EarthSong - Spring 2024 by Heard Museum

earth song HEARD MUSEUM MEMBERSHIP MAGAZINE

SPRING 2024

HEARD MUSEUM, HEARD MUSEUM SHOP BOARD OF TRUSTEES John Coggins

Chair

Karen Abraham

Vice-Chair

Ginger Sykes Torres

Secretary

Scott Montgomery

Treasurer

David M. Roche

Dickey Family Director and CEO

TRUSTEES Tony Astorga

Gov. Stephen R. Lewis

Nadine Basha

Marigold Linton

Jeri Y. Ben-Horin

John F. Lomax

Gregory H. Boyce

John Lucas

Susan Esco Chandler

Janis Lyon

Adrian Cohen

John Melamed

Dr. Craig Cohen

John Miller, Guild President

Judy Dworkin John Furth John Graham Joe Gysel Sharron Lewis

Paige Rothermel Christy Vezolles

Open Every Day, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Closed Easter Sunday, Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day & Christmas Day Main: 602.252.8840 Events Hotline: 602.252.8848 Shop: 602.252.8344 or 1.800.252.8344

THE COURTYARD CAFÉ Visit heard.org/dining for availability. 602.251.0204

COFFEE CANTINA Open Every Day, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

WE APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT OF THESE SPONSORS:

Frank Walter III Trudy Wiesenberger Partial funding provided by the Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture through appropriations from the Phoenix City Council.

LIFE TRUSTEES Kay Benedict

Frederick A. Lynn

Arlene K. Ben-Horin

Carol Ann Mackay

Howard R. Berlin Dr. George Blue Spruce, Jr. Mark B. Bonsall

James Meenaghan

Robert B. Bulla

2301 N. Central Ave. Phoenix, AZ 85004

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Kim Alexis Adversario

Membership & Circles Manager

Clint J. Magnussen

Sarah Moore

Graphic Design

Robert L. Matthews

Sean Ornelas

Director of Marketing & Communications

Deborah Paddison

Copy Editing

Mary Ellen McKee

F. Wesley Clelland, III

Dr. Wayne Lee Mitchell

Norma Jean Coulter

Susan H. Navran

Robert J. Duffy

Scott H. O’Connor

Mary G. Hamilton

Dr. Arthur L. Pelberg

Patricia K. Hibbeler

Leland Peterson

Joel P. Hoxie

Wick Pilcher

Mary Hudak

David E. Reese

Dr. Thomas M. Hudak

William C. Schubert

Carrie L. Hulburd

Sheryl L. Sculley

James R. Huntwork

Richard H. Silverman

Edward F. Lowry

John G. Stuart

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Kim Alexis Adversario, Velma Kee Craig, Kelly Gould, Mario Nick Klimiades, Lucia Leigh Laughlin, Ann Marshall, Roshii Montaño, Diana F. Pardue, David M. Roche, Jack Schwimmer

Cover: Maria Martinez with the jar she shaped and Julian painted in 1942. Photograph by Jerry Jacka, 1976. Back Cover: Maria and Julian Martinez. Black-on-black plate, c. 1935–1943, 11 ¼-inch diameter. California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco. Elkus Collection. CAS 0370-0329.

The Heard Museum is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization incorporated in the State of Arizona. Exhibition, event and program funding provided in part by the Arizona Commission on the Arts, the Arizona Humanities Council, the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture.

EarthSong 2

Letter From the Director

On View Now

Heart of the Community: Baskets from the Basha Family Collection of American Indian Art

Maria & Modernism

Behind the Scenes in the Library and Archives: Norman L. Sandfield

The Andrew W. Mellon Fellowship at the Heard Museum

Sandra Day O’Connor: Decades of Support and Guidance for the Heard Museum

There's a New Jackrabbit in Town

Your Impact at the Heard Museum

Artist Fund

Indian Fair & Market

Moondance 2023: An Evening to Remember

Featured Item: Spectacular Tsosie Bracelet

Introducing the Heard’s New Board Chair

SPRING 2024

LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR

Dear Members, For the past year, the Heard Museum has been working on developing a new five-year strategic plan to guide us through our centennial anniversary in 2029. The prior strategic plan was designed to guide the museum through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic while protecting and preserving a national treasure. At the close of 2022, with the museum thriving and operating within a more stabilized environment, it was time to embrace a new strategic direction that will guide the museum into its centennial year. The Heard engaged Stephanie Small from Synergy Partners Consulting in a robust strategic planning process that engaged staff, volunteers, trustees and other stakeholders with interviews, convenings and surveys. We dedicated hundreds of hours to inclusive brainstorming, reflection, discussions and writing, and we’re delighted to share with our Members the results of this effort. To begin, the process prompted an important reconsideration of the museum’s current mission and vision statements. The mission statement is our reason for being and defines what sets the Heard apart from others. After much thoughtful deliberation, we developed a new mission statement:

The Heard Museum connects Indigenous creativity to the world by presenting the voice and vision of American Indian artists. Creativity has been essential to the success of Indigenous cultures and has contributed in important ways to the American experience. Creative thinking is among the highest expressions of mental functioning, driving progress and innovation. As the largest private museum in the world dedicated to American Indian art, history and culture, we have a deep appreciation for the role of Indigenous creativity in shaping identities, communities, destinies and even time itself. As part of the new strategic plan, the Heard Museum will center creativity in its interpretive approach to exhibitions, publications and programs. Our goal is to connect the world to Indigenous creativity and to bring greater objectivity to the evaluation and understanding of past and present Indigenous creative practices and, in doing so, engage, inspire and educate multitudes. The strategic plan also includes a new vision statement, which expresses how the world will be changed when we achieve our mission. Informing the creation of the vision statement was a deep conversation among stakeholders about the need to strengthen through our work the notion of a shared humanity, one that allows us to show our audiences the way different cultures address mutual concerns and foster mutual respect and understanding through art and creativity. Our new vision statement is:

We envision a world where Indigenous creativity thrives and fosters mutual respect and understanding.

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To this strategic plan we also added core values. Our core values define who we are as an organization, aid in our decision-making, and guide how we treat each other and all whom we serve. Here are our core values and how we interpret them:

Integrity •

We are authentic in all our relationships and take responsibility for ourselves and others.

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Exhibitions and programs are verified and reliably accurate.

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We are transparent and fiscally responsible.

Excellence •

The quality and scholarship of our work are uncompromising.

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We have the courage to present the full and authentic story of American Indian art and history.

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We operate according to national standards and best practices to ensure sound stewardship of our collections.

Innovation & Creativity •

Through collaboration and trusting relationships, we develop new ways of presenting American Indian art, emphasizing its intersections with broader artistic cultural themes.

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We are respectful, and everyone is encouraged and empowered to share their ideas, work, vision and voice.

Service •

We are dedicated to creating a more diverse, equitable, accessible and inclusive workplace.

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We have a spirit of reciprocity, where everyone is in service to each other, the artists, Members, visitors, donors and the Native and greater community.

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We have a special commitment to the Akimel O’odham.

The strategic plan also includes seven overarching strategic priorities, each connecting to our new mission and vision statements as well as our core values. Each of these priorities has a member of the executive staff who is a goal champion and is responsible for creating action plans and metrics for success. I have great confidence in the Heard team to implement this new plan and look forward to achieving our goals over the next five years. Members will, as always, be essential to supporting our work and bringing it to life.

David M. Roche Dickey Family Director and CEO

SPRING 2024

On View Now

Opens Feb. 23, 2024

Open through Feb. 2025

Open through March 2024

Ongoing

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COM I NG SOON

ART & SOLE

HARRY FONSECA

Open through April 2024

Opens May 2024

Ongoing

SPRING 2024

ON EXHIBIT

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Heart of the

Community

Baskets from the Basha Family Collection of American Indian Art ANN MARSHALL, PHD | DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH

n Oct. 9, at a special event held on Indigenous Peoples Day, the family of Eddie Basha Jr. announced their gift of the Eddie Basha Collection of American Indian Art to the Heard Museum’s permanent collection. The event included remarks by Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs and Gila River Indian Community Governor Stephen Roe Lewis, who is also a Heard Museum trustee. In his remarks, Heard Museum Dickey Family Director & CEO David M. Roche said, “Eddie supported many tribal organizations, a fact that is not well-known off the reservations. Indeed, Eddie was the quintessential philanthropist, giving without asking for recognition or acclaim.”

Eddie Basha began collecting art in 1971. The Basha collection has been shared with the public in the Zelma Basha Salmeri Gallery at the Bashas’ corporate headquarters in Chandler since 1992. The gallery name honors Eddie Basha’s aunt Zelma, who encouraged his appreciation of the arts. He combined that appreciation with his interest in history, a subject in which he received his bachelor’s degree from Stanford University.

Baskets, ceramics, katsina doll carvings and jewelry of exceptional quality are all part of this major gift. We will be sharing the artworks with our visitors through a series of exhibitions, beginning with baskets on Feb. 2, 2024. The exhibition is titled Heart of the Community: Baskets from the Basha Family Collection of American Indian Art. The title recognizes not only Eddie Basha Jr.’s dedication to the good of the many communities

Speaking with Nadine Basha, a Heard Museum trustee, she noted that her interest in collecting baskets sparked an interest in that particular art form on the part of her husband. Their shared interest was based on an appreciation of the partnership the weavers had with nature and the way in which weavers created works of both function and beauty. Eddie’s regard for Arizona history also influenced his selections, as many of the

LEFT: Artist Once Known, Western Apache, Polychrome basket, c. 1920. Willow, martynia, yucca root, 15.5 x 12 inches. Gift of the Basha Family Collection. ABOVE RIGHT: Artist Once Known, Akimel O’odham, Bowl basket, c. 1900. Willow, martynia, cattail, 8 x 20 inches. Gift of the Basha Family Collection.

he was part of, but also the meaning the baskets carry, expressing the creation of beauty in American Indian communities of which art is an integral part—the heart of the community.

SPRING 2024

ON EXHIBIT baskets he collected were woven in the late 1800s and the early decades of the 1900s. As international collecting of these baskets grew, Eddie became concerned that many baskets were being taken far from Arizona. He wanted to see the art remain here and be shown near the communities in which it was created. Collecting the baskets made by Akimel O’odham weavers is particularly close to the history of Bashas’ grocery stores. The Akimel O’odham were among Bashas’ stores’ first customers. Johnny Basha, senior vice president at Bashas’ Corporation, said that “The Pima were our founders’ first customers in what is now called Ocotillo but in the [19]30s was the town of Goodyear …. Eddie’s father, uncle and aunts all traded with the Pimas. In those days, wood stoves were common, and the Pimas would bring in mesquite wood to trade for groceries. Eddie’s late aunt would sing him songs in the Pima language. Many times I heard Eddie telling others the story of our roots with Native people beginning with the Pimas.” In addition to Akimel O’odham, baskets in the collection are creations of Western Apache and Yavapai weavers. The baskets were woven at a time when weavers were fully exploring their art form, creating designs important to their lives and cultural traditions. Inspired by the popularity of the Arts and Crafts Movement, collectors wanted to incorporate baskets into their home décor. Weavers responded with larger baskets, using dyes to add color to the natural willow and martynia fibers. Their designs also honored the animals that were so important to their lives. A few weavers even included camels, which had been imported to the Southwest by the U.S. Army prior to the Civil War. The baskets reflect weavers at the height of their skills, expert in their knowledge of how to gather and prepare their materials. Many of the baskets in the collection come from a time when the artists were not known by name. An exception are the baskets woven by Virginia S. Newton, Tonto Apache (Camp Verde/Yavapai), an Arizona Living Treasure Award recipient. We will be showing those baskets and hope that in researching and sharing the baskets with our visitors, more weavers’ names will come to light. They truly are the heart of their communities. TOP TO BOTTOM: Artist Once Known (Yavapai), Pictorial basket, early 1900s. Willow, martynia, 3.5 x 16.5 inches. Gift of the Basha Family Collection. Artist Once Known (Western Apache), Polychrome basket, early 1900s. Willow, martynia, yucca root bark, 4.25 x 15 inches. Gift of the Basha Family Collection. Artist Once Known (Akimel O’odham), Se:he’e Ki (Elder Brother’s house, or “Man in the Maze”), early 1900s. Willow, martynia, cattail, 4 x 12 inches. Gift of the Basha Family Collection.

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We will be showing those baskets and hope that in researching and sharing the baskets with our visitors, more weavers’ names will come to light.

ABOVE, RIGHT: Artist Once Known, Yavapai, Pictorial tray with camels, early 1900s. Willow, martynia, 3 x 20 inches. Gift of the Basha Family Collection. Virginia S. Newton (Apache, 19152004), Polychrome basket, c. 1950. Willow, martynia, yucca root bark, 16.5 x 14.5 inches. Gift of the Basha Family Collection.

SPRING 2024

ON EXHIBIT

ROSHII MONTAÑO | ASSISTANT REGISTRAR & DIANA F.PARDUE | CHIEF CURATOR

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rticulated through traditional Tewa continuities in clay and pronounced technical refinement in form, the career of San Ildefonso Pueblo artist Maria Montoya Martinez (1887-1980) amassed widespread national and international acclaim. Her pottery was sought by collectors throughout the U.S. and Europe, and she became so well known that she was often referred to by the mononym “Maria.” Maria hand-coiled her pottery, and her husband Julian Martinez slip-painted the vessels in matte relief. Though the couple initially made pottery with a cream-colored background and designs in red and black, when they

created their black-on-black wares, their innovations dramatically changed Pueblo ceramics. It is evident through the evolution of her vessels that Maria strived for technical refinement. Maria’s partnership with Julian reveals an inexplicable artistic synergy; Julian’s painterly designs move and respond to Maria’s vessels. Reflected light and movement animate swimming Avanyus depicted on the surface of black-on-black pots. Maria’s vessels are masterworks of minimalism: sleek, graceful and sensuous. Maria not only reinvented, reinvigorated and disrupted Pueblo pottery-making, but she also boldly transformed the art form—a tenet of American Modernism. Despite her artistic contributions and the decades of research, exhibitions and scholarship focused on a career that spanned more than seven decades, Maria has yet to be recognized as a prominent American Modernist. To reconcile this oversight in American art history, the Heard Museum will open the exhibition Maria and Modernism in February 2024. Maria and Modernism features more than 60 works by Maria and includes pottery from the Heard Museum collection, national museums and significant private collections. OPPOSITE PAGE: Maria Martinez, about 1964. Photograph by William H. Regan. Courtesy of the Los Alamos National Laboratory and the Susan Peterson Collection. Billie Jane Baguley Library and Archives. Heard Museum. RC220(3):47. LEFT: Maria Martinez. Polished blackware jar, 1964, 11 ½ x 7 ¼ inches. Collection of Dennis and Janis Lyon. ABOVE: Maria and Julian Martinez. Polychrome jar, 1912, 10 ½ x 14 inches. D. H. Waite Collection.

SPRING 2024

ON EXHIBIT

The exhibition will contextualize American Modernism through fine art, industrial design and architecture to explore visual affinities between Maria’s pottery and the 20th century cultural movement. Visual associations of Maria’s pottery with design concepts evident in the Empire State Building, Eileen Gray’s furniture and the streamlined 1940 Ford concept car illustrate how effortlessly her pottery fit in with Modernist designs. The masterworks in blackware and black-on-black, highlighting her remarkable ability to form large-scale ABOVE: Maria and Julian Martinez. Black-on-black plate, 1934, 14 ½-inch diameter. After their 1934 trip to Atlanta, Georgia, and Washington, D. C., Maria and Julian made a set of pottery jars with clay collected from each state and painted with designs of their impressions of their travels. In December, they presented the set and this pictorial tray to Chester Faris. Heard Museum Collection. 4947-2

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vessels that appear to be perfectly shaped, come from institutions including the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture in Santa Fe, the Philbrook Museum, the Toledo Museum of Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and private collections. A 1917 blackware jar with a fluted rim and one of the earliest black-on-black jars from 1919-20 depicting the Avanyu exemplify Maria and Julian’s 10-year experimentation in firing, which began in 1908. Through their many travels, Maria and Julian had the opportunity to see and experience American Modernism as it unfolded. Their first trip away from San Ildefonso was in 1904 to demonstrate pottery making at the

Louisiana Purchase Exposition, also called the St. Louis World’s Fair. In her lifetime, Maria participated in at least four world’s fairs and several regional fairs. In this exhibition, for the first time, the Heard will reunite a set of 17 jars and a portrait plate that Maria and Julian made after a 1934 trip to Washington, D.C. The collection, originally given to Chester Faris, a federal Indian administrator and director of the Santa Fe Indian School, was divided among his family members following his passing. One-half of the set was donated to the Heard in the 1990s, and the museum purchased the remaining half just a few years ago. The set will be shown in its entirety for the first time since 1948,

when it was displayed during a book-signing for Alice Marriott’s book María: The Potter of San Ildefonso. After Julian passed away in 1943, Maria worked with eldest son Adam Martinez and his wife Santana Martinez, middle son Popovi Da, and grandson Tony Da—her passion to create was unrelenting. Her enduring influence is evident through her fierce assertion of Pueblo aesthetic sensibilities. Maria and Modernism seeks to provide a fresh perspective on a radical matriarch whose rightful place within American Modernism has remained unacknowledged for far too long.

ABOVE: Maria and Julian Martinez. Black-on-black jar, c. 1940, 17 x 22 inches. Philbrook Museum of Art, Tulsa, Oklahoma. Gift of Clark Field. 1946.46.1.

SPRING 2024

LIBRARY

Behind the Scenes in the Library and Archives:

Norman L. Sandfield

MARIO NICK KLIMIADES | LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES DIRECTOR

reat exhibitions always come with untold behindthe-scenes stories. Members and visitors may have a hint about the hours of work required to mount a world-class exhibition or prepare a scholarly exhibition catalogue, but many stories cherished by staff and museum volunteers do not reach the member, museum visitor and catalogue reader. The stories behind the contributions to the Heard Museum made by Norman L. Sandfield over the past two decades are among the many special stories known by only a few.

Norman L. Sandfield has been a dedicated and regular supporter of the Heard Museum for many years and in many different capacities. For the Billie Jane Baguley Library and Archives, his generous assistance has taken many forms. A timely example is his active support of the exhibition Maria and Modernism, which opens on Feb. 4, 2024, and the accompanying exhibition catalogue coordinated by Chief Curator Diana F. Pardue and Assistant Registrar Roshii K. Montano. Early in the process of the exhibition, Norman strategized to help the museum develop and grow related resources in its Library and Archives, enabling us to acquire a wealth of special documentation on Maria Martinez. These donations were added to the Library and Archives to create a

Norman Sandfield

large archive collection on Maria Martinez, and many of the items appear in the exhibition and the accompanying catalogue. Through antiquarian book and photograph dealers, auctions, the secondary market and the magic of eBay, Norman became the eyes and ears for the Library and Archives to identify relevant and special material and sponsor its acquisition. What more could a library and archives director wish for than to have a donor not only identify and select a rarity, but also make the purchase, pay for it, and make sure it is safely shipped to the museum? We acquired a wealth of documentation on Maria Martinez, the renowned San Ildefonso Pueblo potter, through Norman’s generosity. The items include original photographs, film footage, obscure ephemera and vintage postcards. After an initial consultation with the Library and Archives, the classic scenario was an email from Norman after he had identified an item to simply ask “Would you like it?” If the staff said yes, the item would arrive soon

“Julian and Marie, famous Indian pottery makers” Postcard photographic reproduction courtesy of Kaufman-Fabry Co., Distributed by J.R. Willis, Albuquerque, New Mexico. Gift of Norman L. Sandfield. Billie Jane Baguley Library and Archives, Heard Museum, Phoenix, AZ, RC62(M375):26

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Leon Polk Smith, New York, New York, 1960s; David Gahr, photographer, The David Gahr©Archive. Gift of Norman L. Sandfield. Billie Jane Baguley Library and Archives, Heard Museum, Phoenix, AZ, RC62(S6557):1

afterward, welcomed with our sincerest appreciation. Norman L. Sandfield is one of those special supporters who takes an active role in both the Library and Archives and the Heard Museum itself. He possesses a rare and extraordinary combination of roles: donor, Board of Trustees Collections Committee community member, advisor and friend. Beyond the Library and Archives, Norman also has served as a guest curator and co-author of several exhibition catalogues. Looking back at previous exhibitions and the development of the Library’s resources, Norman is singularly responsible for building a spectacular archive on Cherokee artist Leon Polk Smith. The scope and depth of documentation available through the Heard’s Native American Artists Resource Collection Online is another testament to his generosity. Other topics on which Norman has contributed information include the San Ildefonso Pueblo artist Awa Tsireh (Alfonso Roybal), early documentation on the Phoenix Indian School, and rare books and pamphlets on a variety of Native tribes and topics. Through the years, Norman has tracked down and donated to the Library and Archives documentation on the Santa Fe Indian Market, Native periodicals and newsletters, brochures and documentation on Indian art galleries, original photographs, Native American travel literature, art prints, art calendars, posters and typed manuscripts. Norman also is known for his collaborative work with Chief Curator Diana F. Pardue and the Curatorial Department on important exhibitions and their

Maria Martinez, 1949 press photo. Gift of Norman L. Sandfield. Billie Jane Baguley Library and Archives, Heard Museum, Phoenix, AZ, RC62(M375):35

accompanying catalogues. What many don’t know is that Norman amassed major archival collections as outcomes of those collaborations, collections which he donated to the Library and Archives and which represent some of the richest and best documentation on the subject. Two of these collections are RC272, Norman L. Sandfield Silver Containers Archives, which includes collection notes, publication materials, artist information and photography on Native silversmiths; and RC283, Old Traditions in New Pots: Silver Seed Pots from the Norman L. Sandfield Collection. Another archive includes RC436, Norman Sandfield Collection on Awa Tsireh, and its relative RC501, Charles Strausenback Family Collection, Garden of the Gods. Together they form one of the most important documentary collections on Awa Tsireh. Another important highlight is RC275, the Norman L. Sandfield Bolo Tie Documentary Collection, which honors the official state neckwear of Arizona. Now we’ve shed light on some of these stories from the Billie Jane Baguley Library and Archives, although many still remain to be told. But if and when you go online or come to the Heard campus to explore the resources in the Library and Archives, now you’ll have a greater understanding of and appreciation for the history behind many of its acquisitions and the role that Norman L. Sandfield played in them.

SPRING 2024

BEHIND THE SCENES

The Andrew W. Mellon Fellowship at the Heard Museum

VELMA KEE CRAIG | ASSISTANT CURATOR

he Andrew W. Mellon Fellowship program at the Heard Museum is a paid, nine-month diversity fellowship program for those who want to learn about museum curation, research and exhibition development, collections management, collections care, and conservation as it relates to the Heard Museum collection. Fellows are able to return for a second and third year if they are interested. The Andrew W. Mellon Fellowship program is overseen by Assistant Curator Velma Kee Craig (Diné), who was a participant in the program from 2017 to 2020. Since its inaugural year in 2017, the Andrew W. Mellon Fellowship at the Heard Museum has had 12 participants. Upon finishing the fellowship, past fellows have moved on to such institutions as the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in Albuquerque, N. M.; the Gilcrease Museum in Tulsa, Okla.; PaleoWest Archaeology in Phoenix; and the Arizona State University Art Museum in Tempe. Past fellows Roshii Montaño (Diné) and Olivia Barney (Diné) have joined the Heard Museum staff and work

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in the curatorial department in the positions of assistant registrar and collections coordinator, respectively. Each fellowship year is a unique experience for the fellows, as projects and events are aligned as much as possible to the interests of the year’s fellows, the Heard Museum’s exhibition schedule and what incoming artwork donations have been or are expected to be received. This year’s fellows are Jaiden Sanchez (Tohono O’odham) and Rebeka Peshlakai (Diné). Peshlakai is a returning second-year fellow. It is only the beginning of the current fellowship term, but already the fellows have had an opportunity to join in meetings with visiting researchers to get a glimpse of the knowledge the visitors bring as they survey and discuss the objects in the Heard’s permanent collection which are of interest to their research. Sanchez and Peshlakai have also assisted with packing and delivering to the Heard Museum a recent large donation of baskets and some objects ABOVE: Andrew W. Mellon Fellows Rebeka Peshlakai (Diné), left, and Jaiden Sanchez (Tohono O’odham) learn about paper conservation with paper conservator Dana Tepper (not pictured) at the ASU Art Museum’s Conservation Lab.

loaned to the museum for upcoming exhibitions. Early in November, the fellows had an opportunity to visit the ASU Art Museum’s conservation lab to learn about and practice surface cleaning works on paper.

Past Andrew W. Mellon Fellow Olivia Barney (Diné) prepares bridles from the Heard Museum collection for exhibition. The bridles were on display as part of the exhibition Southwest Silverwork: 1850-1940.

During their time at the Heard Museum, fellows have many opportunities to work closely with and care for objects in our collection, including paintings, sculpture, textiles, carvings, pottery, baskets, beadwork and jewelry. The fellowship also provides the opportunity to attend professional development workshops and convenings and to travel to local and non-local tribally run museums and cultural centers, as well as other museums that house and care for Indigenous-made objects. Each year’s fellows also have the experience of working with conservators who specialize in various mediums to practice hands-on skills under the oversight of an expert in the field. For most fellows, past and present, the more memorable events have been the conservation and artist collection review sessions, which are held twice per term for each cohort of fellows.

Past Andrew W. Mellon Fellow Roshii Montaño (Diné) restrings a Diné squash blossom necklace from the Heard Museum permanent collection under the oversight of conservator Nancy Odegaard and silverwork artist Perry Shorty (Diné). The conservation/collections review workshops are held twice per fellowship term and are an opportunity for fellows to work closely with artists in various mediums and a museum conservator to learn about object care and preventive conservation methods and occasionally assist with an object’s stabilization or repair.

Left to right: Ron Harvey of Tuckerbrook Conservation, LLC, explains preventive sculpture conservation procedures to past Andrew W. Mellon Fellows Olivia Barney (Diné), Roshii Montaño (Diné) and William Riding-In (Pawnee/Santa Ana Pueblo).

Another big event each fellowship session is working with Ron Harvey of Tuckerbrook Conservation, LLC, during his annual weeklong visit for the purposes of deep cleaning and intensively caring for the sculptures on the Heard Museum grounds. At the end of their fellowship term, fellows share personal narratives with us that focus on their most meaningful learning experiences. These are always filled with gratitude to the Heard Museum and the program’s funder, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, for doing their part in supporting emerging Indigenous museum professionals. LEFT: Sculpture conservator Ron Harvey of Tuckerbrook Conservation, LLC (left), and past Andrew W. Mellon Fellow William Riding-In (Pawnee/Santa Ana Pueblo) tend to Sea Weed People (c. 1994), a sculpture by John Hoover (Unangan, 1919-2011), one of the many sculptures beautifying the Heard Museum campus.

SPRING 2024

IN MEMORIAM

Sandra Day O’Connor

Decades of Support and Guidance for the Heard Museum ANN MARSHALL, PHD | DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH

isitors to the Heard Museum sometimes stop to question why words over the door of the museum’s original auditorium identify it as The Sandra Day O’Connor Gallery. It is always a pleasure to explain that the museum was fortunate to have the guidance and support of Sandra Day O’Connor for several decades. O’Connor served as an officer on the museum’s board of trustees for 13 years, between 1968 and 1981. She was the board’s president on July 7, 1981, when President Ronald Reagan nominated her to the United States Supreme Court.

The formal extent of her activity at the Heard is contained within the list of committees in which she participated: Nominating, Finance, Personnel and Bylaws. She chaired the board’s Program Committee and the Long-Range Planning Committee. As board president, O’Connor drafted the Heard Museum’s first Collection Management Policy. It was written at a time when few museums had written such a policy, and it was widely requested as a model by other museums beginning their own planning. While our policy has changed with the times and is routinely updated, the framework and important portions of that original policy remain today.

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During her years as a Heard trustee, and even after she joined the Supreme Court, it was not unusual for the museum to welcome Justice O’Connor and her guests. Board of Trustees members ca. 1977-1980. Photo by Al Abrams. RC76(B62):5

During her years as a Heard trustee, and even after she joined the Supreme Court, it was not unusual for the museum to welcome Justice O’Connor and her guests visiting Phoenix, including fellow jurists and representatives of the national news media. As a curator, I remember, as just one example, giving a tour accompanied by Justice O’Connor to Pulitzer Prizewinning New York Times reporter Linda Greenhouse. During those tours, I recall Justice O’Connor’s kind but on-point questions regarding pertinent information she wanted her guests to have. Justice O’Connor was instrumental in establishing a Heard Museum National Advisory Board that included friends and acquaintances who were collectors and active supporters of the arts. Their introduction to the museum brought us loyal supporters for many projects.

behind the speakers’ platform. Hunkpapa Sioux opera singer Bonnie Jo Hunt sang at the event. In the years that followed, beyond serving on the Heard National Advisory Board, Justice O’Connor continued to honor the museum as a speaker and as an author, signing her book Lazy B: Growing Up on a Cattle Ranch in the American Southwest. Today, Justice O’Connor’s son, Scott O’Connor, who has served on our board of trustees, remains involved with the museum as a life trustee. As for Sandra Day O’Connor, we were fortunate that she didn’t really leave us when she joined the Supreme Court, and her legacy remains with us today.

The excitement at the Heard when O’Connor was nominated to the U.S. Supreme Court was mixed with a real sense of loss, knowing she could not remain as actively involved with the museum. The Heard held a farewell banquet in her honor at the Arizona Biltmore, and some of the museum’s largest Navajo textiles were staged Congratulatory party for Sandra Day O’Connor after her appointment to the Supreme Court and while president of the Heard Museum Board of Trustees in 1981. RC472(1):5.1

SPRING 2024

ACTIVITY

There’s a New Jackrabbit in Town LUCIA LEIGH LAUGHLIN | DIRECTOR OF ENGAGEMENT & LEARNING PROGRAMS

he Heard Museum is committed to engaging and educating children and families, and we have a new animal guide to help—Archie the Jackrabbit! Archie is here to help our young patrons—or, Heardlings as we like to call them—feel welcome at the museum. Just like saplings are young trees, “Heardlings” are young museumgoers who are expanding their knowledge of American Indian art and culture while growing lifelong habits of visiting cultural institutions. You can find Archie in locations made just for families: the Heardlings Family Activity Room, or at the new Heardlings Art Cart. As you enter the Heardlings Family Activity Room across from the Nichols Sculpture Garden, look for the spray paint mural by Zachary Justin (Akimel O’odham Komadk/ Komatke Gila River Indian Community) depicting sunset in the Sonoran Desert. Ask the young ones in your group: can they help you name all of the plants and animals shown on the mural? The family space features the Artist Spot-Lite, where you can use colored pegs to create your own glowing artwork or use a template to recreate works by four artists featured in the exhibition, Substance of Stars: Thomas “Breeze” Marcus (Tohono O’odham), Chuna McIntyre (Central Yup’ik), Ken Williams Photo: Craig Smith

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Jr. (Arapaho/Seneca) and Steven J. Yazzie (Diné/Laguna Pueblo/European). The space also includes the Illustration Station, designed by Missy Mahan (Tohono O’odham) and Ryan Murray to resemble a giant O’odham olla, where you can draw your own basket designs. The Story Circle features a growing library of storytelling videos and activities, including Sky Woman told by Ansley Jemison (Seneca), and a story by Kyle Mitchell (Diné) and filmed by Danny Upshaw (Diné). And don’t forget to take a seat at the Word Play station to fill in the blanks and complete your own story about an afternoon adventure in the desert! With the Family Activity Room situated inside the museum, we know that Archie needs more flexibility to play with his fluffle (that’s the name for a group of young rabbits!). So, we’re building the Heardlings Art Cart—Archie’s new “office on wheels”—that will feature a new Family Activity Guide by Mellon Fellow Rebeka Peshlakai (Diné) and with other unique activities and information just for kids. You’ll see the cart all over campus on special event days! It’s a great time to be a kid at the Heard Museum, and I want to thank Heard Museum members and the numerous institutional supporters who make these new initiatives possible. See you soon in the Heardlings Family Activity Room!

Hi! I’m Archie. I’m an animal gu

ide, and I love art. I’ll be at the Heard Museum the next time you visit, sh aring information about the art work in the collection an d inviting you to participate in activ ities. Do you see what I’m we aring around my neck? It’s called a bolo tie, and mine is made with leather cord , silver, and turquoise stone. Bo lo ties can be made of ma ny other materials, including gold, coral, jet and shell. What design would you want for your bolo tie? Dr aw it!

um Muse d r a e ilies, Th e H s fam e m o welc urage enco e w se and re the a h s o ung you t th yo i w s fe. pag e our li y n i le p e op

SPRING 2024

GIVING

YOUR IMPACT AT THE HEARD MUSEUM! $2 MILLION+ TO INDIGENOUS ARTISTS EVERY YEAR

$1,500,000+

in direct purchases at the Heard Museum Shop

$100,000+ in acquisitions toward our collection

$125,000

in prizes to Indian Fair & Market Juried Competition artists

$121,000

to educators, students, and guest speakers through the Master Artist Workshop series

$100,000

to guest curators and artists whose works are included in Heard exhibitions and catalogues

$75,000

in stipends to performers and artists at public programs like First Fridays, Holidays at the Heard, educator events, and more

$35,000

to educators through Creative Aging Workshops

$25,000

in prizes to World Championship Hoop Dance Contest participants

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$6,750 in prizes to Youth Art Show and Sale winners

Thank you for supporting the Heard Museum Artist Fund! On behalf of the Heard Museum Staff and Board of Trustees, thank you for supporting the Heard Museum Artist Fund! In its inaugural campaign, donors of the Artist Fund raised over $215,000 toward this newest initiative and we are incredibly grateful for your generous support.

$10,000+

Up to $500

Nadine Basha Sharron Lewis Merle & Steve Rosskam Christy Vezolles

Dr. Karen Adams Mrs. Diane Arnold Janet and Rick Barlow Carol & Wayne Boehme Jane & Bill Butler Diane Carmichael Mrs. Judith Carpenter Gerald Case & Irene Falkenstein John & Thomas Cervantes Ms. Carole Connor Mr. George W. Cooper Gina DeGraw Dr. David Pijawka & Dr. Judith Dworkin Maryann Fast Tim & Mary Keane Kurt Slobodzian & Patricia Weega Bobbi Firebush Donnarae & Paul Freyermuth Magdalena Gathmann Betsy and Frank Goodyear Mr. Dean Graves Gaileia Grevas Nadine Groenig Daniel Hagerty & Michael Cook Constance Harrington & William Carlson Hugh & Donna Kelly Ms. Carole James Lynn & Wayne Kaplan Edward Kaplan & Francine Kaplan Gale Kimball Jacob & Jannelle Kluch Lucia & Brent Laughlin Mr. & Mrs. Robert Lee Ms. Ruth Licht Mary W. Lindenberger Mark McFeely & Patricia Hanns Mr. Kevin McHenry

$5,000+ Roberta Aidem Richard & Ann Carr Susan Esco Chandler & Alfred D. Chandler John & Tara Coggins Mary Ellen McKee Samuel J. Parker Susan and Richard Silverman

$1,000+ Milena & Tony Astorga Mary & Mark Bonsall Lisa & Greg Boyce Roberta W. Buchanan Carla & Adrian Cohen Craig & Sharon Cohen Colleen & John Lomax Clint & Audrey Magnussen Janet & John Melamed Deirdre & Jim Mercurio Elaine & Scott Montgomery Susan & James Navran Sandy Nachman Mr. & Mrs. Scott O'Connor Kristine & Leland W. Peterson Barbara Roberts-Poole Sandra Raffealli David & Weezie Reese James & Louise Roche Foundation Tracy & Marc Schwimmer Margo and Frank Walter Trudy & Steven Wiesenberger Sheri Young

Saralou G. Merrell Liesl & Chuck Meyers Mary Milbrath Stuart Mill Frances & Heather Montasir Ellen Morris Dr. & Mrs. Carl Nau Rex & Ellen Nelsen Ardelle Nicoloff Jennie & Wayne Oleksak Mrs. Susan Owens Mr. Dennis J. Parker Mrs. Linda Paskiewicz Phyllis & William Perkins Jean Ranck Mrs. Jeanne A. Robeson Ms. Gail Robinson Peg Robinson Jana Sample Bill & Susan Sands Lois Schneberger Mr. David D. Schwartz Drs. Leslie & Connie Seldin Helen & Richard Shull Jim & Joyce Smith Rebecca Smith Gross & Adam Gross Jackie & David Stubbs Ginger Sykes Torres & Javier Torres Mrs. Bonnie G. Weber Marie Wittwer & Arnold Greensher Mr. Lee K. Worthen Rachel S. Zemer

Donate to the Artist Fund today:

List accurate as of 1.4.2024

SPRING 2024

FAIR

INDIAN FAIR + MARKET W

e cordially invite you to the 66th Annual Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair & Market at the Heard Museum on March 2 & 3, 2024! Since 1959, the Fair has showcased the beauty and vitality of Indigenous creative expression by artists from not only the Southwest, but across the country. Last year, our landmark 65th Annual Fair exceeded our previous record by welcoming more than 18,000 visitors to enjoy the works of more than 600 Indigenous artists, who enjoyed record sales! Our goal is once again to set a new record and make the 66th Annual Fair the best ever! Not only will the Fair again showcase well over 600 superlative artists, it will also feature some of the most talented cultural performers on stage throughout both days.

An exciting component of the Fair this year will once again be the Youth Artists Show & Sale, held in the Monte Vista Room. American Indian students in grades 7 to 12 are invited to Aydrian James Day (Anishinaabe/ HoChunk/Lakota). Photo: Haute Media submit their original artwork for display and sale and have their art judged by a professional panel awarding ribbons and cash prizes totaling $10,000.

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Photo: Zee Peralta

Speaking of youth, this year we are featuring a Family Fun Zone, filled with games and fun activities for children! The Family Fun Zone will be located adjacent to the Youth Artists Show & Sale in the grassy area along East Monte Vista Road. So bring the children to see the youth artists and enjoy the Family Fun Zone. To make these activities accessible to everyone, we have a special Sunday offer: All children 12 and under will be admitted FREE to the Fair on Sunday, March 3!

66TH ANNUAL HEARD MUSEUM GUILD INDIAN FAIR & MARKET HOURS Saturday, March 2, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. (early admission for museum members, 8:30 a.m.) Sunday, March 3, 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Raynard Scott (Navajo). Photo: Haute Media

JURIED ART COMPETITION AND BEST OF SHOW RECEPTION Friday, March 1, 2024, 5:30-8 p.m. (early admission for Circles of Giving members, 5 p.m.). Tickets: $75 members/$100 nonmembers

Don’t miss this evening kickoff to the Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair & Market on Friday, March 1! You’ll enjoy small plates, desserts and beverages before viewing the awardwinning art in every classification and the overall Best of Show winner, selected by a renowned group of judges composed of artists, collectors and museum professionals. You may view these exquisite works up close and engage with and congratulate the artists.

Photo: Zee Peralta

SINGLE-DAY FAIR ADMISSION: Adults: $25 Museum Members: $20 Seniors (65+): $22 Active Military: $22 (with ID) American Indians: $10 (with ID) Students: $10 Children (6-17): $10 Children under 6: Free Special offer: ALL children 12 and under are admitted FREE on Sunday! Tickets are required for all events. Purchase online at heard.org, by calling (602) 252-8840, at the museum prior to the Fair, or at the gates on the days of the Fair. All events are held rain or shine at the Heard Museum. A Metro Rail stop (Encanto/Heard Museum) is located in front of the museum on Central Avenue. Look for free parking in lots near the museum.

SPRING 2024

FAIR

2024 Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair & Market

Best of Show Juried Competition Supporters Best of Show

Howard R. and Joy M. Berlin The Head Family Sharron Lewis Kristine and Leland W. Peterson

Jewelry & Lapidary

Samuel J. Parker

Adrian and Carla Cohen Dr. Casey and Mrs. Beth Huston Deirdre and Jim Mercurio In Honor of Judith Miles Audrey Rada Barbara Roberts-Poole Merle and Steve Rosskam

Idyllwild Arts Imagination Award

Pottery

Conrad House Award

Idyllwild Arts Foundation - Native American Arts Program & Festival

Youth Artist Show and Sale Best of Show and Best of Division Betty Van Denburgh

Best of Show Reception Sponsors Anonymous Pamela Briggs The Head Family Ann Kaplan Frank Vickory and Newton Linebaugh

Best of Classification The Head Family- Jewelry & Lapidary John Ninomiya and Marjorie Walters- Pottery Deirdre and Jim Mercurio- 2-Dimensional Art Craig and Barbara Barrett Foundation- Pueblo Carvings Jane Barlow and Associates, LLC. - Sculpture Shari and Bob Levitan- Weaving and Textiles Frances Burruel- Diverse Art Forms + Beadwork and Quillwork Sue Snyder- Baskets

Innovation Carol McElroy- Pottery Michele Cloonan and Sidney Berger- 2-Dimensional Art Dr. Neil S. Berman, PhD- Pueblo Carvings Adrian and Carla Cohen- Sculpture Gurukirn K. Khalsa- Weaving and Textiles Valerie and Paul Piazza- Diverse Art Forms + Beadwork and Quillwork List accurate as of 1.4.2024

1st Place

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Cerelle Bolon Mary and Mark Bonsall Carol Cohen Jeffrey L. Kleinman Janis Lyon John Ninomiya and Marjorie Walters Audrey Rada Merle and Steve Rosskam Kathleen and Sam Serrapede

2-Dimensional Art In Honor of Joe H. Herrera (SeeRu) and Tonita Pena (Quahah) In honor of Stacy Leeds Deirdre and Jim Mercurio Merle and Steve Rosskam Christy Vezolles

Pueblo Carvings W. David Connell Catherine Meschter

Sculpture Denise Dowers Barbara Roberts-Poole Don and Dorothea Smith

Weavings & Textiles Georgia Heller and Denis Duran Carol Ann Mackay Jane Przeslica Thomas B. Stevenson and Nadia Hlibka

Diverse Art Forms Susan and Appy Chandler (3) In Memory of Alan Scott Ellen and William Taubman Claire Warshaw

Baskets John and Christine Augustine Ann Ormiston John Ward

2nd Place Jewelry & Lapidary Arlene and Giora Ben-Horin Andrew and Coralee Brewer (2) Mr. and Mrs. Clay Crossland Spencer and Michael Gregg Patricia and William Hagenah

Pottery Dr. Neil S. Berman, PhD Donnarae and Paul Freyermuth Jane and Steve Marmon Jan and Mike McAdams Carol McElroy J. Michael and Linda R. Powers Jim and Joyce Smith Ken and Mary Jean Swanson

2-Dimensional Art Roberta Buchanan John & Colleen Lomax Dennis & Patt O’Connell Carol and Ken Seidberg Jim and Joyce Smith

Photo: Haute Media

Heather Johnston (Qagan Tayagungin). Photo: Haute Media

Sculpture

Judges’ Choice

Helmut and Hilde Horchler Dr. and Mrs. Thomas Hudak Bill and Carol Smallwood Gustavo Tabares

Anonymous Gena L. Aslanian Kay and Lou Benedict Katie and Ben Blackstock Landon and Dorcas Browning Diane Carmichael Rebecca Comstock Norma Jean Coulter Christine Ann Crawford and Roberto N. Spinelli Terry and Debbie Damron Lura and Anthony Dymond Glen Goodman Linda Herold Phyllis Manning Brad Mason Sallie McCutcheon Mike Miller Margaret Osterhus Jeanette and Charles Salerno Jackie Stubbs David & Georgina Takemoto

Weavings & Textiles Dr. Sona Kalousdian and Dr. Ira Lawrence R.W. Mainger / G.W. Rosier Carol McElroy Patricia L. Mullins

Diverse Art Forms Anonymous Karen and Donald Abraham Susan and Appy Chandler (2)

Baskets Marilyn and Paul Harter Daniel and Donna Winarski

Photo: Haute Media

SPRING 2024

RECAP

Moondance 2023:

An Evening to Remember

JACK SCHWIMMER | ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT

oondance 2023, held on October 21, was one of the most successful fundraisers in Heard Museum history, raising $1.2 million in general operating funds to support the museum’s exhibitions, programs and facilities. Nearly 450 guests gathered to honor longtime Heard Museum partner Bank of America and jewelry artist Richard I. Chavez (San Felipe Pueblo). Moondance 2023 was chaired by Sharron Lewis and led by a dedicated committee of Heard volunteers and supporters.

Guests gathered to view the exhibition Early Days: Indigenous Art from the McMichael; enjoy live music performances from Mariachi Estrellas Musicales, Craig Bohmler (Cherokee), Gabe Ayala (Yaqui) and Shaylin Shabi (Diné); and bid on items in an extraordinary silent auction that included works by Chavez, Dan Namingha (Tewa-Hopi), Denise Wallace (Chugach Sugpiaq/ Alutiiq) and Doug Hyde (Nez Perce/Assiniboine/Chippewa). At dinner, guests enjoyed an honoree video tribute presentation by Steven Yazzie (Navajo/Laguna Pueblo/European), and the evening concluded with a packed dance floor led by the Herndon Brothers.

Richard Chavez and Scott Vanderpool

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Sharron Lewis

Shaylin Shabi Young

Howard & Audrey Iseri and Merle & Steve Rosskam

Patricia & George Blue Spruce, Sharon & Richard Chavez and David Roche

Tara and John Coggins

Sue Fletcher, Todd LaPorte and Brenda Solomon

Sharon & Richard Chavez on the dance floor.

Entrance with Mariachi Estrellas Musicales

SPRING 2024

SHOP