'AFRICAN CULTURES, AFRICAN COLOURS' visual arts exhibition

Date: Tue, 2 Aug 2005
AfricanColours [http://www.africancolours.net/] an established web portal that
serves as a Contemporary African arts resource database and digital art archive
- presents the occasion of its first exhibition, at the new Fiesta Restaurant in
Nairobi from Wednesday August 3rd - 31st 2005.

The theme of this exhibition 'African Cultures, African Colours' - seeks to
redefine African Culture through the visual media and arts. The opening at 6pm
on Wednesday 3rd August, will be attended by Her Excellency Tanya van Gool, the
Dutch ambassador to Kenya; Mr. Tom Mshindi, Chief Executive, the Standard Group
and Dr. Patrick Lumumba, Secretary to the Constitution of Kenya Review
Commission (CKRC).

Other invited guests are Hon. Ochilo Ayako, Culture Minister; Hon. Raila Odinga,
Roads Minister; Hon. Najib Balala, National Heritage Minister, Hon. Prof.
Wangari Maathai, Asst. Minister Environment and H.E Hubert Fournier, French
ambassador to Kenya, among others. The exhibition will be open to the public
from 4th August to 31st August 2005. There is no admission charge.

Participating artists include Wanyu Brush, Annabelle Wanjiku Reeno, Kamal Shah,
Kahare Miano, Peter Elungat, Leon Kuhn from South Africa, Tabitha wa Mburu, Mary
Ogembo, Smooth Ugochukwu of Nigeria, Peterson Kamwathi, David Mwaniki, Thom
Ogonga, Simon Mureithi, Maggie Otieno, Sudanese artists Salah Ammar, Eltayeb
Dawelbeit, Halfawi Hussein, Yassir Ali; Sammy Lutaya, Patricia Njeri, Sam
Kimemia, Patrick Mukabi, Hina Haria, Beatrice Wanjiku, Veroniccah Muwonge of
Uganda, Evans Omondi, John Njathi, Wanjohi Nyamu, John Silver, Kanyiva Kahare,
Nelly Wanjiru, Kevin Kariuki, Alex Mbugua, Patrick Kirono, Irene Wanjiru, Halima
Shahib, Peter Salim Mburu, Anthony Okello, Samuel Githui, Wilson Mwangi and
Eritrean Fitsum Berhe Woldelibanos to mention a few.

As AfricanColours strives to transform the face of visual arts in Kenya and
Africa, we plan to regularly collaborate with the Media to nurture appreciation
and patronage of local art by providing exposure for contemporary African
artists and their works of art.
CONTACT: for further enquiries call Emmanuel, Tracy or Jackie on 020 250 373,
0724 231 071, 0722 506930
tracy@africancolours.com or emmanuel@africancolours.com

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This article was received from H-AfrArts, H-Net Network for African Expressive Culture and is reprinted in Tribal Artery as a service to our readers. Tribal Artery is published by http://www.tribalworks.com , a web site devoted African and other tribal arts.

Arctic Ocean teeming with life

By ASSOCIATED PRESS August 2, 2005
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) - Beneath its ice, the Arctic Ocean is teeming with life, says a team of international scientists that just completed a 30-day expedition to the northern ocean.In the months and years ahead, the 45 scientists from the U.S., Canada, China and Russia that took part in the Hidden Ocean expedition will pore over thousands of photographs, ice samples and ocean specimens collected in the Canada Basin.

"We were surprised. There was an awful lot more life up here than what people expected and believe there is," said Russ Hopcroft, a Canadian researcher and assistant professor at the Institute of Marine Science at the University of Alaska in Fairbanks.Hopcroft said most scientists found new species or, at least, species not previously believed to exist in the Arctic.Despite the region's inhospitable climate for humans, the northern ocean is home to many life forms, including viruses, bacteria, fungi, and unicellular and multicellular plants and animals.

From the shelter of the U.S. Coast Guard icebreaker Healy, teams of scientists explored the ice surface, beneath it and the ocean floor.They ventured as far as latitude 76 degrees north in the basin, the deepest part of the Arctic Ocean, located north of Alaska and the Yukon Territory.

The study is part of an international census on marine life, and funding for a similar study of Antarctica was announced last Friday.With the aid of a remote-operated underwater vehicle, a photo platform lowered from the vessel, diving suits and 24-hour sunlight, the team collected samples from places never before seen by the human eye.Fred Gorell, spokesman for the expedition funded by the U.S. government's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, said the main goal is to raise awareness."The oceans are 95 percent unknown, unseen by human eyes, yet so important to us," he said.

The specter of global warming makes it urgent to document life in the far north and the Antarctic."There's already fairly good indications that we're undergoing some kind of global climate change and the areas that are warming up the fastest are the poles," Hopcroft said from the Healy as the scientists prepared last week to disembark.Arctic sea ice cover has decreased by about 3 percent per decade over the last 25 years, and there are indications ice thickness has decreased all over the Arctic.Yet scientists know relatively little about the regions, Hopcroft said.

As the changes continue, it will be important to have a benchmark to measure them against.The race is on to document the polar caps, said Ian MacDonald, a professor at Texas A&M University."The scientific consensus is that the end of continuous ice in the summer months is within the human horizon - 50 years, 70 years, 30 years," MacDonald said. "In recorded history, we've never had that, so this is a new era. It will have enormous consequences."

Among the rare finds for scientists were observations of comb jellies, or ctenophores, a jellyfish-like creature so fragile some pour like liquid out of collection jars.The expedition also had the first close look at mysterious pock marks that mar the ocean floor in the northern reaches of the basin.Approximately 2 1/2 miles below the ocean surface there are as many as two dozen depressions, some up to 130 feet deep and a half-mile across."That was very exciting," MacDonald said in an interview via satellite telephone from the ship.

Most surprising was the amount of sea life that call the depressions home. MacDonald counted 72 sea cucumbers in an area of 3 square meters."The abundance and diversity on the sea floor was the highest we've ever seen, anywhere," he said. "We're very excited about that but we don't, at this point, have any clue as to why."
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This article is reprinted from an Associated Press dispatch in the interest of wide dissemenation of the information.

We thank you for reading Tribal Artery, the blog letter of Aboriginals: Art of the First Person. Additional information about the Arctic and Arctic people and their art may be found at http://inuitindianart.blogspot.com , the blog of a colleague with a gallery at http://www.freespiritgallery.ca . Examples of Arctic native art may also be found at http://www.tribalworks.com (navigate to the Arctic Room.

Aboriginal art acquired by American and French collectors

Geoff Maslen reports in the July 27, 2005 edition of the Melbourne Age that two vintage works by Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri, one of Australia's most renowned Aboriginal painters, were purchased at a Sotheby's auction on July 25 for A$411,750 each.

One was reported to be the first painting ever made by the artist, a small one entitled 'Emu Corrobee Man'. It was purchased for an American collector through Melbourne art dealer, Irene Sutton. The painting was said to have been purchased from the artist originally in 1972 for less than A$100.

The second work was a "wall-sized" canvas, 'Man's Love Story.' It also went for $411,750. The buyer was said to be a collector from France.

Although Australia has restrictions on the removal from Australia of early works by Aboriginal artists , both of these paintings were exempt as they had left the country prior to enactment of the restrictions and had been returned to Australia only for the Melbourne auction.

According to the Melbourne Age, 195 works were sold at Monday's auction for a total of A$2.04 million. Forty-eight of the works went to buyers outside of Australia.

Clifford Possum, now deceased, worked primarily in the genre known as "dot painting" or "desert painting", emulating on canvas the images that traditionally were created on desert surfaces as part of the Aboriginal process of transferring culture to younger generations.

In addition to his own work, Clifford's off-spring became painters of some accomplishment. Gabriella, for example has been quite prolific. Examples of her works are available on line at http://www.tribalworks.com/gabriella_possum_dot_painting_gallery.html

Other Australian Aboriginal paintings also are on exhibit within the pages of this online gallery.

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Thank you for reading this issue of Tribal Artery, the blogletter of Aboriginals: Art of the First Person and its sister galleries at http://www.ZuniLink.com , http://www.Native-PotteryLink.com and http://www.Native-JewelryLink.com
To subscribe to this blogletter please use feedburner.com, bloglines.com or click on one othe sign up icons to the right.

Janet's Web site

A blog or so back, we reprinted some comments from Janet Littlecrow concerning Seminole customs, dress and history. Janet was generous to give us permission to do so and we would like to honor her by posting her web address. She had added it as a comment. But, since some may never open the comments, here it is in the "wide open." http://www.littlecrowtradingpost.com . Janet features Indian ceremonial dress and regalia. Thanks again, Janet.

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Tribal artery is blogged when we feel like it by Aboriginals: Art of the First Person, offering authentic Native American Indian jewelry at http://www.Native-JewelryLink.com

Caution: Full Frontal Nudity

The Santa Fe New Mexican newspaper has become one our favorite sources for information about art, and tribal art in particular. This notice is not about tribal art, but it could be.

Seems the Leopold Museum in Vienna, Austria, has promoted its new show, "The Naked Truth," an exhibition of erotic art from the early 1900s, by offering free entry to anyone who showed up in a swim suit - or sans any clothes at all.

Part of the appeal (no pun intended, well, maybe a small one) is the sweltering heat wave that has baked much of Europe in the mid-90's Fahrenheit.

180 works are on display at the museum through August 22, including Klimt's "Nude Veritas" and Schiele's "Two Femaile Friends".

The New Mexican quoted Peter Weinhaeupl, the Leopold Museum's commercial director as saying, "We wanted to give people a chance to cool off, and bring nakedness into the open. It's a bit of an experiment. Egon Schiele was a young and wild person in his day. He'd want to be here."

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Thanks for reading this issue of Tribal Artery, a blog newsletter published by Aborignals: Art of the First Person, on the Web at http://www.tribalworks.com We welcome you r subscription. simply click on one of the feed icons on the right side of the age or go to http://www.feedburner.com

More about Seminole material culture

Janet Littlecrow of Oklahoma, has responded to our article on Seminole costumes and crafts with additional information from her experience. While she claims to be "no expert," who of us is?

We reprint her comments here with her permission.

"Seminole and Miccosuki (sic?) fashions before the advent of foot-treddle powered sewing machines were much like Creek dress at the time, thin horizontal bands of fabric sewn together in colorful combinations.
For anyone who has ever done Seminole style patchwork, it's easy to understand why this began only after the coming of sewing machines. Some of the designs were orginally based on colorful featherwork designs that were popular among southeastern Indians in earlier (better) times. The earliest designs were very simple, but have progressed to unbelieveablely complicated designs today. The best work is normally only made for family members to wear during annual Green Corn ceremonies, not for the tourist market. Many of the designs have names, and some represent clans within the tribe. Today, the bottom band on the skirts is often a clan design to identify the clan relationship of the wearer, but this was not always true.

To continue this article, please go to http://www.tribalworks.com/tribal_artery_seminole2.htm

PS: Janet also has a Web trading post, the name of which escapes me as I prepare this blogletter. Perhaps she will add it as a comment when she reads this. Janet?
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Thank you for reading this issue of Tribal Artery, the periodic blogletter of Aboriginals: Art of the First Person. Subscription may be arranged through feedburner.com or bloglines.com or any other RSS/Atom news reader.

Seminole Patchwork Dolls

A friendly Yahoo group to which we belong recently posted a link to a page with a photo essay about the making of Seminole dolls. http://www.floridamemory.com/OnlineClassroom/seminole_dolls/photos.cfm

It is a fascinating subject and a fascinating presentation.

There was one aspect missing, however.

I write about that below.

"It is fascinating to watch Seminole doll makers build the palmetto torsos that underly the dolls exterior. Especially because, other than the base, the palmetto body is almost never seen.

It is the Seminole costume that is the most visible part of the doll and, in many ways, the most significant part.

So I was surprised that the Florida Memory project, with its splendid photo essay, totally ignores one of the most significant parts of Seminole material culture and the costumes prepared for the dolls...."

To read the rest of this story, go to http://www.tribalworks.com/tribal_artery_seminole.htm

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Thanks for reading this issue of Tribal Artery, the blog letter of Aboriginals: Art of the First Person.

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Artists and Patrons in Traditional African Cultures: African Sculptures from the Gary Schulze Collection

BAYSIDE, NEW YORK - Artists and Patrons in Traditional African Cultures: African Sculptures from the Gary Schulze Collection , a collection representing over 30 different cultures, spanning 15 countries, and some 2000 years of history will be exhibited at the Queensborough Community College Art Gallery from through September 30, 2005.

The oldest artifacts, terracottas from the Nok area of Nigeria, date from 500 B.C. to c. 200 A.D., followed by Sape Confederation stone carvings dating from the 15th to the 17th century. Benin ivory and cast bronze objects were created during the 18th century, while the wood sculpture dates primarily from the 20th century, the miniature Benin ivory leopard is one of only two in existence.In Artists and Patrons, objects from West Africa predominate. Many originate among the Mende, Sherbro and Temne of Sierra Leone. Other areas of Africa are well represented, by masks and figures from the Dan, Grebo and We in Liberia and Ivory Coast, for instance, and by sculpture from Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon and the Congo.

This impressive exhibit has been curated by Donna Page, a noted authority on the art of Africa. The wide variety of important and historic sculpture in this exhibition comes to Queensborough via the collection of Gary Schulze, who began studying African objects during his time as a Peace Corps volunteer in Sierra Leone during the early 1960s.

To read the full article, go to http://www.tribalworks.com/tribal_artery.html

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Thank you for reading Tribal artery, the blogletter of Aboriginals:Art of the First Person. You may subscribe using feedburner.com, bloglines.com or by clicking on one of the sign up icons on the lowere right hand page.

News Bites

According to an article in the Santa Fe New Mexican ( http://www.freenewmexican.com ), U. S. Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell, who represented Colorado from 1993 to 2005, advised that cultural tourism – not casinos – is the best path for economic development for Native American Indian tribes. His comments were made to the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe last week. He is a member of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe.

Campbell pointed out that six tribes have built RV parks to cater to that segment of the American traveling public. He went on to add that he knows of eight more RV parks in the planning stages.

The Seminole Tribe of Florida is one of the nationÂ’s most successful tribes in tourism development, although they have done so on the back of six casinos on reservation land. The Seminoles have used the increased visitor traffic to explain their culture to non-Seminoles. They have offered swamp tours and hunting expeditions at their Big Cypress Reservation and have a very informative museum of Seminole history and culture, Ah-Tha-Tiki, also at Big Cypress.

The more familiar non-Indians become with Native culture, the more they come to appreciate the work of Native American artists.

Aboriginals: Art of the First Person offers a collection of web sites that not only present items of tribal origin for sale but also attempt to explain the culture and traditions that foster their creation. For more information, visit http://www.ZuniLink.com (fetish carvings), http://www.Native_JewelryLink.com (Navajo, Hopi, Isleta, Santa Domingo and Zuni jewelry) http://www.Native-PotteryLink.com (Hopi, Navajo, Zuni, SIldefonsonso, Santa Clara, and other pueblo pottery) or http://www.TribalWorks.com (miscellaneous tribal art and artifacts from Africa, Australia and the Arctic.)

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A Nifty Gifty

In one of my other activities, I was the president of a group where there was a tradition to give a gift to the Board of Directors members when you left office.

These gifts, which often run as high fifty bucks apiece, usually are plaques or certificates mounted on plaques, or lucite statuettes. As an incorrigible volunteer, I had received more of these certificates than I had room for on my wall(s). Moreover, since the work I did as volunteer board member was the motivation for the volunteering, I didn't really feel comfortable posting a certificate or plaque saluting myself or my contribution.

So I thought others might also have enough of these things tucked away in file drawers and storage boxes that they didn't need another one.

What I did instead was to give each member of the Board a Zuni bear fetish carving with a little card explaining Zuni fetish carvings and how they - especially bears - are believed to add strength, wisdom and healing power to the person who owns and "cares" for them. (Yeah, I also ran off a few a thank you certificates at Kinko's. )

When I handed these carvings out at the last meeting on my presidency, the response was very appreciative. Recipients also applauded my creativity in thinking outside the plaque.

Just the other day, I ran into one of these former Directors in another place. Within a few minutes, he reached into his pocket and pulled out the fetish carving he has been carrying ever since. He thanked me profusely and mentioned that he thought this was one of the most memorable tributes he had ever received.

At the risk of appearing self-serving in this observation and suggestion, I will mention that any purveyor of Zuni fetish carvings - and there are many, as Googling "zuni fetish carvings" will demonstrate - can fulfill an order for multiple fetish carvings. By the way, one of the nice things about them is that they are all different. Similar, but unique, so everyone is not receiving "the same thing."

To make it easy for anyone reading this blogletter who thinks this would be good idea for the next round of gifts, Zuni Link (our Web site - http://www.ZuniLink.com ) will provide some special services. Any order of two or more carvings will be shipped at our expense. Any order of five or more also will receive a 15% discount off the regular price. If you request it, we will ship them in gift boxes for presentation. Simply include in your order that these will be gifts.

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Thank you for reading this Tribal Artery blogletter from Aboriginals: Art of the First Person. To subscribe, go to feedburner.com, bloglines.com or click on one of the RSS, Atom, XMl or other icons at the lower right hand side of the page.

By the way, also, we appreciate feedback so feel free to comment.

No More Talking in Code

Charles Chibitty, the last surviving member of the Comanche code talkers from WWII, passed away on Wednesday, July 20, in Tulsa. He was 83 years old.

Unlike the more famous Navajo code talkers who worked in the Pacific theater, and about whom a motion picture was made, the Comanche code talkers served in the European Theater.

The results were similar. With the Japanese and the Germans unfamiliar with the native tongues of these two tribes, messages encrypted from the language of the Comanche and Navajo communicators confronted the enemy with undecipherable messages. Their contribution to the success of the allied war effort in both theatres has been recognized and honored.

According to the Associated Press, which reported Chibitty's obituary, he described his most frightening experience as the landing on Normandy Beach. The troops were deposited in deeper water than was anticipated. Many of them drowned before reaching shore. Chibitty also commented on the irony that he had been forbidden to speak Comanche as a child in school and yet was asked to as ana adult and was able to use his language to promote victory for the United States in Europe.

All Americans should salute the noble code talkers of Navajo and Comanche. They served with distinction, despite the many prior indignities that they had been subjected to as Europeans moved West across North America.

Thank you for reading Tribal Artery, the blogletter from Aboriginals: Art of the First Person. As collectors and sellers of art work from the Native American cultures, we have a special respect for them and believe it is important to share their stories with you.

By the way, you are invited and we welcome your comments on this or any other blogletters from us.

Tiwi, or not Tiwi

The Tiwi people live on Bathurst Island and Melville Island about 60 miles north of Darwin. The islands are Australian territory, separated from the mainland by the Dundas Strait. The Tiwi are considered Australian Aborigines.

The Tiwi have both a long tradition of art and one of the most contemporary art communities - making prints and screenprinting fabric, in addition to carving, primarily ironwood, and painting.

A major ceremony for the Tiwi is the funerary rite called "Pukumani". Poles are carved and painted. They are placed around the ceremonial grave site. Baskets called, "tungas", made from bark, folded and tied on the sides and painted with ceremonial designs, are filled with tributes. When the ceremony is completed, these baskets, are turned upside down on the poles and left for a period of time.

Tiwi carvers carve birds ("tokwampini") and heads ("parukuparli") from ironwood. They are painted with charcoal, white clay and ochres, fixed with flower juices or glue. Some examples of these carvings are presented on the Aboriginals:Art of the First Person Website, http://www.tribalworks.com/aboriginal_art_carvings_gallery.htm

The Tiwi also are prodigious painters and print makers. Doris Gingingara, Reppie Orsto and Susan Wanji Wanji are three artists of note in these media. Susan is actually from Maningrida but is with a Tiwi man and lives and works on the islands. Her work reflects the blending of Maningrida and Tiwi artistic traditions. You will find examples of their work at http://www.tribalworks.com/aboriginal_art_prints.htm.

As one of the very few sources of authentic Australian Aboriginal art in the US, we are proud and privileged to offer the material culture and art of these ingenious and creative Tiwi people from Bathurst Island and Melville Island.

Thank you for reading this blogletter from Aboriginals: Art of the First Person on Florida's Sanibel Island. If you would like to subscribe, you may do so through any RSS feed provider, including blogspot.com, feedburner.com or by clicking on the "sign up" icon, when it appears near the bottom right hand of your page.

Whimsy: Not the Dr. and not the State of Mind

In the late 1800s and the early 20th Century, members of the Iroquois Indian tribe produce exceptional bead work as a way to generate income. These objects, in the form of pillows, pin cushions, purses, frames and knick-knacks, were sold as souvenirs to visitors to Niagara Falls and other areas near Iroquois settlements. Some of them carry actual dates, like samplers, when they were created.

These beadwork pieces have become important collectables with groups of people who buy and sell them around the world. They are referred to as “whimsies”, a term we believe was used to reflect that they had no real function beyond displaying some excellent bead work and carrying memories of a trip to a famous place.

At one point, we got caught up in the movement and began to collect examples

Well, there is a time for everything. We’ve decided it is a time for us to de-acquire (a great museum term meaning, “selling”) some of our Iroquois beaded whimsies.

We have not posted any to our Web sites – yet. But we are offering them on eBay, through both the auctions (seller = taosski) and in our store at http://stores.ebay.com/Art-of-the-First-Person/ .

We may also post some of them to http://www.gathergate.com , where we also have some arctic carvings and other artwork posted for sale.

Thank you again for reading this blogletter published by Aboriginals: Art of the First Person. You may subscribe at bloglines.com, feedburner.com or by clicking on the “sign up” icon if one appears on your page.

On Provenance and Property

Recent discussions on some tribal art chat groups have centered on something called, “provenance.”

It refers to the pedigree of an object of tribal art that may be offered for sale. In African tribal art in particular, where antiquity gives an object extra value in the mind of potential buyers, provenance is an important way to determine if the object is a real antique and/or authentic in terms of tribal use.

Seemingly, if the object was purchased many years ago and held in important collections, it is perceived to be old and authentic. Still, who is to say it wasn’t a reproduction when it was first acquired? Or that the attribution to previous owners and collections isn’t phony?

Bottom line from our perspective is that you only purchase objects that you personally love, regardless of their history.

If they are priced extraordinarily high because they are claimed to be authentic antiques, due diligence is in order. Take every promise with a grain of salt. Ask for proof of the claims that are made, even if made in the most reputable of galleries. Ask for a Certificate of Authenticity and a written promise that an object can be returned and your purchase price refunded if it is found to be something different than you are told it is. Any reputable dealer will give you these assurances. If they won’t give them, run, don’t walk, to the nearest exit.

Of course, if you are buying for décor purposes or to grow a more modest collection, buying what you like is a pretty good guide. But why not have objects that are stylistically correct for the cultures they purport to represent. There are some fine books on African art that can show you what to look for. A little research is a good investment.

On our Web site at http://www.tribalworks.com/african_tribal_art_gallery.htm we offer some excellent objects of African tribal art. We don’t claim that they are equal to what is in the museums of Europe but many of them have museum backgrounds. And they are priced commensurate with their quality, authenticity and age. If you see something you like, make us an offer. Maybe we can make a deal.

Thanks for reading this blogletter from Aboriginals: Art of the First Person. If you would like to subscribe, you can use bloglines.com, feedburner.com or by clicking on the “sign up” icon, if it appears on your page.

What is the Turquoise Fortune Cookie?

Visitors to our Web site at http://www.ZuniLink.com have encountered a turquoise fortune cookie on the home page. If a visitor clicks on it, a link takes them to a special page where a special 40% discount is offered on one of our fetish carvings. (Here’s a clue: this week’s special is on a Jeff Tsalabutie carving.)

Why do we have a turquoise fortune cookie? Why not? We think Web sites should be fun. The turquoise fortune cookie is one way of delivering some fun to our visitors and customers.

We do similar things on our other Web sites, where we present individual pieces at deep discounts. Everyone loves a bargain and having these surprise specials makes visiting our Web sites just a little bit more interesting.

Check in for yourself. We change them whenever the spirit moves us.

Feel free to give us some feedback. Do you think this is a good idea? What would you do differently.

Thanks for reading this blogletter from Aboriginals: Art of the First Person. If you would like to subcribe to it, go to bloglines.com, feedburner.com or click on the "sign up' logo if it appears on your page.

By the way, we have just posted some new fish and sealife carvings to our ZuniLink site. This could be your chance to catch the one that got away.

Where do the fetish carvings go?

(This newsblog is offered as an alternative to a lengthy email newsletter, on the premise that it is better for readers to choose it when they want rather than have to deal with it in their email boxes. It also reflects the increasing difficulty in dispatching email newsletters and hoping that they survive spam filters. You may subscribe to the Tribal Artery newsblog through bloglines.com, feedburner.com or any RSS reader.)

Lately, we have had a few people order items off the Web that we have had to notify the items have been previously sold. This is one of the more disappointing aspects of our business. We hate to "lose" sales or disappoint customers.

Here's how it happens:

We have both a physical gallery and Web sites. We serve the Web from our home office. When something is sold in the physical gallery, it can take up to five days before the Web sites are updated and items removed if they have been sold. Therefore, when an order comes in from the Web, our first task is to check the physical inventory to be sure we still have the item. We then notify the potential buyer one way or the other.

We are constantly refreshing the inventory with orders from artists, carvers, estates and other sources. These come in when they come in. Time is not of the essence in most native cultures. We encourage you to visit the Web site http://www.ZuniLink.com regularly to see what is new. (You could bookmark it B>) In the last wo weeks, we have added wolves, mountain lions and corn maidens, the latter just this weekend.

We do the same thing with our other Web sites, which we established because not everyone is interested in everything tribal. We determined that fetish carving buyers may not want to wade through African or Australian tribal art to find the Zuni or Navajo carvings they seek. So we launched ZuniLink.

We figured that would be a good idea for jewelry and pottery too, so we set up new sites for each of those genres. If you are looking for absolutely smashing, authentic, guaranteed Native American jewelry, we encourage you to visit http://www.Native-JewelryLink.com Some of these pieces are just plain gorgeous. All of them we would be perfectly happy to keep. In fact, that is one our major criteria when buying. If we wouldn't be happy living with it ourselves, we simply do not buy it, even though we think someone else might like it.

If you are a fan of pueblo pottery and pottery from other Native American peoples, check out http://www.Native-PotteryLink.com There are splendid pieces ranging from small Acoma seed pots to major masterpieces by Preston Duywenie, Wayne Snowbird, Russell Sanchez and Rachel Nampeyo, to name a few. Also some excellent work by Navajo potters, Samuel Manymules, Alice Cling, Suzie Crank and Michelle Williams.

And we shouldn't ignore our "Mother Ship", http://www.tribalworks.com . This site continues to offer African and Australian tribal art along with Arctic art.

Other news in the art world was provided through the pages of the New Mexican newspaper. The other day they featured the work of Richard Guzman of Truchas, NM. He has painted a mural called, "Los Pereginos" (the hawks) on the wall of a building next to the famous Sanctuario de Chimayo. You can read more about him and his work, along with other news from Santa Fe at freenewmexican.com.

Until manana, may your days be sunny, your jokes funny and your life about more than money.
William and Susanne.

Incidentally, we welcome subscriptions to Tribal Artery, the newsblog of Aboriginals: Art of the First Person. We try to offer items of news interest while offering bits about all the cultures we deal in. If we have not covered a subject of interest to you in this issue, check us out next time.

New Mountain Lion Carvings at ZuniLink

We have just posted a batch of new mountain lion carvings at http://www.ZuniLink.com When you visit, click on the mountain lions and more mountain lions links. And don't forget to visit Lena Boone's page and Jeff Tsalabutie's page to see new mountain lions from them.
Enjoy.
Aboriginals: Art of the First Person

Sunshine Studio reorganizes web site

Our friend and colleague in the tribal art trade, Arch Theissen, sends this notice about his gallery at Sunshine Studio:

On July 9, 2005 we began the process of updating our site to make it load faster and to make navigation and browsing easier. We started with the fetish pages, and will soon continue this process into the remainder of the site. http://www.sunshinestudio.com. We apologize in advance for any errors, any down time, or any other annoyances caused during our site reorganization.We welcome comment and criticism during our update.
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Welcome back, Arch! We wish you all the success possible. (We receive no compensation from Arch or any affiate fees. He is just a nice guy with a nice site and we like to help out. Besides, news is news.)

If you woul dlike ot subscribe to this blogletter, published by Aboriginals: Art of the Frist Person, you may do so through bloglines, feedburner, any RSS feeder or by clicking on the "sign up" icon to the left.

To visit Aboriginals' online galleries, go to
http://www.ZuniLink.com
or http://www.Native-PotteryLink.com
or http://www.AboriginalsGallery.com
or http://www.Native-JewelryLInk.com

ReOpening of IAIA Museum Store - July 15, 4 to 7 pm

More news from the New Mexico Culture Network.
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Following nearly one year of modernizations and upgrades, the IAIA Museum Store is ready to join downtown Santa Fe’s vibrant art scene in its new, expanded role as both a Museum Store and art gallery.

Located at 118 Cathedral Place, just a block removed from the historic Plaza that serves as Santa Fe’s favored destination for tourists and major art events such as the Santa Fe Indian Market, the IAIA Museum Store is downtown Santa Fe’s premier showcase for contemporary American Indian art.

To commemorate its reopening, the IAIA Museum Store is featuring work by two well-known artists: Peterson Yazzie (paintings) and Amelia Joe-Chandler (jewelry). There will also be a selection of recent Navajo Weavings.

For more details, contact the IAIA Museum Store at 505-983-8900.
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Aboriginals: Art of the First Person is pleased to bring you news about goings-on in the world of tribal art. To subscribe to this blogletter, simply use bloglines, feedburner or click on the "sign up" icon to the right.

To visit Aboriginals' online galleries go to
http://www.tribalworks.com
or http://www.ZuniLink.com
or http://www.Native-PotteryLink.com
or http://www.Native-JewelryLink.com

Millicent Rogers Museum Hosts Annual Benefit Auction & Dinner

The following announcement was received from the New Mexico Cultural Network. We thought you might be interested, even if you are not within traveling distance to Taos. Taos has a special place in our heart as we once owned a ski lodge there. We try to get there at least once a year to visit the Taos Pueblo, which is an enduring attraction in its own right. And, of course, the Millicent Rogers Museum is a special place for lovers of pueblo art.
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An Extraordinary Summer Evening

Taos, NM – Highlights of the over 100 items featured at the annual Millicent Rogers Museum Benefit Auction and Dinner include art by Bill Acheff, RC Gorman, Pat Pollard, Ron Barsano, Lydia Garcia, and Laura Robb among other local artists. Billed as an Extraordinary Summer Evening, the auction and dinner will be held at the Museum on Saturday, July 30, 2005. Richard Lampert, owner of Lampert Gallery in Santa Fe, will serve as the guest auctioneer. The Auction celebrates local art as the Museum’s primary fundraiser of the year where all proceeds and donations go directly to improving and maintaining education, programming and exhibitions.

“Attending the auction or making a donation is a wonderful way to a make a difference to the future of the Museum,” says Steve Pettit, the Curator of Collections at Millicent Rogers Museum. Pettit notes that, through the auction, the Millicent Rogers Museum remains committed to its mission to display the arts and cultures of Native American, Hispanic and Euro-American peoples of the Southwest and to educate the public about them.

The Auction will display artwork, jewelry, clothing and furnishings from renowned contemporary artists. Other artwork up for auction include a piece by Taos founding artist O.E. Berninghaus, donated by the Brenner Family, and a piece by historically significant Taos artist Frank B. Hoffman, donated by Robert L. Parsons Fine Art.

The event kicks off with the silent auction at 5:30 pm. Followed by the live auction and dinner, catered by Brett House Catering, beginning at 7:00 pm. The 2005 Benefit Auction sponsors are First State Bank of Taos, Vivác Winery, Santa Fe Vineyards, The Taos News, and Coca-Cola.

Tickets for dinner and auction cost $50.00 per person. To purchase tickets, or for more information, call (505) 758-2462, stop by the Museum (1504 Millicent Rogers Road) or purchase online at www.millicentrogers.org, where you can also make donations to the Museum.
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You may subscribe to this blogletter, published by Aboriginals: Art of the First Person through bloglines, feedburner or by clicking on the "sign up" icon to the right.

To visit Aboriginals' online galleries go to
http://www.tribalworks.com
or http://www.ZuniLink.com
or http://www.Native-JewelryLink.com
or http://www.Native-PotteryLink.com