THREE BEAUTIFUL WOMEN

More than three beautiful women. 

First, all you have to do is look in the mirror just to remind yourself that all of us are beautiful on the inside. It shines through. You may have a talent for bringing people together, you may have writing or artistic skills, you may be a talented cook, you may know how to listen. In all those things, you are beautiful. There are many women to celebrate and today I want to look at some we've missed.

Christi Belcourt and other native women artists

 Women artists often moved under museums' radar, but in the last two years, an exhibit celebrating the work of Indigenous women artists traveled the country. The Minnesota Institute of Art displayed the work of these artists, and, lucky for us, we can still see the exhibit, which went online during the pandemic. Hearts of our People: Native Women Artists not only highlights the work of these artists but offers videos that explore the motivations of the artists as they continue their family traditions or use those traditions as foundations for their art. As one interesting book, Manidoominens, says, "beadwork after 10,000 years." One of the artists is Christi Belcourt, who paints large acrylic paintings that look like beadwork and also leads community-based projects such as "Walking with Our Sisters," a visual commemoration of murdered and missing indigenous women.

Photos courtesy of the Minneapolis Institute of Art

In one of the galleries, showing the work of Christi Belcourt

Della Wells

Another American artist, Della Wells constructs collage from scraps of magazines and other papers, which she uses to tell stories revolving around her personal experiences. Y. York, a playwright, wrote a play, "Don't Tell Me I Can't Fly," about Ms. Wells, which debuted in 2011. The title tells a lot about Ms. Wells' perseverance.

"Come" by Della Wells, courtesy of Main St. Gallery, Clayton, GA

Toko Shinoda

At the beginning of this week, the New York Times ran a full-page obituary about Toko Shinoda, a female artist from Japan. She was 107 when she died and looked as elegant as she did when I met her briefly in Tokyo. Her name is not well-known here, but she rated that full-page piece because she was considered one of the masters of contemporary art in Japan.

When we lived in Japan between 1998 and 2001, I belonged to a group called CWAJ, which each year held a print show of artists working and living in Japan. All the works (over 200) were for sale, and it was a good way to buy silkscreens, wood block prints, and other printmaking work. Each year Toko Shinoda placed one of her lithographs for sale. Her work is based on the calligraphy she learned as a child combined with the influences of the Abstract Expressionists in New York City who she knew when she lived there. At the CWAJ show she came across as kind and humble. Her prints often show the contrast between strength and delicacy. The Empress would come early to make a selection and she would always pick one of Shinoda's prints.

Photos courtesy of Seizan Gallery

See Christi Belcourt's work at:

http://christibelcourt.com

Watch the short video, Walking With our Sisters, which commemorates the lives of murdered and missing indigenous women.

http://christibelcourt.com/walking-with-our-sisters/

See a small portion of Shinoda's work here:

https://seizan-gallery.com/toko-shinoda

See work by Della Wells, a collage artist:

https://mainstreetgallery.net/portfolio-item/della-wells/

An online tour of Hearts of Our People exhibit:

https://new.artsmia.org/hearts-of-our-people-native-women-artists/

Interested in supporting Indigenous artists, check out the gift shop at AICO (American Indian Community Housing Organization):

https://www.indigenousfirst.org

Poster & Cover for Take A Stand by Votan for NSRGNTS &
AICHO & Honor the Earth
"Ganawenjiige Onigam", Caring for Duluth in the Objibwe language