Museum to Screen Videos About Southern Plains Native Artists May 8, 2008

The work of three influential Native American artists of the Southern Plains is the focus of several documentary videos to be shown Thursday, May 8, 2008, at 1 p.m. at the Mitchell Museum of the American Indian, 3001 Central Street, Evanston.

The video Ella Mae Blackbear: Cherokee Basketmaker (1990, 24 minutes) shows Blackbear, a noted Oklahoma Cherokee artisan, creating a traditional basket in her home workshop. The program follows the artist as she gathers buckbrush, the basket material, and plants to be used for dyes. As she reminisces about learning the craft from her mother, she transforms the buckbrush strands into a graceful basket.

Ribbons of the Osage: The Art and Life of Georgeann Robinson (1990, 28 minutes) examines the art and life of the internationally acclaimed Osage Indian ribbonwork artist. The program shows three generations of the Robinson family as they prepare for the annual In-lon-ska dances in Pawhuska, Okla. The artist displays some of her finest work and talks about passing along Osage traditions to her children and grandchildren.

The Strength of Life: Knokovtee Scott, Creek Shellworker (1990, 28 minutes) illuminates an artist who revived the ancient art of shellwork. He is known for his purple mussel shell jewelry. His shell jewelry draws on design motifs from the Mississippian Mound culture that flourished a thousand years ago. He is shown carving and polishing shells to form beads, earrings, and crescents. The video includes a visit to the Spiro Mounds State Park in Oklahoma and excerpts from a traditional Creek Green Corn Dance.

All three videos are from the Native American Master Artists Video Series, produced by Full Circle Communications.

Mitchell Museum board members Allan and Joyce Niederman will conduct the screenings. They'll also show and discuss samples of artwork by the featured artists and by other artists working in similar styles, drawn from the museum's collection.

The event is part of the Mitchell Museum's "Film and Video Club," a monthly series of screenings of documentary and educational videos, followed by discussions. The series currently focuses on Native artists and their art.

Admission to the event is free with an entrance donation to the museum. Suggested donation is $5 for adults; $2.50 for seniors, students, and children. Maximum suggested admission per family is $10. For information, phone (847) 475-1030. On the Net: www.mitchellmuseum.org.

Event submitted by Eventful.com on behalf of natsilv.