Arts
The American Indian Contribution to the Arts
American Indian art is as old as time.... and as fresh and new as a brilliant sunrise. Many people have items in their home that are influenced by American Indian art and may not even know it. What about that great sofa with the earth-tone colors and the nifty geometric patterns? Or that favorite winter coat with chevron shapes and designs? Know anyone who has a jacket with that cool fringe on it? These are all things that have been influenced by the art of American Indian people. Many home decor items, including carpet, tile, wallpaper and curtains, get their artistry from Indigenous creative expression.
Now, onto the more obvious.... Ever seen a dream-catcher? It is quite likely you may have one yourself. Ever wore a pair of moccasins? Moccasins contributed directly to the invention of the modern tennis shoe. Have you ever seen a mandella? This has become a favorite wall hanging in many homes, and is a descendant of the plains Indian shield. Oh, and what about all that silver and turquoise jewelry you see everywhere? These are just a few of the many ancient Indigenous arts that are still thriving today.
Lastly, there are the American Indian fine arts. Beautiful world class oil, acrylic and water color paintings are the specialty of many Native artists. Others shape awe inspiring images with stone sculpture. Then there are the ancient arts. The painstaking skill of porcupine quill work, the knowledge and patience of hand weaving, and the brilliant creative patterns found in the many styles of American Indian bead-work. Let's not forget the performing arts. Native American music; complete with the cedar flute, the drum, rattles, rasps, whistles and the human voice. American Indian dance; deeply complex with countless styles, forms and with endless personal expressions with regalia. And First Nations drama; with ties from the ancient times all the way to the present. All of these arts and more have affected, influenced and contributed to many of the artistic expressions found in mainstream American society today.
American Indian art is as old as time.... and as fresh and new as a brilliant sunrise. Many people have items in their home that are influenced by American Indian art and may not even know it. What about that great sofa with the earth-tone colors and the nifty geometric patterns? Or that favorite winter coat with chevron shapes and designs? Know anyone who has a jacket with that cool fringe on it? These are all things that have been influenced by the art of American Indian people. Many home decor items, including carpet, tile, wallpaper and curtains, get their artistry from Indigenous creative expression.
Now, onto the more obvious.... Ever seen a dream-catcher? It is quite likely you may have one yourself. Ever wore a pair of moccasins? Moccasins contributed directly to the invention of the modern tennis shoe. Have you ever seen a mandella? This has become a favorite wall hanging in many homes, and is a descendant of the plains Indian shield. Oh, and what about all that silver and turquoise jewelry you see everywhere? These are just a few of the many ancient Indigenous arts that are still thriving today.
Lastly, there are the American Indian fine arts. Beautiful world class oil, acrylic and water color paintings are the specialty of many Native artists. Others shape awe inspiring images with stone sculpture. Then there are the ancient arts. The painstaking skill of porcupine quill work, the knowledge and patience of hand weaving, and the brilliant creative patterns found in the many styles of American Indian bead-work. Let's not forget the performing arts. Native American music; complete with the cedar flute, the drum, rattles, rasps, whistles and the human voice. American Indian dance; deeply complex with countless styles, forms and with endless personal expressions with regalia. And First Nations drama; with ties from the ancient times all the way to the present. All of these arts and more have affected, influenced and contributed to many of the artistic expressions found in mainstream American society today.