person can achieve when their mind and heart are fully engaged in making it happen. Her passion translates into a beautiful collection of work that ranges in price from $20 for a small leather coin purses all the way up to $300 for a large leather tote bag.   Now that her e-commerce site is up and running at www.anayaleather.com, for a limited time, Johanna is offering from 50-70%  off of all of her handbags.  Fashionistas can shop online or contact Johanna directly. 

 

 



Johanna and Her Husband Krystian Collaborate
to Create Custom Wallets for
La Vida es Bella Collection
(www.lveb.ca)

While her handbags are made in Mexico, she and her husband have created a new special line of customized leather wallets for men and women. La Vida es Bella (www.lveb.ca) includes pieces that are simple, elegant, classic and well-constructed with exquisite satin linings.  The couple is involved in every facet of production of the wallets-- from dying the vegetable-tanned leather, to cutting it and stitching it all together.  They will even personalize the pieces with names, initials--almost any personal touch a client wants.  The sister brand to the Anaya label continues to grow and they hope to add an even wider array of designs to its offerings. 

 

 

So what does the future hold for Anaya Leather?  Johanna Anaya de Guevara eventually hopes to offer her customers distinctive leather furniture and leather trunks. No matter how big the company gets, however, one thing remains certain--its owner will never forget how she got where she is and the level of dedication it took. So, if you live in 'Rain City' and decide to buy a special handmade piece from Anaya Leather, listen for your doorbell.  That ringing may just be Johanna hand-delivering your package since she loves to get to know each and every one of her customers.

New Northwest Native Art Gallery Opens Just in Time for the Holidays

Handmade Native American cedar and
button blanket ornaments make a
wonderful addition to a holiday tree
at Coast Salish Creations
(Photo: Paul Niemi)

I'm never one to let the holidays make me crazy.  My family gave up gift giving years ago, so we could focus on the real meaning--the religious and sentimental aspects--of the holidays.  Recently, a new career job came my way, and I am very blessed to have it. I couldn't be more excited about it because it gives me the opportunity to reach a wider scope of people in a way I never have before.  It has made me "mad" busy, but that's okay!

No matter how busy things seem to be, I always have time to learn more about Native American art--reading, collecting and hitting every new art gallery that hits the scene.  Usually, I have to travel 90 miles south to Seattle or 50 miles north to Vancouver to find quality Native art.  The search in my own backyard is over since SiLowLeetSa (Doralee Sanchez), a master weaver, artist and educator from the Lummi Nation near Bellingham, Washington is opening her own new gallery in a wonderful location with easy access for visitors!

Coast Salish Creations, located at 424 W. Bakerview Road (near Northwest Avenue) will have its Grand Opening on Saturday, December 1 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.   The day will be filled with music, free frybread, art demonstrations and a contemporary fashion show with gorgeous designs by Althea Wilson. Sanchez, who has been making art her entire life is thrilled that she has finally arrived at the point in her life where she can fulfill her dream of opening an art gallery.  Years of work, schlepping her stuff from show to show, selling at Pike Place Market on Seattle's waterfront finally caught up with her and she decided she wanted a place, close to home, close to family and her people where she could set down her load (and vast inventory!) to make art full-time.

Sanchez, who comes from long line of Lummi artists, represents the work of 21 people from mostly the Lummi and Nooksack Nations.  She hopes to add more art from other Northwest tribes. Her passion is educating both Native and non-Native people about the value and beauty of tribal art and wants people to know the "gifts" that regularly come out of the Lummi Reservation. 

Handsewn pouches made from wool
Pendleton blankets and Lummi cedar baskets
are a few holiday gift items at
Coast Salish Creations

Speaking of gifts, if you are holiday shopping soon and want something truly unique, the gallery offers many items from $5 up into the thousands.  My personal favorites are the sweet and impeccably-made miniature Lummi baskets, small zipper pouches that Sanchez sews herself from wool Pendleton blankets, beautifully made woven cedar and button blanket tree ornaments, as well as woven cedar hats by artists such as Ethel Warbus.  One even comes with its own woven mannequin head for just under $700!

Coast Salish Creations will offer classes in various disciplines, including basket and hat weaving on an ongoing basis.   Sanchez's goal is to open the gallery up to young people to nurture their abilities, spark new ones and teach them that their utilitarian "art" has value and much beauty to the world beyond the reservation.

Watch a video about the Grand Opening of Coast Salish Creations HERE:

Crawling for Culture on Vancouver's East Side

Parker Street Studios attracted many
spectators during the 2012
Eastside Culture Crawl in Vancouver
(Photo: Paul Niemi)

Now that the Thanksgiving turkey, mash, casseroles and pie have all been digested, I can finally sit down to write about something that I think is really cool--The Eastside Culture Crawl that took place last Friday, Saturday and Sunday on Vancouver, British Columbia's east side.  The Culture Crawl was established to provide "opportunities for member artists to engage with the public through the creation of events, programming and partnerships that foster awareness, encourage visibility and promote artists and their work."

This event is really wonderful.  Why? One: It's in Vancouver, which is practically my second home (I have a dear friend's housekeys so I can come and go as I like!). Two: The Culture crawl offers a glimpse into the exciting variety of art that is being made north of the border. Three: I love to walk in Vancouver, and with a digital or printed map in hand, spectators can roam the East Vancouver grid to multiple locations where hundreds of artist studios are located.  You get to excercise your mind with colors, textures and lines while you get a good aerobic workout!

It's also an opportunity to see and be seen with some of the prettiest people in Vancouver. I mean, seriously...are there any unattractive people in British Columbia?  The event attracted close to 15,000 people, so walking the narrow and long hallways of buildings like Parker Street Studios (1000 Parker Street) or the Mergatroid Building (975 Vernon Drive), required patience and stamina to handle the constant barrage of people nearly bumping into you either climbing the stairs or walking the corridors. Attendees seemed happy, enthusiastic, and excited to buy original art. I saw many things that I would loved to have added to my art collection.  Nonetheless, I allowed myself to remain merely a spectator, content to be wearing some sensible shoes, schlepping around an umbrella in the torrential downpour, and breathing in the marvelous scent of creativity in the air.

The Eastside Culture Crawl had its official start in 1997, though it was born out of previous smaller shows with different names.  That year, the Culture Crawl featured 45 artists in 3 different studios.  It attracted 1000 people.   Now, it has grown to feature over 300 artists in 75 buildings throughout East Vancouver.  Where else can you go and see practically every type of medium in every type of style in one walkable area?  It's pretty incredible.

Because of my schedule, I only made it to 4 of the venues (Parker Street Studios, Octopus Studios, the Mergatroid Building and William Clark Studios), but there was a plethora of terrific art to see and cool people to meet.  Here are some of my favorites:

Piece by Sean Karemaker
(Photo: Courtesy the artist)

A portion of Sean Karemaker's work
documenting the life cycle of Human beings
can be seen above his
booth at Octopus Studios
(Photo: Paul Niemi)

Illustrative artist Sean Karemaker's work attracted my attention from far away at Octopus Studios.  His pieces have a dark, fantastical and epic quality to them.  He has a charming gentle manner, in a way that suggests that he should, perhaps, have been born before 1940. He talks quite comfortably about his work in a way a storyteller would.  I particularly enjoyed hearing him speak of how he created his 27 foot-long scroll piece on the lifespan of Human beings. Having arrived more recently to the Vancouver creative scene, his work is very affordable, including some whimsical 3D polymer figures against painted backdrops in shadowboxes.

 

Artist Krystian Guevara talks with
a collector as he works on a new piece
at Octopus Studios
(Photo: Paul Niemi)

While at Octopus Studios, I made my way to the back corner to check out cool new wallets by Mexican-born leather accessories designer Johanna Anaya de Guevara and paintings by her husband Krystian Guevara.  Krystian's body of work includes pieces with a dia del los muertos flair, reminiscent of his native Mexico.  His detailing is impeccable and his understanding of light along with absolute control over his paintbrush results in exquisite photo realism as seen in his Pellegrino bottle painting.  When I stopped by, Krystian was hard at work on a series capturing the weirdness and mixed emotions of subjects he found in 1920s Australian mugshots.  He realized his abilities at an early age and followed his passion to become a fine artist as well as an illustrator and cartoonist. He currently works for The Georgia Straight in that capacity.

 

 

Beata Kacy in her booth at
Octopus Studios during
the Eastside Culture Crawl
(Photo: Paul Niemi)

I'm a sucker for people who are true Bohemians--the kind of creatives who can sew, weave, silversmith, or do almost anything.  A gentle soul, Polish-born Beata Kacy of Soigne jewelry, accessories and spa is one of those individuals. She is not afraid to be different--from what she wears to the designs that she creates.  What I appreciated most about the variety of pieces that she offered in her studio was that she understands how to appeal to a myriad of customers.  Beata featured great holiday gift items in a variety of price points and everything was totally unique. From handmade metal and leather pendants to felted shawls, rings and more, it was obvious that her love for art and her mind for creating is limitless!  

 

 

"Eyebots" made from wood, flocking and tubing alongside
other wood carvings in Colin Johnson's Vancouver, B.C. studio
(Photo: Paul Niemi)

To those who know me, it's no secret that I love a little humor in my art, and a bit of kitsch goes a long way.  I especially appreciate it when I know that the artist is also a master at his craft.  Such is the case with woodworker Colin Johnson (a.k.a "The Woodbutcher").  Johnson studied animation and he brings that into his work, whether he is making an awesome Star Wars-inspired liquor cabinet or his "Eyebots," one of which I must get my hands on because they appeal to both my childlike side and my sense of humor.  What I like the most is that he has no ego, which adds to the dimension of his art.

 

 

 

An artist who has been in over 70 group and solo shows in the last 10 years is Mary Anne Tateishi.  What initially drew me to her studio was all of the wonderful color.  I also have a love and appreciation for artists who can successfully work with resin, a very difficult medium.  You have to be meticulous and know what you are doing.  Tateishi (please forgive the pun!) clearly does.  She paints 10 to 20 layers of paint on thin paper affixed to panel.  She creates "a visual history" and then excavates it to see what happened beneath. The final step is to coat the pieces in resin which augments the vibrancy of the layers and colors.   Tateishi was a master of welcoming collectors into her studio with open arms creating a warm environment where you wanted to linger and chat for a while.

 

Last, but not least, are the sculptural and textural paintings by Christina Norberg that I love, love , love!  Her work is artistically and ecologically thoughtful since she uses recycled post-consumer waste such as newspaper, cardboard, magazines, packaging, and clothing.

 

Eco-friendly artist Christina Norberg
poses with her work at the Eastside Culture Crawl
in Vancouver, B.C.

Focused primarily on how Humanity develops in the natural world that surrounds it, Norberg's art is made by layering paint (acrylics that are made locally in Vancouver) and incorporating drawings, collages and fibre.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Manifesting" by Christina Norberg
(Photo: Courtesy the artist)

Norberg is influenced by design, craft, architecture, street art, and nature among others. I found her work completely unique and some of the most exciting that I had the opportunity to view during the Eastside Culture Crawl.

 

Overall, there was something for everyone at the Eastside Culture Crawl.  I was very impressed with all the different price points.  Now that I know what to expect, I'm heading north next year with cash in hand and ready to buy.  See you there!  

Affordable Art Fair Seattle Debuts with Carefully Curated Collection of International Work

The art world has changed.  The current state of the economy has altered the way people buy art.  Artists no longer need to show in a gallery to attract a collectorship, and many galleries now struggle to sell pieces that set people back thousands upon thousands of dollars.  Since the pomposity once associated with the art world has become passé (at least to those 40 and younger), to utter the word "affordable" is no longer taboo.  It's actually become cool to be associated with the affordable art movement.  Sparked from the idea that all people should have access to art, industry leaders are hitting home the idea that innovative, insightful high-quality art doesn't have to cost a fortune.   Luckily for Pacific Northwest art lovers on all budgets, Affordable Art Fair made it even easier to take home amazing art at great prices with its debut last weekend at the Seattle Center Exhibition Hall.

 

Sculptures by Nicole Harper of
Michelle Y Williams Gallery
(Photo: Paul Niemi)

A Variety of Works Available
from Traver Gallery, Seattle
(Photo: Paul Niemi)

I wasn't sure what to expect from Affordable Art Fair Seattle. In addition to a fantastic and comprehensive guide on how to buy art, the official site for the Fair gave a nice list of participating galleries, and I was able to research and see work by some of the featured artists in advance. But, having the opportunity to experience the art first-hand on Thursday night was something totally different. The set-up was vibrant, hip and alive with excitement.  The preview party overlapped with a press event. The evening's festivities attracted a wide variety of people including the usual display of scruffy artistic hipsters, artist wannabes, executives and their wives, seasoned benefactors, flamboyant men draped in fur and every manner of mover and shaker in Seattle. Kisses were blown, chins were intellectually scratched, names were dropped, but in the end, everyone seemed to be ultimately connecting in an intimate way over art.  All in all, the night was devoid of attitude, which was a refreshing change of pace for large art shows of this genre.  

 

Will Ramsay, the brain behind Affordable Art Fairs, which has its main office in the United Kingdom, has mounted similar events in the London, New York and Mexico City. Seattle rounds out the 2012 show calendar followed by Singapore and Germany. Jennifer Jacobs is the Director of Affordable Art Seattle.

 

Visitors to Affordable Art Fair Seattle
Leave Preview Party at the Seattle
Center Exhibition Hall on November 8
(Photo: Paul Niemi) 

Affordable Art Fair Seattle did a great job of offering something for everyone.   "Affordable" is a term that means different things to different people, but prices for work ranged from as little as $100 all the way up to $10,000. From paintings, to print, sculpture, clay and metalwork and pieces made from paper and wood, there was a carefully (dare I use that ubiquitous word) 'curated' collection of art in various sizes, shapes and textures.

 

When it comes to art, the first rule should be to buy what you like. That rule has served me well in building a high quality unique and diverse collection. Affordable Art Fair Seattle provided the spectator the opportunity to discover many intriguing treasures that almost anyone would find appealing. I might also add that while the idea of an art fair might be intimidating to some unfamiliar with the protocol, this fair was very 'user-friendly' and, for the most part, gallery owners, staff and artists were generous with their time. They were eager to explain the work on view, and I gained an appreciation for items that might not have spoken to me initially. 

 

Sheila Coppola Apprentice Wynne Pei
Demonstrates the Intaglio Printing Process
of a Piece by Dale Chihuly
(Photo: Paul Niemi) 

The gem of the fair, in my opinion, was the printmaking studio.  Intaglio and relief printing is an exciting art form, and master printer Sheila Coppola of Sidereal Fine Art Press, along with her apprentice Wynne Pei showed just how cool it is.  On Thursday evening, they demonstrated the printing process of a six-color, sugar lift and aquatint intaglio and relief print by Dale Chihuly. Additionally, Coppola called upon artists, including Claire Cowie, with whom she had previously worked, to create images that Coppola printed and displayed in the printmaking studio.  I was told that a limited number of prints were made and each artist would then decide if they wanted to offer them up for sale at the Fair.

 

Some of the artists on my personal wish list are Claire Cowie, Sarah Bienvenu, Jenny Honnert Abell, Daniel Ochoa, Nicole Harper, Rick Araluce, Tom DeGroot, and Jamie Walker.  The Traver Gallery of Seattle is home to the work of many artists whom I found incredibly inspiring.  It was also fun to connect with the folks from Santa Fe's Winterowd Fine Art, especially since I just returned to the Northwest after spending the last three years in New Mexico. 

 

Affordable Art Fair Seattle, which ran November 9-11, inspired my senses and got my blood pumping.   WATCH A BRIEF VIDEO highlighting some of my picks from the fair HERE:

 

Guatemala-Born Artist Captures Essence of Small Pacific Northwest Community in 'This Town' Exhibition



Anita Aparicio captures the essence of Bellingham in
her 'Bellingham Gothic' series in This Town
at Allied Arts of Whatcom County



Bellingham, Washington has some interesting history and crazy stories. Many know the legend of the man who had too many black cats who made clothing out them because they were overtaking the town.  My personal favorite is the tale of the "Bellingham Curse," which explains why people always leave the sleepy Pacific Northwest town near the Canadian border and then come back. I have done it three times, so it must be true! 

Regardless of the stories, the people of Bellingham have a spirit all their own and a deep passion for keeping the traditional traditional. It is the kind of place where everyone knows everyone else and generation after generation remain here to fulfill their legacies.

Artist Anita Aparicio with her original
work at Allied Arts of Whatcom County
Photo: Paul Niemi

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What fascinates me about the new exhibit 2012 Juried Artist Series: This Town, which  just opened at Allied Arts of Whatcom County, is that one of its artists isn't from Bellingham at all, but Guatemala.  

A transplant to Bellingham, artist Anita Aparicio "became immediately enthralled by the old residences adorning Sehome and South Hill in Fairhaven as well as the old farmhouses and barns on the roads to Ferndale, Lynden and beyond."   For this show, the challenge for the charming artist, whom I spoke with in Spanish at length, was creating on a smaller scale.  Aparicio's mixed media series called "Bellingham Gothic" successfully fuses subjects found in Victorian-era photographs with her own take on local architecture.   Her work allows you to escape momentarily into the "subdued excitement" of the past.  You can almost smell vintage lace and hear the sounds of laughter and gossip as you walk past! 

Mixed media 'Bellingham Gothic' piece by
 Anita Aparicio at Allied Arts of Whatcom County

2012 Juried Artist Series: This Town opened on November 2 and runs through December 1.  Don't miss the work of painter David Ridgway and photographer Donald Simpson, who also give their unique perceptions of life in Bellingham as participating artists. The show will travel to the Hotel Bellwether for a month-long installation in their lobby, hallways, and Lighthouse Bar and Grill starting in early December. 

For more information on the exhibition visit www.alliedarts.org.

               

Vancouver's World Indigenous People's Day Celebration is Global Intersection of Art, Culture and Food

Members of the Vancouver, British Columbia community are invited to attend a World Indigenous People's Day celebration, which will take place at the Roundhouse Community Centre in Yaletown on Saturday, October 20 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

 

The event, which will be MC'd by Kat Norris, Lisa Yellow-Quill and Sam Bob, will showcase and promote the exchange and unification of indigenous cultures and communities within the Lower Mainland of British Columbia.  In addition to arts and crafts, there will be food, indigenous speakers, cultural presentations and a World Healing Exchange.   For a full schedule of happenings and other information about the event visit the official Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/events/522745077742979/.

 

 

Uncle Paulie's World Gives Photographic Glimpse of 2012 SWAIA Indian Market



Handmade Doll by Emil Her Manyhorses/Photo: Paul Niemi

It's really true what they say...a picture is worth a thousand words!  In August, I attended the 2012 SWAIA Indian Market in Santa Fe.  The weekend started with a visit to Ahalenia Studio for Zombie Skins, a contemporary Native American art show higlighting creative works with the undead as their theme. Then it was on to Eggman and Walrus Art Emporium for Low Rez: Native American Lowbrow Art featuring the work of many of the same artists from the Ahalenia Studio show.  Then it was on to the SWAIA Indian Market Preview and then the Market itself over  the weekend.

Enjoy a video montage of all the colors and beauty (the people and the art!) that surrounded me during my fantastic weekend in Santa Fe HERE!

Zombies and Indians and Art, Oh My!

Photo: The Virtual Stage

Who doesn't love zombies, right?  They're everywhere these days.  Television fans are sitting on gravestones and pitchforks waiting for the new season of TMC's Walking Dead, which premieres October 14.  In Vancouver, British Columbia, The Virtual Stage, brings The Zombie Syndrome to town October 13-31.  This production takes audience members on a scavenger hunt from a starting location in downtown Vancouver.  The catch?  They won't know where until the day before when attendees will receive a phone call from a character in the show telling them where to meet.  Using the GPS on their smartphones (Yes, phones are very much encouraged!), audience groups advance the story by finding clues.  Conceptually, this show is like a theatrical "progressive dinner" without the food and with a little high-tech thrown in for good measure. Zombies lurk around every corner. See it for only $25!  For more information visit www.facebook.com/TheVirtualStage or follow them on Twitter @TheVirtualStage.

This fall, the University of Washington in Seattle is actually offering a course entitled Zombies and Indians.  The course is designed around the idea that "zombies have existed at some level of reality for centuries,"   though they were popularized during the Twentieth Century. The description goes on to add that they "have their origins at the many points of collision between colonizer and colonized..." and "have always walked the uncertain spaces between binary 'certainties' such as us and them, rich and poor, slave and master, and, of course, alive and dead."  It isn't hard then to see how this concept can be linked to Native Americans, and their treatment in popular culture iconography.

  

Photo: Ahalenia Studio/
Zombie Skins

In fact, there is a generation of contemporary Native American artists who are taking on these images, turning them around to make them their own to elicit discussions of issues that affect Native Americans.  Much of this "repatriation" is done in works that pay homage to the lowbrow movement of the late 1970s, or what people have come to know as "pop surrealism."   At first glance, many of these pieces seem frivolous with their bright color palettes and familiar subject matter plucked directly from popular culture.  While some pieces are meant to be tongue-in-cheek, according to Swedish-Cherokee artist America Meredith, who easily maneuvers between contemporary Native and lowbrow art, these works are intended to have a broader, more biting message.  "Even though the imagery in our work might be silly; the messages are serious."

She went on to say that Native artists walk a fine line of "respect and criticism" of the world.  "Many of the artists are also young parents, so they don't have the luxury of nihilism.  We hate society, but we love our grandmothers.”  Instead of fitting the mainstream stereotype of artists as iconoclast, many of the artists are dancers and are active in their own tribes’ ceremonies, and the art reflects this respect for their tribes. But many things need to be torn down and critiqued." 







Installation by Daniel McCoy in
Low-Rez at Eggman and Walrus Art Emporium
 

Last month, when I was in Santa Fe for the 2012 SWAIA Indian Market, I had the opportunity to check out some of this type of work in two exciting shows.  Low-Rez: Native American Lowbrow Art was curated by Meredith and on view at Eggman and Walrus Art Emporium just off of the Santa Fe Plaza.  The work was thoughtful, colorful, well executed and garnered praise by Native American art heavy hitters. "The response has been overwhelmingly fantastic. Luckily hosting the show during Market enabled us to share our work with the widest possible audience of people in the Native art world, including curators of major museums," Meredith explained.  

While Low-Rez was the show that attracted everyone's attention, quietly situated across town at Meredith's Ahalenia Studio I found Zombie Skins: Salon de la Vie Morte, another group show featuring many of the same artists from the Eggman and Walrus exhibtion, including Meredith, Monty Singer, Frank Buffalo Hyde, Daniel McCoy, Mary Beth Nelson, Tom Farris,  Chris Pappan, Melissa Melero, Ryan Singer, and more.  Meredith found herself coordinating this show as well.  I missed the opening night party but had the opportunity to peruse the studio walls uninterrupted by other spectators in late afternoon just before the SWAIA preview night. The art was high-quality, interesting, fun, and some pieces were even priced as little as $40!

 

Zombies Skins at Ahalenia Studio
Photo: Paul Niemi

Why a zombie show (besides the obvious reason that they are cool!)?  "Several artists at the Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair and Market asked me if they could do a show at my studio during Indian Market," Meredith said.  Chris Pappan stepped up and helped hang the show, along with his wife Debra Yepa-Pappan. Crews of volunteers made the show happen — Natasha Wagner, Robert Garcia, Stephen MacMurray, Staci Golar, Melissa Melero, Linda Eben Jones, Maggie Ohnesorgen, and others."  

While Meredith insists that this type of work is not the wave of the future for the Santa Fe Native American art scene, shows such as these are airing out some of the stuffiness that one oftentimes experiences in Santa Fe's cultural landscape. They give artists the opportunity to create outside of the confines dictated by many traditional galleries. With these shows, artists are free to set the rules and break them--whatever they want to do.

"Dealers in Santa Fe have a great deal of money and emotional investment in continuing on the exact same path they have been on for decades," Meredith contends. I hope Meredith continues to produce and support more art events such as the ones I attended during Indian Market week. 

"There’s a great deal of talk locally about demographic shifts occurring among Santa Fe Indian art collectors. More and more, Native people collect art, and the Baby Boomers and Gen-Xers are the collectors now...I believe they want art they can personally relate to." 

Photo: Partial Self-Portrait by
Cannupa Hanska Luger

Speaking of more shows of this genre, if you are traveling through Oklahoma, catch zombie madness with the debut of Zombie Skins in Norman, which opens tonight (Friday, September 14). Tom Farris of Bigfoot Creative has brought a handful of the artists and their work from the Santa Fe show and others to Norman. The exhibition will kick off with an artist reception and Night of the Living Dead Live Paint

at 7 p.m. as part of Norman's 2nd Friday Art Walk. The show features the work of Bryon Archuleta(Ohkay Owingeh), Lara Evans (Cherokee Nation), Tom Farris (Otoe-Missouria-Cherokee), Robert Garcia (Mestizo), April Holder (Sac and Fox-Wichita-Tonkawa), Topaz Jones (Shoshone-Lummi-Kalapuya-Molalla), Daniel McCoy, Jr. (Potawatomi-Muscogee Creek), Cannupa Hanska Luger (Mandan-Arikara-Hidatsa),America Meredith (Cherokee Nation), Joseph Sanchez (Mestizo),Hoka Skenandore (Luiseño-Oneida-Oglala Lakota), and Micah Wesley (Kiowa-Muscogee Creek). 

Zombie Skins runs through October 8 at Bigfoot Creative 315 E. Main Street in Norman, Oklahoma. Bigfoot Creative is open Monday through Saturday, 9:00am to 5:00pm, for more information call (405) 420-0119 or visit their web site at www.bigfootcreative.net.

Watch an interview with Otoe-Missouria-Cherokee artist Tom Farris at 2012 SWAIA Indian Market HERE.