‘Big Chief' is a sly debut about drama in Native American politics
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Boston Globe
7 hours ago
- Boston Globe
An artist's life: Building a house, brick by brick
The artist, 36, knows the perils children can face. She and her mother were unhoused when she entered Cambridge Rindge & Latin School as a high school freshman. After a period of stability, they lost housing again her senior year. Advertisement 'I left for college from our homeless shelter with two bags from the Salvation Army,' Lisle said. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up But she had a spirit-saving art teacher at Rindge & Latin, Deborah Haverty. 'The extra emotional support I got from her was instrumental in me having the confidence and skill to be able to start' as an artist, Lisle said. She majored in sculpture at Skidmore College. Today, all her luminous murals and smaller-scale paintings and sculptures depict mythic animals teeming with energy. Andromeda Lisle's sculpture "Uktena," a horned serpent from Cherokee folklore, at her home studio in Cambridge. Jonathan Wiggs/Globe Staff Where to find her : Originally from : Lisle was born in Wisconsin. Her family moved several times before they landed in the Boston area when she was 13. Lives in : Cambridge Advertisement Making a living : In addition to mural commissions, the artist has sold her work on Etsy and at craft fairs. 'It's definitely not a living wage. But I am grateful for the success I do have because most artists struggle to get anywhere in the world,' she said. She suffers from debilitating migraines, and Social Security Disability Insurance supplements her income. Andromeda Lisle's Medicine Pouches at her home studio in Cambridge. Jonathan Wiggs/Globe Staff Studio : It's 'a bedroom in my apartment that I share with my weasels,' ferrets Ozma and Caboose. 'I have to keep my studio in shape because Ozma knows parkour,' the artist said. What she makes : In all of Lisle's art, animal forms cascade with patterns that reference cellular structure and Indigenous mythology. Her inspirations come from her background; she identifies as Black, Irish, and Cherokee. 'Not just the indigenous heritage, but the Celtic and the African American – all these cultures around the world have a deep reverence for animals,' she said. Andromeda Lisle's paint brushes and other items photographed at her home studio in Cambridge. Jonathan Wiggs/Globe Staff How she works : Health accommodations are crucial 'I let people know ahead of time I am prone to migraines, and that's why I give large time estimates for projects, to give myself leeway,' Lisle said. An animal's silhouette is 'a hard design process,' she said. 'When I start doing the stuff inside the silhouette, that just comes as it comes. ' Andromeda Lisle's mosaic, Tranquility Artwork by Andromeda Lisle, Photo courtesy of Mosaika Art & Design Advice for artists : 'Have hope. Don't give up,' Lisle said. 'Do you blame the trees for not producing fruit year-round? Do you get upset with an acorn you planted that's not an oak the next day? 'It's building a house brick by brick by brick,' she continued. 'If you stick to it, even if it takes time, that will be a foundation that will last you for your life.' Advertisement
15 hours ago
The last dance? Organizers of North America's largest powwow say 2026 will be the event's final year
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- For decades, tens of thousands of people have descended upon Albuquerque for what is billed as North America's largest powwow, a celebration showcasing Indigenous dancers, musicians and artisans from around the world. Organizers announced Saturday that 2026 will be the last time the cultural event is held, saying via email and social media that it will end after 43 years without providing details on the decision. 'There comes a time,' Gathering of Nations Ltd. said in a statement. The official poster for the 2026 event features the words 'The Last Dance.' Organizers did not immediately respond to phone and email messages seeking comment. The New Mexico fairgrounds have hosted the powwow since 2017, but it's unclear whether the venue would be available for future events given that the state is considering redeveloping the site. There also has been criticism over the years by some Native Americans who said Gathering of Nations organizers were capitalizing on Indigenous culture. Organizers dismissed those claims, saying the money raised goes toward the expenses of putting on the event. While offering spectators a glimpse into Indigenous cultures, large powwows like the one in Albuquerque have become more commercialized events with prize money for dancing and drumming competitions. For some Native American leaders, it can be a struggle to keep traditional cultural practices and commercial powwows from being lumped into the same category. There have been efforts to focus on promoting smaller powwows that are held in tribal communities. At Gathering of Nations, the signature event is the grand entry, in which a colorful procession of dancers spirals into the center of an arena. Participants wear elaborate regalia — some with jingling bells and others with feathers — and dance to rhythmic drumming. The event also features the crowning of Miss Indian World, as well as horse parades in which riders are judged on the craftsmanship of their intricately beaded adornments or feathered headdresses and how well they work with their steeds.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
The last dance? Organizers of North America's largest powwow say 2026 will be the event's final year
Gathering of Nations ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — For decades, tens of thousands of people have descended upon Albuquerque for what is billed as North America's largest powwow, a celebration showcasing Indigenous dancers, musicians and artisans from around the world. Organizers announced Saturday that 2026 will be the last time the cultural event is held, saying via email and social media that it will end after 43 years without providing details on the decision. 'There comes a time,' Gathering of Nations Ltd. said in a statement. The official poster for the 2026 event features the words 'The Last Dance.' Organizers did not immediately respond to phone and email messages seeking comment. The New Mexico fairgrounds have hosted the powwow since 2017, but it's unclear whether the venue would be available for future events given that the state is considering redeveloping the site. There also has been criticism over the years by some Native Americans who said Gathering of Nations organizers were capitalizing on Indigenous culture. Organizers dismissed those claims, saying the money raised goes toward the expenses of putting on the event. While offering spectators a glimpse into Indigenous cultures, large powwows like the one in Albuquerque have become more commercialized events with prize money for dancing and drumming competitions. For some Native American leaders, it can be a struggle to keep traditional cultural practices and commercial powwows from being lumped into the same category. There have been efforts to focus on promoting smaller powwows that are held in tribal communities. At Gathering of Nations, the signature event is the grand entry, in which a colorful procession of dancers spirals into the center of an arena. Participants wear elaborate regalia — some with jingling bells and others with feathers — and dance to rhythmic drumming. The event also features the crowning of Miss Indian World, as well as horse parades in which riders are judged on the craftsmanship of their intricately beaded adornments or feathered headdresses and how well they work with their steeds.
