native american art

[leatherworker]

Hey everybody!

I have a huge spirtual connection to native american art work and i was wondering if anyoe would be wiling to share their designs or what inspired them for the figures/infulence of native american art into their leather peices. if you don't want to show on the boards, you can email me.

take care

Amy

[abn]

Amy,

I haven't seen much in the way of Native American designs carved in veg-tan leather. As you're probably aware, American Indians have a long history as very adept leatherworkers, however their decorative efforts for moccasins and clothing revolved more around beads, fringe and colored dyes. Regardless, modern Indian artists are experimenting more and more with incorporating traditional designs into non-traditional materials (a good example is Preston Singletary's work in glass).

The designs I felt translated best to leather carving are those found on pottery. Two books in particular appealed to me on this subject:

1. Southwestern Pottery, Anasazi to Zuni by Allan Hayes and John Blom
   
2. Tammy Garcia, Form Without Boundaries by Benjamin Rose
   

If you're looking for designs online, you might want to google "Santa Clara Pueblo Pottery." One of the best galleries for absorbing the tremendous artistic expression of Native American artists might be Blue Rain Gallery, a site well worth visiting.

One of the few pieces I've carved was done in the Santa Clara style, and I attach it below. Lots of fun to do, but definitely a challenge to come up with an original design using another culture's aesthetics and design techniques.

I hope this information helps! Best regards, -Alex

[Beaverslayer]

Amy,

The Haida Indians would most likely be your best bet for designs to be carved into leather. Here's just a few of the pics available from doing a Google Image search for "Haida Artwork"

Ken

[candyleather]

I bought these books in www.amazon.com

Traditional Indian Bead and Leather Crafts by Monte Smith, Michele Van Sickle

Indian Designs (Native American) by David Villasenor

North American Indian Motifs CD-ROM and Book (Dover Electronic Clip Art Series)

Southwest Indian Designs CD-ROM and Book (Dover Pictorial Archives)

North American Indian Motifs: 391 Different Permission-Free Designs Printed One Side (Clip Art Series) by Maggie Kate

Edited November 18, 2007 by candyleather

[leatherworker]

thanks for all the help!! i will definatley post some pictures as soon as i get done with some practice and final pieces.

amy

[unicornwoman]

Remember to be careful describing the finished product.

I tried listing my Scale-Miniature Native American Regalia KIT (for model horses) to ebay recently, only to have them issue me a warning about the use of the words "Native American" or "Indian". Apparently, unless you are a certified member of a tribe, it is illegal to use those words describing anything you make UNLESS you also include the words "Reproduction".

As Native Americans didn't play with plastic horses, it seemed pretty obvious to me, but I have diligently gone through and added the word "reproduction" to all my various references to it anyway.

Here's the info from the government on it:

The Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990

http://www.doi.gov/iacb/act.html

[candyleather]

I tried listing my Scale-Miniature Native American Regalia KIT (for model horses) to ebay recently, only to have them issue me a warning about the use of the words "Native American" or "Indian". Apparently, unless you are a certified member of a tribe, it is illegal to use those words describing anything you make UNLESS you also include the words "Reproduction".

I don't understand. I work in Europe and I'm not a certified member of an indian tribe. Carving leather with a native american design from a book is an offense? If I sell in the USA or Europe my articles with indian desings stumped is illegal? If I use the word "Reproduction" is not an offense?

[Johanna]

You can use the designs, X, you just have to be careful that you aren't representing yourself to be a "Native American" artist unless you have the paperwork to back it up.

Johanna

[unicornwoman]

You can use the designs, X, you just have to be careful that you aren't representing yourself to be a "Native American" artist unless you have the paperwork to back it up.

Johanna

Technically, I do have Native American blood, but as I can't prove it at the moment with official tribe membership papers, I'm out-of-luck!

Back on topic, yes, you can still do Native American designs. But, you do have to be very clear in your communications that everyone understands the items you made were NOT made by a Native American in order to do USA sales. It also applies to items being resold: if they weren't made by a Native American, you have to make that clear.

Part of the issue, I think, was all the Native American style beadwork that was being made in China, imported, and then sold at USA tourist traps as ethnic.

[Red Feather]

Remember to be careful describing the finished product.

I tried listing my Scale-Miniature Native American Regalia KIT (for model horses) to ebay recently, only to have them issue me a warning about the use of the words "Native American" or "Indian". Apparently, unless you are a certified member of a tribe, it is illegal to use those words describing anything you make UNLESS you also include the words "Reproduction".

As Native Americans didn't play with plastic horses, it seemed pretty obvious to me, but I have diligently gone through and added the word "reproduction" to all my various references to it anyway.

Here's the info from the government on it:

The Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990

http://www.doi.gov/iacb/act.html

Edited January 20, 2010 by Red Feather

[Red Feather]

Aneen! (Ojibwa for Hello)

My name is Red Feather. I am Ojibwa & am an Enrolled Member of a Federally Recognized Tribe in WI.

If you are not an Enrolled Member of a Federally Recognized Tribe, you have to say that your work is "Native American STYLE". Using the word "reproduction" can get you into legal hot water if Native American style is not also used.

Native American Style means that it is NOT made by a Native American enrolled in a Federally Recognized Tribe.

Red Feather

Technically, I do have Native American blood, but as I can't prove it at the moment with official tribe membership papers, I'm out-of-luck!

Back on topic, yes, you can still do Native American designs. But, you do have to be very clear in your communications that everyone understands the items you made were NOT made by a Native American in order to do USA sales. It also applies to items being resold: if they weren't made by a Native American, you have to make that clear.

Part of the issue, I think, was all the Native American style beadwork that was being made in China, imported, and then sold at USA tourist traps as ethnic.

[budd4766]

I do a lot of Native American STYLE stuff myself. Found most of my patterns in books intended to be used for scroll saw work, such as "Fun And Easy Scroll Saw Projects" by Patrick Spielman. They're pretty easy to adapt for use in leather work.

[BillB]

Amy,

I do a lot of Native American Style designs on my work. Although I am not Native American, I grew up spending my summers in Minnesota and Canada in the 50's and 60's learning various Native American Crafts as well as Dance styles of the North Woods tribes. I have found that some of the old style bead patterns of the Woodland tribes translate well to leather. Since most of those patterns come from old black and white pictures, you have to take some liberty in coloring. I also have had good luck in translating the wood carvings and 2-Dimensional painting of the North West tribes. You can find some of my work in postings on this forum under my name "BillB". Here are some references that I use:

Indian Crafts by Dr. Bernard Mason @ 1950 (No longer in print)

Indian Dances by Dr. Bernard Mason @ 1950 (No longer in print)

Learning By Doing - Northwest Cost Native Indian Art by Karin Clark and Jim Gilbert, Ravin Publishing

Learning By Design - Pacific Northwest Coast Native Indian Art Volumes 1 & 2 by Jim Gilbert and Karin Clark, Ravin Publishing

Looking at Totem Poles by Hilary Stewart, University of Washington Press.

Looking at Indian Art of the Northwest Coast by Hilary Stewart, University of Washington Press

Northwest Coast Indian Art an Analysis of Form by Bill Holm. University of Wshington Press

Totem Poles of the Pacific Northwest Coast by Edward Malin, Timber Press

Craft Manual of Northwest Indian Beading by George M. White,

Beading in the Native American Tradition by David Dean, Interweave Press

Ojibwa Crafts by Carrie A. Lyford, R.Schneider, Publishing

My recommendation is that you study and understand the art form before you go too far. This is to be respectful of the ones who created and mastered this art form. In the carvings and paintings of the Pacific Northwest you will find that there are some basic rules practiced that are common across several variations of that form from the southern tribes to the northern tribes. This is no different than in painting by the european masters where there are various style.

You have already received posting from Red Feather about representation of your work as Native American Style. Even without the law, this would be in respect of the Masters of this art form. No different than doing a painting in the style of Picaso (spelling?) or Rembrandt.

[leatherman1457]

here is a small sample of "Native American Style" projects that I have done. All are made of leather and all are made with no patterns except the belt and that pattern was found in the belt book by Al Stholman.all of the feathers are made in 3-D and made in the dance bustle of the Southern plains stlye all mirrors are covered in leather and tool and the mirror in the white buffalo is etched with a mini sand blaster.The point I am getting at is you can creat your own patterns to make anything you want. some of my next projects will be egyptian and I will creat my own patterns. the only thing hold you back is your imagination and you just need to open tthe door to your imaganition and let it do what it want to do and all you need to do is l;et it go and get ready for the ride. you might be amused as to where it can lead you.

[HoosierQ]

This is inspired by a Hopi Bear fetish.

My link

Edited March 29, 2010 by HoosierQ