Seminole Artists: Modern Masters of Tradition Exhibit Opens

By Judy Weeks

BIG CYPRESS — An impressive audience of Seminole Tribal citizens, museum visitors, artists and their families gathered at the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum on Jan. 28 for the opening of a new exhibit. Seminole Artists: Modern Masters of Tradition suggests that the viewert take a journey with the artists to gain a genuine Seminole perspective on life, art and culture.

As the doors opened on this spectacular array of artistic expression generated by eight Seminole artists, the suggestion became a reality. The crowd slowly worked their way through a wide variety of artistic mediums, each evoking an in depth study of the artist’s intentions and thought provoking results.

Tina Osceola, executive director of museums for the Seminole Tribe made the opening presentation.

“I am very proud to be able to welcome you today to this awesome expression of incredible art and talent,” she said. “Since starting at the museum in 2004, I have worked with my staff to develop a program that would permit an exhibition of this magnitude once a year. Hopefully this will initiate a traveling exhibit that will express Seminole culture, history and art.

“As you make your way through the gallery today, please take time to watch the short presentation on film that will introduce you personally to the artists and give you some perspective on their individual creative talents.”

Before proceeding, Osceola asked Museum Director Anne McCudden to come forward for a special awards presentation.

McCudden announced: “The Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum recently held an essay contest to challenge the students in the Broward County Schools. There were separate topics assigned to the three age groups and we were delighted to have approximately 75 applicants. Our five member museum committee spent a great deal of time reading and reviewing each entry before finally making a selection of the winners.”

McCudden gave a brief outline of the contest before announcing the winners.

“Alberto Mascarenas took first place in the ‘If I Were a Seminole Child a Hundred Years Ago’ which was assigned to the seven to nine year olds. ‘The Modern Seminole Tribe of Florida’ topic was tackled by the 13 to 18 year olds. Grant Starson had the winning essay and Robert Holness was the first runner up.”

Continuing McCudden noted that the two winners of the 10 to 12 year old group who had submitted ‘My Favorite Person in Seminole History’ were in attendance. Calling them forward, she acknowledged their achievements by presenting them with plaques. First place winner Ashley Drucker had written about Billy Bowlegs and Cianna Rivera was awarded as the runner up.

“These youngsters have done an outstanding job and their work can be viewed on the wall opposite the Artists’ Exhibit,” she remarked.

After a round of applause congratulating the winners, Osceola invited the audience to sojourn to the boardwalk immediately outside the rear entrance to partake of some wonderful samples of Seminole cuisine prepared especially for this occasion.

Opening a graphically adorned, leather cache displaying his likeness, Grammy® award winning artist Micki Free gave a very informative discourse on the importance of his hand made wooden flutes. He said they are not only as a musical art form, but a spiritual expression of the Native American culture.

Prior to each rendition, he identified the wood used in the instrument to produce a specific tone and described the story behind the presentation. As he skillfully transformed these hollow pieces of wood into beautiful melodies with haunting notes, he transported the listeners into another time and place that echoed an illustrious past.

By way of introduction, each of the eight artists were photographed and a short statement regarding their achievements or aspirations are on display within the exhibit. Observing the artist offers additional insight into each of their art forms.

After spending considerable time viewing the exhibit, Big Cypress Board Representative Paul Bowers remarked: “I never cease to be amazed by the extent of the artistic talent that lies within our culture. I have known some of these people all their lives without realizing how creative they really are. It makes me very happy to see the museum is promoting this very worthwhile project of exhibiting their work and in some ways preserving it for future generations.”

At 21 years of age, Jessica Osceola expresses herself in several mediums. A student at Florida Gulf Coast University in Naples, Fla., she has spent long hours in the studio developing her artistic venue.

Osceola has a particular fondness for creating welded sculptures as well as some exceptional ceramics. On display are a series of metal rings and some magnificent multifaceted balls created from large spikes. Using a Miller brand welder, she shows exceptional talent and is a stickler on precision and uniformity. Transporting her welded pieces to Tampa, she has them powder-coated which produces an extraordinary finish.

Her “Evolution of a Tube Sponge” and “Seminole Pueblo Pot” pieces show a great deal of imagination in the world of ceramics.

“Through studying the culture of the Pueblo Indians... I came up with this piece,” she said. “It is a personal growth piece which has a figure of a Seminole child, and as the pattern wraps around the pot the girl grows into a Seminole woman.”

Elgin Jumper, 41, is both an accomplished artist and writer. A frequent contributor to The Seminole Tribune, he has shared his thoughts, poems and creativity with many appreciative people. His museum exhibits show a great deal of variety. Ranging from his portrait of Geronimo to the Seminole patchwork incorporated in “Crows Vision,” his work is extremely thought provoking, if not very clever. Examining his artistic endeavors, you can’t help but realize that he has just begun to express himself.

Vibrant colors and bold strokes make Jimmy Osceola’s acrylics jump off the canvas. Whether viewing “Stomp Dancer,” “Ball Game” or “Medicine Man,” the viewer can feel the power and emotion that went into the creation of these art works. Somehow, he has captured a moment in the culture of the Seminole people and preserved it for future generations.

The multimedia of Pedro Zepeda shows the spiritual side of family and tradition. His ceramics depict the importance and strength that we draw from our roots and the evolution of the Native American culture.

He writes, “ ‘The Corn Woman’ represents the source of our corn and sustenance.”

It is truly a remarkable piece of work and must be viewed to be appreciated.

Gordon Oliver Wareham is a self proclaimed shutterbug, who loves telling stories with his camera. While he is particularly fascinated with nature, he is very adept at capturing the essence of the people that he photographs.

A perfectionist, Wareham spent two months creating “Cloud Dancers.” First, he captured the sky and clouds ablaze with the fire of sunset. Then he cut out pictures he had taken of pow-wow dancers and distributed them throughout the cloud formations.

Re-arranging his dancers over and over, he eventually felt that he had made the connection that he had been striving so hard to achieve. Then he began the arduous task of infusing the dancers images into the clouds. The end result was magnificent.

Whether working in pen and ink, wood, ceramic or behind the lens of a camera, Brian Zepeda shows exceptional talent. “Human Seeds and Plant Seeds-The Beginning of Life” tells the story of the universe in simple terms, but with great magnitude.

Especially intrigued with landscapes and nature, Zepeda has braved some extremely adverse conditions to get the perfect shot and we are fortunate that he is willing to share his accomplishments with everyone.

Artist and silversmith, Samuel Tommie has taken his talents in many directions. Whether using pencil, acrylic, watercolor, wood, stone or metals, he finds great satisfaction in attempting to express himself. His portraits and pictures show great cultural influence and awareness. Working with wood, he does artistic carving, as well as canoe building and fashioning totem poles. As a silversmith, Tommie has become very adept at creating one of a kind jewelry.

Two large glass cases protect the awesome beaded bandolier bags fashioned by Carol Cypress. An expert in beadwork, she confided that it takes approximately one year to make a bag. If she stayed focused and drove herself, it might be possible to achieve one within six or seven months, but the quality would probably be sacrificed. This would be unacceptable to her and after all, the end result is worth waiting for.

Pointing to the bandolier on the left, she said her designs just suddenly materialize.

“This one show the vine with its leaves and cocoons trailing down one side,” Cypress said. “The butterflies and flowers on the opposite side show the progression of life. Those red flowers are fashioned after the hibiscus in my yard.”

Turning to her right, she remarked: “The Seminole people use a lot of diamond shapes and the scroll work is from some very detailed beadwork that I wanted to duplicate.”

“I am currently working on a piece that includes a design I saw several years ago, she went on to say. “Billy and I had been asked to attend the opening of an historical park up near Tampa. I saw pieces of pottery fragments that had been created by the prehistoric Native American culture of the Weeden Island people. I couldn’t get their designs out of my head and decided I wanted to memorialize these people by recreating their artwork on one of my beaded pieces. Some day I plan to return to Weeden Island and study these ancient people in greater depth.”

In some ways, Richard Bowers echoed her sentiments.

“As I view the work of our Seminole artists, I see an attempt to capture the spirit of our past and preserve it for the future,” Bowers said. “We catch a glimpse of the history of the Native American cultures when we see the paintings of the ancient ones on the rock walls of the Southwest, the ornately carved totem poles of the Northwest, the bone and shell carvings, metal amulets beadwork, jewelry, leatherwork and pottery created by our ancestors.”

Bowers concluded by saying: “It makes me very proud to see the younger generations attempting to capture the spirit of our culture so that it will not be lost. The museum is doing a magnificent job of attempting to preserve our unwritten history and traditions. The arts and crafts of our people must be carried on so that the talent will not be lost in future generations. These artists are an inspiration and through them we will live forever.”