Ja:göh to Clifford C. Redeye III who submitted his “Rez 1’s” and was awarded First Place in the Innovative New Arts and Best of Division for Innovative Arts.
These moccasins pay homage to traditional moccasins, sneaker culture, and basketball. I’ve been wanting to do moccasins that are different but still had that traditional feel. The soles of the Moccasins represent all of the Hodinöhsö:ni’ Nations and I also incorporated a turtle with the basketball on his back to represent the games influence around the world. Basketball is also a big part of my life and I enjoy playing each week at week at the ACC (Allegany Community Center) our Nations community center.
These moccasins are made of deer hide, elk hide and vegetable tanned leather. The shoe box is made of veg tanned leather and braided deer hide lace. All of the artwork on the moccasins and box are hand carved, tooled, and dyed. The “shoe tissue paper” is a piece of smoke hide that I messed up and it turned out to be almost like a parchment, so I thought that would work perfect to wrap them moccasins.
Our second local artist to submit and place is Tami Watt! She won First Place in Photography and Best of Division for 2D for her photograph “They Are Always with Us” (pictured above) expresses the bond between two Seneca sisters in the middle of winter in their deer clan longhouse. Surrounded by love, laughter, and their ancestors, they sing their favorite songs as they help their family gear up for spring. The deer tracks represent their family clan and ancestors that still guide and encourage our traditions. The swirls represent ancient beadwork patterns that are still used today. Even in modern times, our traditions, ancestors and desire to honor our culture is still with us and the next seven generations.
