NAYTAHWAUSH — We don't always see the artists among us.
Painters, quilters, basketmakers, and musicians often work quietly, out of view. The exhibit “Minwaajimowinan – Good Stories” places a spotlight on the Naytahwaush community.
Naytahwaush, located on the White Earth Nation in northwest Minnesota, has a population of about 500 people. Artist Kent Estey, who grew up in the community and still lives there, said he noticed the only time Naytahwaush made the news was when something tragic happened.
“And I said, you know, there's lots of good stories. There are beautiful people here. There are beautiful children and this is a beautiful place," he said.
Estey said he believes he’s been preparing for this exhibit for 40 years, collecting photos and interviewing elders in the community. He said he's always been interested in the people who make up Naytahwaush.
The first edition of “Naytahwaush: Faces, Stories, and Artists” was displayed at the Gizhiigin Arts Incubator in Mahnomen a few years ago. It featured 45 different artists and was well received.
“People were amazed because all of a sudden they were being introduced to these people that they didn't know were artists," Estey said. "It was good for everybody to see ... this exhibit and experience this exhibit and see something positive coming from our little communities.”
It wasn’t easy, Estey explained, for some of the participants. Some didn’t think of themselves as artists even though they’ve created for most of their lives.
One artist, Mary Turner, has been a textile artist for more than 60 years. Estey said according to Turner, he is the first person who gave her permission to call herself an artist. Estey also noticed other featured artists visiting the exhibit would break out in huge smiles seeing their names followed by “artist.”
After the exhibit in Mahnomen concluded, Watermark Art Center reached out to Estey about bringing it to their space. Knowing it would be difficult to bring all 45 artists' work to another building, Estey decided to reimagine what the exhibit would be.
Family became the focus. Some are three, four or even five generations of artists. The exhibit also features rotating photos of the community from the thousands of photos Estey has collected.
“If [people] know Naytahwaush, they're probably going to recognize someone in this exhibit. They're going to see their grandparents, their great-grandparents, maybe their children — maybe they're going to see themselves in this exhibit, and I hope they do.”
Many mediums are featured, including paintings, birch bark baskets, black ash baskets, contemporary and traditional fashion, regalia, beadwork, blankets, quilts, pelts, hats, arrow quiver, dolls and more. The age of the artists ranges from 20 to 96 years old.
“As I walk through the exhibit, I can hear my family's voices. I can hear the words of my grandmother, I can hear my father and him pounding log for his baskets, and I can hear my brother's voices in this exhibit and the people of my community that I have known since forever. I can hear them speaking in this exhibit. I hope that others come and feel the same thing and can hear those voices as well,” Estey said.
There will be a reception for the exhibit 3-5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 14. Not only will Estey talk about the families featured, but two musicians from Naytahwaush will also perform. Doyle Turner will play songs from his upcoming album about Naytahwaush, and piano prodigy Jayme Littlewolf will also perform.
What Estey said he hopes visitors take from the exhibit is the good stories that can come out of a community.
Estey said, “I want them to remember Naytahwaush for the beautiful blankets, the beautiful paintings, the beadwork, the stories, the songs, the music. That's what I want them to remember.”
Tell us about upcoming arts events where you live in Northern Minnesota by emailing psa@kaxe.org.
Area Voices is made possible by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund and the citizens of Minnesota.
