Native Max Magazine - Fashion & Art Issue 2020

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#EvokeEmpowerment www.ACONAV.com

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Contents September/October 2020

Welcome to the Issue 003

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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WELCOME TO THE ISSUE

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MASTHEAD

check out what’s in this month’s issue welcome to the inaugural Fashion & Art issue who’s all on our team

The Edge

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CONTEMPORARY YET CLASSIC

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FASHION FOR A CAUSE

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TALKING FASHION

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BEADING CONNECTIONS: DESIGNER JUSTINE WOODS IS RECLAIMING HER ANCESTRAL IDENTITY THROUGH A MÉTIS AESTHETIC

her signature style of contemporary yet classic beadwork alone is becoming well-known. Meet Mikailah Thompson (Nez Perce) whose beadwork style combines classic materials and colors traditional to her tribe with contemporary pieces we interview four Indigenous female business owners about their companies, their contributions to various causes in their communities, and how they’re surviving in the Pandemic though its a hard fight, people like Dr. Jessica Metcalfe (Turtle Mountain Chippewa) and non-Indigenous ally Chloë Angus and their work are helping bridge the gap of Native fashion to the mainstream fashion industry

Justine Woods, an interdisciplinary artist from the Georgian Bay Métis community, is an emerging talent of Indigenous fashion who is reclaiming her ancestral identity through a Métis aesthetic

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INTERVIEW: LEHI THUNDER VOICE EAGLE

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THE FUSION OF ART & FASHION: MARLENA MYLES

Lehi Thunder Voice Eagle reclaims & repurposes the iconic Navajo brim hat, which reuses & honors all elements of creation we spoke with digital artist & illustrator (turned fabric designer) Marlena Myles about her experience of fusing digital art with fashion

The Insider

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ON THE EDGE OF SOMETHING GREAT

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TATTOOS AS CULTURAL ART

here’s our list of cutting-edge contemporary Native American artists who all use their preferred mediums to incorporate culture, traditions, and storytelling into their art while addressing Native American social issues multidisciplinary artist Nathalie Standingcloud sees tattooing as a way of bringing her culturally-inspired artwork to life

Features

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PJ VEGAS IS READY FOR HIS CLOSE UP

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LOREN ARAGON: FIVE YEARS LATER

PJ Vegas quickly became a master of his craft and is certainly at the start of carving out his own genre of retro-bending R&B. After just dropping a new single from his upcoming album, he’s out to prove he’s made for the spotlight. Vegas is now ready for his close up his fashion career started five years ago. Aragon’s eponymous brand is now a couture fashion brand that’s cat-walked on runways all over the country, graced magazine covers, had countless media mentions, styled celebrities, and won coveted titles

Welcome to the Issue

We speak with Dr. Jessica Metcalfe (Turtle Mountain Chippewa) about her work on helping bridge the gap of Native fashion to the mainstream fashion industry (pg. 16).

We’re excited to feature Yaqui singer/ songwriter PJ Vegas on the cover, who sports exclusive VOSQ Clothing’s tees in the cover shoot.

Welcome to the Issue!

Welcome to the Fashion & Art issue of Native Max Magazine! In this issue, we focus on the Indigenous visionaries of North and South America who make it their life’s work to transcend any barriers and portray a broader vision of awareness, including the rich culture, vibrant stories, and genuine experiences of their people.

On this issue’s cover sits PJ Vegas, a Yaqui singer/songwriter who quickly mastered his craft and at the start of carving out his own genre of retro-bending R&B. After just dropping a new single from his upcoming album, he’s out to prove he’s made for the spotlight. Vegas is now ready for his close up.

We also catch up with Loren Aragon, the co-founder and lead designer of ACONAV, who was at the start of his fashion career when we last interviewed him. Five years later, Aragon’s eponymous brand is now a couture fashion brand that’s cat-walked on runways all over the country, graced magazine covers, had countless media mentions, styled celebrities, and won coveted titles.

Now more than ever, small businesses are struggling through the COVID-19 Pandemic.

We also feature designer Justine Woods, who is reclaiming her ancestral identity through a Métis aesthetic (pg. 20).

However, these standout Indigenous womenowned fashion businesses–ELLA, Ahlazua Fine Arts, Indigenous Intentions, and Her Braids– are not only thriving and surviving during the Pandemic, but they’re also continuing to contribute to the community through the chaos.

We interview four Indigenous female business owners about their companies, how they continue to incorporate their culture into products, their contributions to various causes in their communities, and how they’re surviving in the Pandemic.

Taking Native Fashion mainstream has the potential of tackling many obstacles while addressing issues such as cultural appropriation.

The movement may also provide opportunities for small designers and fashion business owners alike. Though its a hard fight, people like Dr. Jessica Metcalfe (Turtle Mountain Chippewa) and non-Indigenous ally Chloë Angus and their work are helping bridge the gap of Native fashion to the mainstream fashion industry.

Enjoy the issue.

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PROMOTION

KELLY HOLMES Founder @kellycamilleholmes EDITORIAL Staff Writer Rhonda “Tree” Mangan Staff Writer Niya DeGroat CREATIVE Director of Photography Zoe Friday

Copyright Native Max & Other Media Ventures All rights reserved. All material in Native Max Magazine is wholly copyright and reproduction without the the written permission of the Publisher is strictly forbidden. Neither this publication nor its contents constitute an explicit endorsement by Native Max of the products or services mentioned in advertising or editorial content. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, Native Max shall not have any liability for errors or omissions. We've done our best to acknowledge all photographers. In some instances photos have been provided to us by those who appear editorially and we have their permission in each case to use the images. We apologize if anything appears incorrectly. It will be a genuine mistake. Please let us know and we can give you a mention in the next issue.

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The Edge

PLUS: FASHION FOR A CAUSE TALKING FASHION

Classic Yet Contemporary

INTERVIEW: LEHI THUNDER VOICE EAGLE THE FUSION OF ART & FASHION: MARLENA MYLES

Her signature style of contemporary yet classic beadwork alone is becoming wellknown. Meet Mikailah Thompson (Nez Perce) whose beadwork style combines classic materials and colors traditional to her tribe with contemporary pieces.

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The Edge

Model: Chloe Thompson (Nez Perce) Large earrings, $420, mikailahthompson.com

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The Edge

Brass earrings, $65; Cheyenne Pink Necklace, price upon request, mikailahthompson.com

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The Edge

Wide brim fedora with replica wampum, price upon request, mikailahthompson.com

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The Edge

Dad hat with beaded emblem; custom beaded backpack; beaded bracelet, all price upon request mikailahthompson.com

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About the Artist:

A

t just 27-years-old and freshly graduated from Lewis-Clark State College with a Business and Communication degree, shes already had entrepreneurial endeavors. Thompson had coordinated annual basketball events, youth clinics, community outreach events, and more.

She recently launched her small business, Beadwork by Mikailah, where she creates and sells beadwork jewelry and accessories.

She was accepted into Native Fashion in the City and SWAIA, which would’ve been considerable platforms to help grow her business–but were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the cancellations, Thompson has been taking advantage of the downtown by focusing on networking, marketing, and increasing her inventory for next year’s events.

Thompson learned how to bead by her grandmother Chloe Halfmoon, who learned from her mother, Nancy Halfmoon.

After taking a break from beading, Thompson continued to bead as a freshman at Haskell Indian Nations University. Thompson has been continuously beading for about eight years now, where she learns and finds new techniques to apply to her beading. She credits her unfinished and failed pieces to mold her signature style she is known for today. “Those pieces ultimately challenged my creativity, and as a result, my signature pieces are because of those.”

Thompson’s style is traditionally based on Nimiipuu (Nez Perce) designs and influences and her creative touch.

“I love seeing older pieces that my customers bring to me of old-style beadwork.” She continues, “My mind starts racing on how I can creatively make it my own whether it’s adding in brass or wampum, switching up colors, adding in gold

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beads, combining designs, etc. I like having a story behind my work.” Lately, she’s been obsessed with brass pieces. She placed brass on a few orders a year ago, which helped her beadwork and signature style take off. “During the 17th and 18th centuries, brass and wampum was a sign of status and wealth to the Nimiipuu and were worn during special occasions.”

Even the colors of her beadwork are unique as the stories of the Nimiipuu. Standard colors Thompson typically uses were the same as those popular with Native people when beadwork began to boom in the late 18th century. “Blue, white, red, yellow, green, and Cheyenne pink are very common for me. Of course, I switch up my color combos depending on the project, but I keep some Nimiipuu influence when I can.”

For Thompson, beadwork has the power to tell a story of the artist from not only the materials and colors used but also the stitching–the backing, edging, and the direction of the beads. Typically, these qualities would be overlooked by consumers, but not to Thompson. “For example, how one beads can exemplify which generation has taught them, the patterns they use can show what family or band they come from.”

According to Thompson, beadwork is typically passed down from one generation to the next, so she is very passionate and perfectionate about her work.

Thompson hopes the wearers of her beadwork feel proud that they’re wearing it. “There’s a meaning behind every single piece I do, especially custom pieces. One of the most gratifying yet nerve-wracking feelings is when the owner views their piece for the first time. Those are the reassuring moments of why I love what I do.”

Follow Mikailah on Instagram at @beadworkbymikailah.

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Fashion for a Cause Now more than ever, small businesses are struggling through the COVID-19 Pandemic. However, these standout Indigenous womenowned fashion businesses are not only thriving and surviving during the Pandemic, but they're continuing to contribute to the community through the chaos. We interview four Indigenous female business owners about their companies, how they continue to incorporate their culture into products, their contributions to various causes in their communities, and how they’re surviving in the Pandemic.

Founder Emilce Paez

BY KELLY HOLMES

ELLA

Alpaca hats

Twenty-eight-year-old Emilce Paez is the founder of ELLA Totes. This company works with Indigenous women from Peru to create beautiful, high-quality tote bags to improve their quality of life through jobs, skills, and adequate housing.

Proceeds of every bag sold go towards hand-picked charities that focus on developing entrepreneurial skills to solidify their business plans, independence, and personal empowerment. ELLA'S humble beginnings started in 2014 after Paez visited Peru, where she saw women selling their beautifully crafted designs for less than three dollars to provide for their families. Through ELLA, Latin American craftswomen create organic, eco-friendly bags and accessories as go-to timeless pieces that honor their past and help pave a brighter future for them and their families, while encouraging sustainability and support in Latin America.

About the Founder My name is Emilce Paez, and I was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina but was raised in Mendoza, north/west of Argentina. At the age of six, my parents decided to move to San Diego, California, searching for the American dream.

I love San Diego; it will always be home. I majored in graphic design and advertisement at San Diego State University, and during my sophomore year of college, I took a trip to Peru, which is where the story of ELLA all began.

About ELLA For every ELLA product designed, whether it's our bags or hats, our ultimate goal is to help women and girls worldwide. We also support Latin American craftsmanship by bringing a piece of Latin American culture into our products. Our Alpaca hats are made entirely in Bolivia from alpaca fur; our Bolso Yute is also wholly made in Peru, handstitched by women in Lima; our Gaucho bracelets are made in Argentina by an artisanal family; and finally, our canvas-like bags are made here at home in downtown Los Angeles.

Charities and Causes ELLA Gave Back to ELLA was founded in June of 2019, and I can't believe it's already been a year. We were able to donate $1,000 last year to girls in Peru (@peruvianhearts), in Panama (@transformadoras), in Argentina (@Mujeres2000), and Los Angeles (@ nativemax.com

ELLA totebag Photos: courtesy

alexandriahousela). These organizations provide the tools necessary for women in vulnerable situations to discover their passions in hopes of a better future for themselves and their children.

This year ELLA supports Days for Girls who provide menstrual kits and sex education to girls all around the world who don't have easy access to hygiene products. We were so glad to hop on board with them this year and be part of this amazing project that has helped many girls, especially in refugee camps.

The Idea Behind ELLA Although it took almost five years to start ELLA after my college trip to Peru, I never forgot those women selling their beautiful garments and designs for not even three dollars worth. I wanted to use my design skills somehow to bring awareness to the potential these women had. Although I am from Argentina, my heart always resonated with these Peruvian women.

How ELLA Empowers Women ELLA not only supports the beauty of women in

Latin America but women throughout the world!

We share the stories of the women whose lives have been changed through the organizations we support. Most of them come from abusive or poor lifestyles and having a workshop or a supportive group that brings hope and, more importantly, a brighter future is how ELLA showcases their beauty.

ELLA Overcomes the Pandemic Yes, COVID-19 has affected us a bit financially, but luckily we have supporters who continue to share our stories and products, which is what all that matters to us at the end of the day. Making a difference in our world, especially in these times and maybe bringing awareness starts.

At ELLA, we are inspired by how things are done. We are not creating a brand to fill up shelves, but we aim to positively change these women and girls; the lives of ELLA. Shop ELLA totes and other accessories at ELLATOTEBAGS.COM.

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Photos: courtesy

Her Braids Who knew such a small beaded pendant could bring such awareness and change for clean drinking water. Sunshine Quem Tenasco, Anishinabe from Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg, Quebec, and her company, Her Braids, do just that.

Kitigan Zibi, (also known as River Desert) is a First Nations reserve of the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation. Heartbreakingly, Kitigan Zibi has gone without clean drinking water for a total of fifteen years.

Tenasco, a mom of four, is a busy bee, always having a few projects on-the-go at all times. Five years ago, she started Her Braids, a small business that creates small, intricately-beaded vibrant pendants in various geometric shapes. Her Braids is committed to donating 10% of profits directly towards the David Suzuki Foundation’s Blue Dot Movement, a national grassroots campaign based on the idea that everyone in Canada deserves the right to a healthy environment, ultimately seeking to amend the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms to include the right to a healthy environment. With Her Braids, Tenasco is committed to making clean drinking water in First Nations communities a reality, one pendant at a time.

Tenasco also started Pow Wow Pitch, a platform that provides a safe, supportive, collaborative, empowering, and culturally supportive environment that addresses Indigenous entrepreneurs’ unique challenges and aspiring Indigenous entrepreneurs.

About Her Braids Her Braids started as a nine-month project for the David Suzuki Foundation’s project called “The Blue Dot” movement, aiming to make clean water a Human Right in Canada. It was supposed to be a fundraiser to bring awareness about this urgent water crisis through beaded pendants’ sales.

I’ve continued to slowly grow Her Braids into giving workshops, writing “Nibi’s Water Song,” and creating some apparel to educate people about clean water further.

The Motivation Behind Her Braids Roughly 40% of my community still doesn’t have clean water. We live right

All About Beading We always beaded in our community. We’d all go to the cultural center as kids and make things, and reflect on what we were creating with our bare hands. We’d learn about it different Nations and their specific styles.

So I mostly play with beads.

Sometimes I love what I create.

Sometimes I don’t, and it sits in my beading drawer. But I mostly appreciate the calmness that beading brings.

Giving Back & Contributing to the Community with Her Braids Every year we donate to the Blue Dot movement. We keep our goal very clear: to be a tiny part of the water warrior community. We give clean water workshops for both beading and reading “Nibi’s Water Song” for younger children.

Switching Gears to Survive the Pandemic For Her Braids, a large portion of my work is giving workshops. Since COVID-19, everything has been canceled for months. So although this was scary, my other project, Pow Wow Pitch, has expanded to a national level.

Taking Action I want to encourage anyone who wants to help to be a part of the water crisis solution just to get started. Do what you are capable of doing, and that’s good enough. And remember, the government doesn’t create change. The government responds to change, so create change and keep talking about important issues.

Shop and support Her Braids at HERBRAIDS.COM.

Photos: courtesy

beside a non-Indigenous town where everyone has access. We are a mere 1.5 hours away from Parliament, where all the decisions are made. It made me wonder why we don’t have equal access to this fundamental human right. Once I started researching, I discovered that many First Nations communities in Canada were in similar positions. I felt like I could be a little help and educate people the best way I knew how, through beadwork. Her Braids was born.

Founder Tomasina Chupco

Indigenous Intentions Afro-Indigenous-owned and operated jewelry brand Indigenous Intentions serves multiple purposes, all geared towards intentions of increasing awareness for Indigenous and womxn causes. Founder Tomasina Chupco, Seminole from southern Florida, heads the jewelry brand to make an impact and invest back into the community with traditional jewelry with a modern twist. Communities helping and giving back to communities is the goal of Indigenous Intentions.

About Indigenous Intentions Indigenous Intentions is Afro-Indigenous-owned and designed. We are a cause jewelry brand created with the intention of increasing awareness for Indigenous and womxn causes. Our advocacy background drives our passion for giving back to Indigenous and African American communities. Jewelry is a beautiful part of our Indigenous culture. What better way to make an impact and invest back into the community than by launching collections with a philanthropist initiative: #MoreThanABracelet. We love creating traditional jewelry with a modern twist.

Indigenous Intentions supports Indigenous and womxn artisans and designers worldwide. Indigenous Intentions donates 10% of proceeds from our Missing and Murdered Indigenous Womxn (MMIW) Jewelry Collections to MMIWUSA. About the Jewelry We make jewelry that has a modern twist to traditional jewelry, cause-awareness jewelry for organizations, and some pieces that initiate the thought processes of decolonization. One purpose Indigenous Intentions serves is contributing to the MMIW cause.

Giving Back & Contributing to the Community with Indigenous Intentions We believe in investing back into the community, so we help fund numerous projects such as some of the protests and for COVID-19 relief: StrongHearts Native Helpline, Indigenous Peoples Movement, Unicorn Riot, Black Visions Collective, COVID-19 Navajo Relief, National Indigenous Women Resource Center (NIWRC), and MMIWUSA. Thriving & Growing during the Pandemic At the beginning of the pandemic, we were affected, but we have been more creative than ever. It’s helping us grow our business because we have more time to design and research causes in need during this time.

Keeping Up with Indigenous Intentions Be sure to follow us on Instagram and Etsy. We sometimes have a pay-what-you-can sale to make our items affordable for everyone.

We also have occasional giveaways. We are working on a special project to help women feel safer and another project for our Black sisters.

Founder Sunshine Tenasco

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Shop Indigenous Intentions at ETSY.COM/SHOP/ INDIGENOUSINTENTIONS. nativemax.com

The Edge Photos: courtesy Founder Rykelle Kent

Ahlazua Fine Arts A multi-talented fine artist, Rykelle Kemp’s vast array of creations and jewelry, serve multiple purposes besides sharing Indigenous cultures and stories with the world; they contributed to the community. In addition to her first artistic expression, printmaking, Kemp found her creative passion for jewelry making and design in 2015.

Kemp’s current works of art represent the knowledge she has attained through her studies of her tribes of the southwest and the southeast United States. She is a Mvskoke Creek Nation member, and her tribes include Choctaw, Euchee-Mvskoke Creek, and Diné. She works out of her home studio, where she produces her mono-silk screen prints, mix-medium artworks, and metalwork.

About the Founder I’m a full-time artist and have been for the past five years. I started my creative path through fine arts, specifically printmaking and mixed medium art, around 2002. Since then, I have been doing art markets and gallery shows, showing my monotype prints, mono-silkscreen prints, and mixed medium original pieces.

After realizing that I was passionate about making jewelry, I decided to start my small business, Ahlazua-Indigenous Woman Made, around two to three years ago. That has grown to include other handmade goods such as journals, masks, t-shirts, and fun stuff like art stickers and pins.

My ideas keep growing and developing into new projects and goods.

About Ahlazua I decided to use Ahlazua as my business name and nativemax.com

my moniker because, in all actuality, it is my name too. Ahlazua is a Euchee name given to me by my grandma Josephine and my great aunt Awie when I was a baby. My Euchee and Choctaw side of my family had always felt distant since I grew up in Arizona and didn’t travel to Oklahoma too often.

So when it came time to name my business, I wanted to honor my Euchee name.

How Ahlazua shares the beauty of Indigenous culture and heritage with the world I believe our culture is inherently beautiful, so of course, I love to make things that are shiny, sparkly, and pretty to look at and feels good to wear.

But lately, I’ve been thinking, “how can I make something beautiful or thought-provoking that speaks about my heritage or Indigenous issues in today’s space, to be seen and heard?” Besides making beautiful pieces, I want to make things that mean something, because we as Indigenous people are still here creating and adding onto our narratives. I want to make sure that the things I make encapsulate that idea and sentiment. Our culture is beautiful, and artists and creatives are here to be the storytellers. I want to make my ancestors proud.

Giving Back & Contributing to the Community with Ahlazua I think giving back to your community is very important. My parents instilled that in me at a young age. For the past two years, I’ve been the co-chair for the Phoenix Indian Center’s annual fundraising event Silver & Turquoise Ball. I also saw the opportunity to support other organizations

through my platform too. I am not, by all means, the biggest business, but I give what I can. These organizations are the ones I’ve been donating to currently: Navajo & Hopi COVID Relief Fund, LGBTQ Freedom Fund, Migizi Minneapolis, and Diné Pride Nááts’ íílid Rainbow Scholarship.

I recently came across this great organization that supports Indigenous youth and mental health called the ‘We Matter Campaign.’ I honestly wish they had something like this when I was younger.

They have videos of other Indigenous youth, artists, politicians, athletes, etc., speaking to the camera in videos letting the youth know they are worthy and loved. They also provide counseling and other services.

Being creative and taking care of the family during the Pandemic As a full-time artist, I would be getting home right about now from traveling to Santa Fe Indian Art Market and all the other shows I do during the summer. But instead, like others, I am home trying to focus on other creative ways to keep my sales up. I am so thankful to be with my family; I feel like the household protector since my parents and brother have underlying health issues. They are my number one priority right now, keeping them healthy. I’m just so lucky that they are all artists, so it feels like one big collaborative artistin-residency program.

Shop Ahlazua Fine Arts at NATIVEWOMANMADE.COM.

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Jessica Metcalfe, Ph.D.; Photo: courtesy

Talking Fashion Taking Native Fashion mainstream has the potential of tackling many obstacles while addressing issues such as cultural appropriation. The movement may also provide opportunities for small designers and fashion business owners alike.

Though its a hard fight, people like Dr. Jessica Metcalfe (Turtle Mountain Chippewa) and non-Indigenous ally ChloĂŤ Angus and their work are helping bridge the gap of Native fashion to the mainstream fashion industry.

BY KELLY HOLMES

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The Edge

Jessica Metcalfe, Ph.D. Founder, Beyond Buckskin & Beyond Buckskin Boutique Jessica Metcalfe, Ph.D., (Turtle Mountain Chippewa) has become a well-known person in the small-niche community of Native fashion of North America. She founded Beyond Buckskin, a blog that empowers Native American artists and designers, advancing the quality of Native American fashion through education while providing an in-depth podium for societal participation.

Inspired by relevant historical and contemporary Native American clothing design and art, Beyond Buckskin promotes cultural appreciation, social relationships, authenticity, and creativity. She also launched Beyond Buckskin Boutique, an online platform where emerging and established artists can bring their work to new audiences. “The fashion industry is one of the hardest fields to break into, regardless of your background,” Metcalf explains. “Through this boutique, we create a space to bring Native American-made fashion to the forefront and to demonstrate that ‘Native fashion’ and ‘Native style’ is more than just a trend.”

Jessica Metcalf wasn’t always into fashion. “My mom was. When she took me school shopping, I resisted her suggestions for the fashion-forward, trendy stuff of the ‘80s,” she explains. Yet, Metcalf loved emulating her mom’s fashion style. “I absolutely loved my mom, looked up to her, and dressing like her was a huge honor.”

When she became a teenager, Metcalf played with her style, including many fashion genres, nativemax.com

such as schoolgirl, skater, and hip-hop. As she got older, Metcalf’s style stabilized slightly and consisted of combining a dress or skirt with heels and statement jewelry. Now, Metcalf usually incorporates Native American-made clothing, jewelry, and accessories into her style. “These items inevitably find their way into my daily outfits, and I love it.”

However, Metcalfe credits her educational experiences to influence the development of her style. She grew up poor and went to a small school where she graduated with about thirty other students, most of whom were Native American.

She experienced culture shock when she attended Dartmouth College, an Ivy League school on the east coast. As her studies in history, law, and policy, education, language, culture, and art intensified, she made connections that she never saw before. “I became fascinated with the power of clothing and how it can relay messages, whether consciously or subconsciously,” Metcalf explains.

“Increasingly, I found it necessary that we, as Native people, need to visually state that we are still here, and we need allies.” According to Metcalfe, through clothing, jewelry, and accessories, Native people can keep their voices and perspectives in the conversation without white-washing and exclusion.

Metcalf then gathered the information for her dissertation on Native American designers of high fashion: personal interviews with designers, photos from groovy fashion shows in the ‘70s and early ‘90s. But Metcalfe wanted to share this newfound information with more people than just her doctoral committee, which led her to launch the Beyond Buckskin blog in 2009. “I had no idea if anyone would read it or not, I just wanted to put

it out there that Native American fashion exists.

Simple.”

Metcalfe graduated with her Ph.D. and advanced to various professor positions in Art History and Native American Studies. Though, she found herself standing out amongst other professors with her long dark hair and growing personal style, which consisted of big beaded earrings and other items. “I’m not the only one who has been called out that ‘big beaded earrings or other cultural clothing or jewelry items are distracting’ and shouldn’t be worn so that the students could concentrate on the material.

What a ridiculous and petty jab.” Metcalfe realized her efforts would be better spent elsewhere when she realized higher academia doesn’t value other minority perspectives. As she ran her blog, she noticed her readers wanted to buy Native American-made fashion. However, there was the problem of connecting customers with artists and designers in the new century. “At that time, there was nowhere to do it. You’d have to physically have to go to an event, like the Heard Indian Market or Santa Fe Indian Market, or a powwow, and each only happens once a year, and not everyone has access to travel to those places.” Using the internet’s power to connect customers with makers, she established Beyond Buckskin Boutique, which included dozens of Native American designers she met while researching her dissertation. “I had cultivated a loyal following with the blog. All of these people knew me and knew what I stood for.”

Despite taking a huge risk with her first attempt at a business in the ultra-niche category of Native Fashion after trading a stable career as a professor for an entrepreneur, she launched the online boutique in 2012.

In just eight years, the business grew substantially and was all done in rural North Dakota.

Despite operating a fashion business in the middle of nowhere-land, Metcalfe looks beyond the obstacles. “There are hurdles to base a fashion business in rural North Dakota versus a big city like New York City, but this forces me to remember that we are more than just a fashion business; we are about representing diverse perspectives and worldviews, and we are about honoring tradition and going beyond the expected.”

Metcalfe’s work with Beyond Buckskin is credited for bringing Native fashion to the spotlight, especially online. Beyond Buckskin has also become an ongoing platform of bringing awareness to the cultural appropriation that happens regarding Native fashion. The blog has numerous posts of non-Native fashion designers appropriating Native cultures and aesthetics in their collections and educational resources for anyone interested in learning about cultural appropriation. Besides writing about Native art, fashion, and design, Metcalfe hosted and produced fashion shows and arts events. Metcalfe continues to share her journey, challenges, and successes through workshops, presentations, and keynote addresses. Its namesake boutique is the original online platform that sold a collective of Native American-made goods through e-commerce. Rooted in positive activism and a desire to share Native cultures with the world through fashion design, Beyond Buckskin Boutique continues to provide a place where customers can connect with Native American fashion designers and jewelry artists.

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Chloë Angus; Photo: courtesy

Chloë Angus Founder, Chloë Angus Designs Chloë Angus is known for her fashion business Chloë Angus Designs. Located on unceded Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh territories, this sustainable company creates modern fashion and home décor while collaborating with First Nations artists and incorporating Indigenous art.

Angus’ heritage may be English, Scottish and Irish, but her work and collaboration with First Nations people are remarkable. Angus is the founder of Chloë Angus Designs, a fashion company and studio based in Vancouver, British Columbia; Angus’ also co-owns her company with her husband, Gabe, who is Métis. Her company creates modern fashions and home decor in collaboration with Indigenous artists across Canada.

This collaboration incorporates Indigenous art and culture into everyday style. Angus works di-

rectly with the artists to create each collection and is passionate about using her skill set to work with Indigenous artists while creating fair compensation and opportunities.

Angus’ company aims to celebrate Indigenous history, art, and culture and have made it a priority to promote and share the significant artwork that each artist creates. Her goal is to unite people, encourage an open dialogue, promote better cultural understanding, and celebrate Indigenous culture. Another goal of Angus’ company is to sustain a healthy body image. “We have realistic sizing for our garments, and when it comes to models,” she says. “We like to show all types of beauty.” Angus uses models of all shapes, sizes, ages, and backgrounds.

Angus’ ancestors immigrated to Canada in the mid-1800s, specifically in British Columbia. Living here gave Angus the privilege of growing up in a predominantly First Nations community on the west coast. “This gave me an understanding and deep respect for Indigenous knowledge, strength,

18 NATIVE MAX MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020

and culture,” Angus explains. Angus has always been into fashion and style her whole life. “I was born to do this,” she says. “My spirit is creative; my medium is fabric; my passion is creating a style that uplifts the person who wears it.” Angus describes her style as classic, elegant, comfortable, and powerful with accessories that tell her life stories, all of which spread through her fashion company. Pearls and Formline [Formline art is a feature of the Northwest Coast tribal art] are what she’s recognized for. The pearls used in some of her work come straight from the oyster farm where she was raised.

Growing up in a small First Nations community provided Angus with a positive experience of love and care. “We all knew and cared for each other,” she describes. But when she moved to Vancouver, she discovered a separation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. “There was nowhere for people to get to know each other, support each other, celebrate together, and experience each other’s positive qualities. This causes a lack of understanding and respect among people that leads to distrust and racism.”

Gabe’s–Angus’ husband who co-owns Chloë Angus Designs–great grandfather was from the Red River area in Winnipeg, Manitoba. His grandfather was a fur trader who moved throughout the west coast before settling in Vancouver.

Gabe’s background in global operations helps the company develop into an international company.

Making everything better was what inspired Angus to start Chloë Angus Designs. “A designer to make better clothing, a better way inspired me to start my company,” she explains. Being raised on an organic seafood farm-made, Angus wants to make clothing “better” for the environment, a driving force of hers. “Sustainability is an important part of the company’s ethos; we are always striving to use natural and technically-advanced fabrics and techniques in creating collections, making it better for our bodies and our planet.” As a sustainable company, Chloë Angus Designs supports the ‘Made in Canada’ economy by producing locally in Vancouver in a sweatshop-free environment.

The landscape of the west coast also influences Angus’ design aesthetic. “Color, texture, and diversity; nature at its finest is so inspiring!” she exclaims. “The west coast landscape is breathtaking, and I find endless creative influence from all it offers.” Angus describes the towering mountains with giant trees that grow to the edge of glaciers and deep seas with low tides that show off the secret underwater world; everything that she channels into her design aesthetic. “All this wrapped in the culture of the First Nations people who’s oral history tells the story of this land through colorful imagery and narrative.”

Chloë Angus Designs became known for collaborating with First Nations artists while giving them fair compensation and credit. This trait helps Angus be an ally for First Nations designers and artists by providing a platform for them that ensures high-quality business for both customers and the artists. “Indigenous people around the world deserve a seat at the table to collaborate equally and be fairly compensated and credited for their part,” Angus explains. “Fashion is just one of those tables, First Nations artists have been fighting for this for a long time and have established strong businesses and markets for the work they do, and I’m simply an ally to this.” Angus was nativemax.com

The Edge taught to give credit where credit is due and fair in business, which is very important for Angus when working with First Nations artists in fashion.

“So many before me have taken advantage of Indigenous culture, using it for their gain without recognition or royalties.”

Angus understands there is still much work needed to be done towards reconciliation in Canada, which moved her to launch the Spirit Collection. With a focus on uniting art and fashion, Angus collaborates with First Nations’ Inuit and Metis artists to create designs for the Spirit Collection. “The Spirit Collection is a collaboration with Indigenous artists from across Canada, working together, we celebrate and support Indigenous art and culture in the fashion industry.” All artwork is licensed, and the artists are fairly compensated.

The Spirit Collection is a way for Angus to honor the Indigenous people of Canada, where the collaboration creates a modern representation of Indigenous-Canadian fashion and style for men and women, even home decor.

As a non-Indigenous person doing fair and equal business with First Nations artists, Angus’ company helps set a standard that many companies can and should follow. Angus believes working with others fairly opens up so many growth opportunities both creatively and in business. “Fashion brands would find themselves more successful if they followed the collaborative path with Indigenous people.” Instead of finding themselves on the news for wrongfully appropriating Indigenous culture, working with Indigenous people fairly and equally would allow their brand to be celebrated by clients they may have never reached before.

Angus is also known for styling entertainers and celebrities. When asked who was her favorite celebrity to style, Angus replied, “that is like asking a mother which child is her favorite! They each have their unique qualities that I love.” One memorable time was when Angus styled Eugene Brave Rock for the Los Angeles premiere of Wonder Woman with a modern grey suit featuring a feather design by Heiltsuk artist KC Hall on the chest. She even styled Brave Rock’s wife with a Signature Spirit wrap by Haida artist Clarence Mills. Another memorable actor Angus styled was Carmen Moore, who played in a lead role in the hit series Blackstone. Angus was a huge fan of the show and her character. “I got a message saying she was coming in to see me about a dress for an upcoming event,” she says. “I have to say it doesn’t happen often, but I was completely starstruck!” After all these years of dressing politicians to princesses, it made Angus nervous to style Moore. “I wanted her to like my dresses as much as I liked her.” Carmen models for Angus now on the runway and in photoshoots. When it comes down to it, Angus loves every person she gets to dress and style, taking pride in making everyone look and feel like celebrities.

It’s been 16 years since Angus and Gabe opened their company. Angus still designs and conducts fittings in her Vancouver studio while catching up with old and new customers, dressing countless actors, entertainers, and politicians. The Spirit Collection continues to develop and flourish with new designs, First Nations artists, and inspirations years later.

What Angus does is also helping bring Native fashion to the mainstream fashion community.

“It comes back to collaboration,” Angus says. nativemax.com

“When Indigenous and non-Indigenous people are working together, we can appeal to all customers.” For Angus, this is what it takes to become mainstream. With that comes greater appreciation, recognition, and respect for Indigenous art, culture, and fashion in Canada and worldwide.

“I’m honored to be apart of that.”

Angus’ modern Haida dress, featuring a Modern Haida Design by Haida artist Clarence Mills, which is neutral and doesn’t belong to any specific Haida clan or crest; Photo: courtesy

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020 | NATIVE MAX MAGAZINE 19

The Edge

Beading Connections: Designer Justine Woods Reclaims Her Ancestral Identity Through a Métis Aesthetic

Photo: Alia Youssef

Justine Woods, a 23-year-old interdisciplinary artist from the Georgian Bay Métis community, is an emerging talent of Indigenous fashion who is reclaiming her ancestral identity through a Métis aesthetic.

BY NIYA DEGROAT

20 NATIVE MAX MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020

nativemax.com

The Edge Justine Woods’ F/W 18 Collection: Decolonizing the bespoke suit. This collection is framed within the means of decolonizing fashion.

A reclamation of Métis culture and identity through the defacement of a series of western tailored garments with floral beadwork.

Photos: courtesy.

I

ndigenous fashion in North America is flourishing in part due to an activist-driven generation of young creatives. First Nations graduate student, Justine Woods, a 23-year-old interdisciplinary artist from the Georgian Bay Métis community, is one of those emerging talents leading the charge. "I always wanted to be a fashion designer," says Woods, who began sewing at the age of six and is currently a Master of Design candidate at Ontario College of Art & Design (OCAD) University in Tkaronto (Toronto). Prior to OCAD University, she received her bachelor's degree in fashion design from Ryerson University in the spring of 2018. "It's baby steps, but we're well on our way to creating this new world of indigenously-made fashion," says Woods. "It's becoming its own entity."

For too long, and much like their Native American counterparts in the United States, Canada's Indigenous populations' traditional practices were repeatedly stolen and suppressed due to Western colonialism. During the first two years of her undergraduate studies, Woods found it difficult relating to the Eurocentric curriculum, which ultimately led to a gradual disinterest in the fashion industry altogether. "Like most indigenous youth, I grew up disconnected from my culture," she admits. "At Ryerson, I was very young, and I was trying desperately to find my voice in an industry where there's really no representation of who you are as an Indigenous person. Instead, all you see and hear is a bunch of Western notions of fashion ideals and unrealistic beauty standards." A course in bespoke tailoring during her junior year reinvigorated her love of garment construction by good fortune. It allowed her to incorporate her traditional Métis beadwork, which is a staple of her blossoming portfolio. "I taught myself how to bead as a way for me to reclaim my identity as a Métis woman," declares Woods. "It also affords me the opportunity to decolonize fashion."

For her graduating Fall/Winter 2018 presentation, Woods "defaced a series of Western tailored garments with floral beadwork in an attempt to showcase reverse colonialism." The 15-piece bespoke menswear collection of five complete suits earned her a 2019 Canadian Arts & Fashion Awards (CAFA) nomination for The Simons Fashion Design Student Award.

Today, whether she is quarantining with her parents on ancestral lands away from the daily grind of city life to work on her thesis proposal or facilitating The Beading Circle for Ryerson University, Woods hasn't let the pandemic stifle her creativity. "Every Wednesday since the pandemic started back in March, I've been leading a beading circle on Zoom," says Woods.

Before the pandemic, members of the grant-funded project met face-to-face within the Ryerson Fashion Department, where guest beaders from across the Tkaronto community shared their beading knowledge and skills. Due to the global shutdown of public schools and universities, Woods decided to move the organization online. Notable guest instructors include indigenous artists Adam Garnet Jones and Bronwyn Butterfield. "A beading circle is an act of revitalization. They contribute to the awakening of indigenous knowledge," says Woods. The community-based platform has grown to include nativemax.com

participants from across the continent. "In the midst of physical distancing, our weekly beading circles have become sources of medicine for us to get through this time of uncertainty and make it out safely on the other side as a community."

Other projects that underscore her focus on cultural resurgence include graduate design work. For her art installation entitled, "Geyaabi Indayaamin Omaa," Woods first created a corset using raw deer hide, then applied seed beads to the garment inside to spell out, "We Are Still Here," which is translated into the Anishinaabemowin language. "It's a very emotional piece, and I relate to it deeply," says Woods. "I wanted to explore the concept of Western femininity with the body being cinched around the waist and how that has long been a beauty ideal even to this day," she adds. "I also draw attention to the sensory effect of the beads being imprinted onto the skin, especially when the corset is laced up tightly." For Woods, the piece challenges women's objectification and is "a dedication to all Indigenous women whose bodies have been attacked and victimized by settler violence."

Another pivotal piece is the land-based project, "Em[beaded] michinn," or "Embedded medicine," which features seed beads on a maple branch using the peyote stitch technique. Woods created the piece with her parents during quarantine to practice Keeoukaywin–the visiting way–wherein Métis take refuge in ancestral homelands to reconnect with family during challenging times. "It was this beautiful experience of borrowing this branch, beading it together as a family in isolation while having conversations with one another, and then, returning the branch to the land as a thank you gift for allowing us to heal and re-center ourselves through this act of reciprocity."

Peeling away these Western-centric impositions and bringing forward other ways of thinking that are equally valid is what drives Woods' design process. "When I create my designs, I place indigenous practices at the forefront of my making," she proclaims. Her colleague, Riley Kucheran, Assistant Professor of Design Leadership at Ryerson, echoes that sentiment. "Justine's aesthetic is ancient but forward-thinking," he says. "The forms and medicines that are beaded into her work come from the land; they all have purpose and healing properties. It's the kind of fashion we need to be encouraging–slow, sustainable, and respectful."

What's next for Justine? "I'm researching doctoral programs. I want to become a design professor so that I can continue to share indigenous-driven practices," she says with excitement. "A lot of my work is grounded in not only my identity as a Metis woman but also my ancestors. I position my work as a way to provide them with a voice because they never had one, and also, creating this possibility for my future ancestors to be able to live in a world where they fully understand and embrace who they are."

Follow Justine on Instagram at @justinewoods_ and visit her website at JUSTINEWOODS.COM.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020 | NATIVE MAX MAGAZINE 21

The Edge

Interview: Lehi Thunder Voice Eagle

Lehi Thunder Voice Eagle reclaims and repurposes the iconic Navajo brim hat, which reuses and honors all elements of creation.

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ehi Thunder Voice Eagle, who’s of Diné and Totonoc descent, grew up far from a city’s buzzing life. “Most of my life was spent in nature, living off the land,” he recalls. “With that came many parts of the foundation of understanding my culture: stories, skills, and knowledge.” This experience bleeds into the fashion and art that Thunder Voice Eagle creates, which is also the foundation of his company, Thunder Voice Hat Co. Known for its rustic, high-quality hats, Thunder Voice Hat Co. is Thunder Voice Eagle’s venture into the fashion world.

Lehi started the company after finding out the damaging effects of fast fashion. “Because, like you, we’re learning about the massive impact fast fashion, mass production, and disposal of clothing has on Mother Earth,” Thunder Voice Eagle says. “Instead of consuming more resources, we find ways to reuse what we have been given already.” Thunder Voice grew up 22 NATIVE MAX MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020

listening to his parents talk about how sacred animals are, and that Creator gave us ways to sustain our earthly experience. “Beautiful buckskin shirts were made, intricately-beaded moccasins, long wood bows, medicines and teas, and many other creations were used and never discarded.” To honor this cycle of life, Lehi searches for the finest reclaimed vintage hats, discarded leather, old coins, vintage t-shirts, and jewelry in his travels. Discarded elements are combined to make the vast array of Thunder Voice Eagle Co. hats, jewelry, and apparel. “They are a statement of how we can reuse and honor all elements of creation.”

Thunder Voice Eagle and his team reclaim and repurpose the iconic Navajo brim hat, which has spanned through the ages, as a reminder of generations past. Each hat is vintage hand-sourced, steamed and shaped, creatively visioned, and lovingly made. Each hat holds stories, purpose, and the hope nativemax.com

The Edge that the wearer will wear it with pride and meaning. As far as we know, Thunder Voice Hat Co. is currently the only Indigenous-owned hat-maker who reclaims and repurposes hats.

How has your upbringing and culture inspired your art and your style?

Most of my life was spent in nature, living off the land and teaching youth in a wilderness therapy program. My mother and father played a significant role in passing on wilderness survival and awareness skills in our family. With that came many parts of the foundation of understanding my culture: stories, skills, and knowledge. The fashion and art I create are the outcomes of this background; learning to live between two worlds. This created a new, contemporary blend of the ancient and modern.

How do you integrate traditional storytelling and ancestral teachings with modern mediums for your art?

I integrate storytelling and ancestral teachings through both representations in my paintings and reclaiming in my hats and fashion.

I reclaim every element of the hats and use what is commonly discarded as a reminder that everything is sacred. The plants and animals are sacred, you are sacred, and we are sacred.

I represent through my art. Some of the paintings I create are re-imagined iconic images. Shifting the storyline through representation, and finding the ways to reframe and reclaim pieces of history that have been given less visual recognition and attention. It is a way that allows the viewer access to a history they are comfortable with, then the challenge of shifting their focus to a history that many have attempted to disregard and hide.

Two years ago, you started a hat company after realizing the damaging effects of fast fashion. What made you realize this problem? And how do you hope to contribute to a better future by upcycling hats?

When you live primarily off the land, the overabundance of material items, and their damaging impact on the earth, is painfully clear. At the same time, I know and love the traditions of clothing ourselves in ways that remind us we are sacred.

We are gifted with the ability to create, reuse, repurpose, and reharmonizes with the land and the elements it provides us. The hats came out of a desire to clothe people in dignity and reclaim what already exists into something beautiful.

What is the process of upcycling your hats? How do you ensure the uniqueness and high quality of each hat?

We hand source the hats through individuals, antique stores, and flea markets.

We sage them, steam them, and hand clean them. We hand shape them and let them sit in the sun. The bands are then formed out of discarded saddle leather, belts, or leather scraps. We will stitch on patches, or hammer on rivets, add antique silver coins, or turquoise findings. Finally, the elements are added to the ammo band, small reminders of the spiritual battles we fight, and the protection we choose to carry with us. These decisions are made in response to the individual hat: it’s shape, size, history, and color.

Your company donates the proceeds of sales to causes. Why is this important for your company to give back to the community through times of crisis?

Like my mother says, the Diné language is one of kinship. We are we. Investing in my family and my people has been a foundational part of my company; most of my employees are family members. When COVID-19 hit, we had an opportunity to pivot into a greater and more sustainable way of investing in my area of Navajo Nation: Gap / Bodaway. My sister Alicia Martin and her family are on the ground delivering water, supplying food, checking in with elders, and pursuing a sustainable way of filling needs every single day. We are honored to support them and follow their lead. We are nothing without our community, and we recognize that.

Do you plan on adding anything else to upcycle besides hats in the future?

Yes! Stay on the lookout for more reclaimed apparel options, shirts, and jackets.

We have a lot in the works, and can’t wait to share the next season of TVHC with you.

Shop Thunder Voice Eagle Hat Co. hats and products at THUNDERVOICEHATCO.COM. Thunder Voice Eagle’s latest hat releases.

Models in photos: @rayezaragoza, @kinsalehues and @lightning_moccasins.

Photographer: @cultivate_consulting.

nativemax.com

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020 | NATIVE MAX MAGAZINE 23

The Edge

Left: One of Myles’ fabric prints for sale, pattern 1 from series Dakota Deco

Marlena Myles

The Fusion of Art & Fashion: Marlena Myles Plenty of artists have made moves into the fashion world, and vice versa. We spoke with digital artist and illustrator (turned fabric designer) Marlena Myles about her experience of fusing digital art with style and the inspiration behind some of her iconic fashion patterns.

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ike other millennials, Marlena Myles (Dakota, Mohegan, Muscogee Creek) developed her knack for digital arts on a computer with dial-up internet. "I got into making my own websites, drawing comics, and creating graphics of my favorite musicians," she says. "So, my passion for computer-generated art started at an early age." Myles, originally from the Spirit Lake Dakota Tribe in North Dakota, is also self-taught since she grew up alongside the growth and progress of technology and the net. "The programs and software have gotten a lot better since then, and there are so many 24 NATIVE MAX MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020

fun ways to explore your imagination with technology these days."

Myles grew up in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Rapid City, South Dakota; all on the traditional homelands of the Oceti Sakowin (Dakota, Lakota, and Nakota tribes). Myles' accomplishments are impressive: she's created works for children's books, coloring books, animations and has fine art in galleries such as the Minneapolis Institute of Art, Red Cloud Heritage Center, the Minnesota Museum of American Art, the South Dakota Art Museum, and the Museum of Nebraska Art, to name a few. She creates her digital art using nativemax.com

The Edge Adobe Illustrator, a highly intricate and advanced vector graphics editor, and design software program. "Each piece consists of hundreds of layers, gradients, and shapes placed upon each other," Myles explains. Though she uses modern-day technology to design her graphics, Myles indeed incorporates elements of traditional Native art. "When people think of Native American art, they may recall the abstract geometric styles that were historically used by women, or the figurative war scenes created by men, but my art combines both in a fresh way to revamp what people might think of Native art."

Myles is a self-taught digital artist working with various mediums–digital art, animation, and illustration. One of her main motivations for creating art is to pass on knowledge to the next generations using the modernity that surrounds Native people to show the world that our cultures are still very much relevant; that they are a source of power. This is what pushes Myles to continue integrating the stories of her people through graphic art. "The common misconception with Native art is that it's traditional, stuck in the past," she says. "But the truth is that Native people have always been innovative. So to use Illustrator is just a continuation of what my ancestors already did."

As a youth, Myles was always interested in learning her Dakota culture, but there was a lack of materials and resources. "There weren't a lot of materials out there for me to learn from as a kid that taught plant knowledge, star knowledge, about our traditional spirituality." As an adult, she found inner-strength from studying more about her culture, which is why she wants to make sure the next generations can have that opportunity as well. "I think almost all Native people find value and meaning in passing down knowledge to the future generations using whatever gifts they have to do so." This motivated Myles to apply her artistic talents to educational opportunities: she has illustrated books, murals, and coloring books along with other pieces that teach the Dakota language and the history of their lands. She's even animated music videos. "My plans for next year include branching out into augmented reality and possibly video games to showcase our culture in new ways."

Myles has recently taken on fashion with her online fabric store, where customers can have her designs printed and used in their creations. Some of her Dakota fashion patterns are a fusion between her Native culture and various memorable art and fashion design movements such as art deco and '60s mod. Myles also sells merchandise such as shirts, backpacks, leggings, and masks featuring her graphic art.

We sat down with Myles to talk about her experience of using fashion to express herself, how she fuses digital art with style, and the inspiration behind some of her iconic fashion patterns.

As an award-winning, multi-talented Native American artist, what perspective do you bring to your art?

I think one of the common misperceptions of Native art is that it's stuck in the past, that being "traditional" means doing things in a certain fashion. The truth is, Native people, have always been innovative, so using the technology I'm using to share our cultural wealth is just a continuation of what our ancestors have been doing since time immemorial. I'm a fan of different cultures worldwide, so I like to adapt to the Dakota style of art into different styles. I think if people look at my art, they might see Native art done in a way they've never seen before but still tell it's closely tied to our fundamental values.

Besides using modern mediums such as digital art, you're also a fabric and fashion designer. How did you also become a fabric and fashion designer?

Fashion has always been a great way to express myself; when I first started my professional art career, I was shy at talking to people at art exhibitions.

However, the cool outfits I would put together just for the event would always be a great ice breaker, so fashion helped me become confident.

If you look at our ancestors' old photos, you can see their confidence through the way they present themselves with their beautiful fashions.

Understanding that power and strength that comes from how one is dressed, I wanted to create fabrics for other designers to use in their designs because I think there's a pretty limited selection of fabrics made by Natives for Natives.

I have an online fabric store where people can have my designs printed and used in their creations. A few designers have even produced entire lines for fashion shows using them, so it's great seeing folks being inspired by my fabrics. I try to do innovative things with the designs to test both myself as a designer and open people's minds to what Native fashions can be.

How do you convey the rich culture and history of the Native person/people to the viewer through fashion?

I like to include Dakota's ancient stories as well as Dakota plant knowledge in my works. I researched the medicines our ancestors would use in their quillnativemax.com

A few of Myles’ fabric prints. Top: Thunderbird VS Underwater Serpent.

Right: Watercolor Dakota Floral. Shop for Myles’ fabrics on her website WWW.MARLENAMYL.ES.

work and beadwork, some were created to protect the wearer of the designs, so I wanted to keep that tradition going with my fabrics. Even though they have different international art movements as the basis for the patterns (such as Art Deco, Art Nouveau, '60s Mod, etc.), the art is always uniquely Dakota in the end.

One of the fabric designs includes the ancient story of the Thunder being and Underwater Serpent that can be seen on petroglyphs dating back over 10,000 years old; I thought it would be fun to create a pattern that drew on those ancient stories and mix it with the colorful style of Lisa Frank that I loved as a kid. I imagine there are little ones out there who would also love the colors and feel proud that our ancient stories are still fashionable.

How does it make you feel when you see other Indigenous designers creating designs with your fabric?

I feel motivated to keep creating new designs. Many of the designs I've seen were done in ways I hadn't even imagined the designs would be used. I end up growing as an artist myself looking at their creations: their works influence what I should create next in order, so it's a fun feedback loop!

How have you been dealing with and working during the COVID-19 pandemic?

I've been pretty keen on practicing socially distancing, so it's mostly me staying home and working on projects or taking walks to nearby parks. The fabric shop I use to print my designs had to limit their workers for obvious safety measures, so there was a huge delay in getting fabrics printed, so I decided to wait until recently to add new designs to my shop after making adjustments to protect their workers. Besides creating fabrics, I've been working on creating illustrations for magazines, newspapers (such as the Washington Post), my upcoming coloring book, animations, and working on window vinyl murals for the City of Minneapolis.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020 | NATIVE MAX MAGAZINE 25

26 NATIVE MAX MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020

nativemax.com

The Insider On the Edge of Something Great Creating art that defies viewers’ expectations and traditions with modern forms of artistic expression is undoubtedly an accomplishment. However, contemporary Native American artists are taking it a step further.

They’re fearless, in positions of disregarding any rules for their artistic style to portray their people in a current context, changing how the world perceives Native people. Here’s our list of cutting-edge contemporary Native American artists who all use their preferred mediums to incorporate culture, traditions, and storytelling into their art while addressing Native American social issues.

BY KELLY HOLMES

PLUS: TATTOOS AS CULTURAL ART nativemax.com

Photo: courtesy

Chad Yellowjohn At first, art was a way for Chad "Little Coyote" Yellowjohn (Shoshone-Bannock/Spokane) to express himself. "I was considered a mute, which means I didn't speak much," explains Yellowjohn. "When I spoke, it was jibberjabber." The positive reactions from family members seeing his drawings gave Yellowjohn the satisfaction needed to keep going. "I had a gift and wanted to spread that same joy to people." Raised near a small community called Usk, Washington, Yellowjohn quickly gained an interest in free-hand illustration, relaying ideas blossoming from imagination to paper.

Now, Yellowjohn shows the world his art while sharing his story and spreading inspiration and awareness of the issues that Indigenous people face in modern society. Today, he is motivated to promote optimistic activism and spread happiness through his art while incorporating laughter.

Please share with us a little bit about yourself.

I began drawing at the age of 2. My middle name and Indigenous name is "Little Coyote" (so don't be fooled, I am not a rapper though I've always wanted to produce one song).

I've only completed two acrylic paintings in my life. I always had long hair. My favorite cartoon character is Goofy because he was a single dad who wanted to be a part of his son's life, and he's goofy. My favorite movie is Who Framed Roger Rabbit, and my dream is to make an animation where I'd be able to SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020 | NATIVE MAX MAGAZINE 27

The Insider converse with my own characters. I'm against Indigenous mascots, black lives do matter, womxn must be valued, and men are allowed to show emotion, all children must be saved including from the cages, I support my LGBTQ+ friends and the community, and I don't tolerate racism.

I love to grass dance and dance to music, so if you ever see me busting out dance moves, I most likely learned it from my brother, Shanner. I love basketball, so if you see me being competitive and dribbling a basketball, I most likely got that from my brother, Ryan. If you ever see me in a magazine (such as this one), the credit most likely goes to my mom, my two brothers, and my family.

How has your upbringing shaped your identity?

How did it shape your craft?

I was raised by my beautiful mother, Ione Yellowjohn, with my two older brothers Shanner Escalanti and Ryan Yellowjohn. My brothers are 10 and 12 years older than me, so it was hard to convince them to play ships with me, and I didn't have many friends in my part of the community to play with. I was considered a mute, which means I didn't speak much, and when I did speak, it was jibber-jabber. Whenever I finished a piece, I can remember the satisfaction and joy of making my brothers and mom smile. I had a gift and wanted to spread that same joy to people.

When my brothers graduated and moved out of the house, I would have to tag along with my mother when she would paint buildings, clean houses, etc. If my mom wasn't cleaning homes, she was in her studio beading or sewing, which motivated me as a young artist. Wherever we would go, my mom would label me as her "little art-eest," and if I happen to be drawing at that very moment, she will reminisce about my art, which she still does today. My mother raised us boys as a single mother; she's worked too hard and risked a lot for me not to become somebody (which I'm still working at).

As a Native American artist, what point of view do you bring to your art? How does it set you apart from the rest?

Indigenous people have many traditions from many tribes. Coming down south to Santa Fe, New Mexico, I've got to experience cultures I didn't know exist. For me, it was hard to leave my community and family. Still, I felt responsible for sharing my experiences verbally and artistically as an explorer by sketching other peoples' cultures (with respect, of course).

There is a beauty to every Indigenous culture, and I enjoy illustrating our traditional living. I am continually being inspired by art and artists, and I use that inspiration to make an impact on other Indigenous people to carry on further the culture we strive to keep alive. I honor my elders, ancestors, brothers, and sisters who dance, sing, pray, braid, and carry on those teachings by showing my appreciation through art.

When I see an artist's creation, I'm looking at their perspective on how they see the world, making every artist unique. My unique way of contributing to the inspirational impact is I have always used markers. I started with Crayola markers, then Sharpies, and was blessed to stumble upon Copic markers. I'm very comfortable using a medium I've used my whole life; I struggle to switch mediums. However, using my precious markers, no mistakes can be made, and

when they are made, there's no going back, nor is white-out the answer. Just like any obstacle we take on in life, I have to plan out every marking and take great care of how I approach it because what's done is done. However, mistakes will be made (created with markers), and it can't be fixed; the only way to make it for the better is to work with it. Which is what I do with markers; I work with the problem.

You spread awareness of issues Native people face as well as inspiration with your art. How do you incorporate activism into your art?

I consider myself a guy that doesn't like conflict.

However, when I spread awareness, I'm letting the viewers know about how I (and others who have a similar mindset) feel about the issue, just like I would express to my mom how I feel through my art as a kid. Like many, I'm a big fan of Star Wars, and I know it isn't a surprise when I express that the Indigenous people can relate to the Rebels, or "scums" of the saga, an excellent comparison for non-Indigenous people to get a better understanding. I have to be triggered, and as a Sith, I use my anger while creating my pieces, which can be therapeutic for me. Otherwise, I'd be thinking about the issue non-stop.

When creating an active piece, I feel a graphic piece needs to be illustrated; contrarily, my point will not be as strong. I struggled to create an active piece because I knew it would create conflict (which I was afraid of facing). Luckily I had a good friend who asked me, "Fine art pushes the boundaries if it doesn't stir up trouble or spark a controversial conversation, is it really fine art?"

This led me to finish pieces such as "America's Great Again" (displaying an Indigenous man on a horse with storm troopers' [from Star Wars] helmets and Trump's head hanging on the side) and "Sorry Not Sorry" (displaying musical artist Childish Gambino [from the music video "This Is America"] taking a break behind an Indigenous womxn shooting Trump in the head, with Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Jackson, and George Washington in line to be sentenced to death for all their sins against Indigenous People).

Since you use modern mediums such as markers, pens, and digital illustration, how do you balance these mediums while conveying the rich culture and history of the Native people who are in your work to the viewer?

Like every artist, art is a journey; it's a growing experience. Along the way, we pick up techniques and must drop the techniques that slow us down and learn how to balance them towards your objective as an artist. As mentioned, I started with Crayola markers; I would draw what I would see on TV, such as Bugs Bunny, and after continually drawing Bugs Bunny, I was inspired to draw my characters in that same style and as my tools transitioned to Copic markers; my sketches of Indigenous people progressed. As my hand drawing progresses, there's a technique within it that enhances my digital art pieces as well. There are differences: hand drawing is richer than the other because it's an original, digital is easier than the other because I can fix up any mistakes and put certain touches that I would struggle doing with by hand, just not as valuable. The similarity they both share is when they are set in my hands, as it will always portray my people's culture and the respect for another culture, my feelings upon is-

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Chad “Little Coyote� Yellowjohn. For more information about Yellowjohn and his art, visit his website WWW.LILCOYOTE.COM.

sues, and important elements of the culture.

Do you have a favorite work you most favor? Or has the utmost meaning to you?

My favorite art piece would have to be "Healing Echos," which displays nine Indigenous friends of mine, letting out their Warhoop/LiLi/Faumu. Colored with a warm grey for their skin tones, their mouths slightly exaggerated to give a powerful movement to their cries. If you saw me in action, you'd know I love to warhoop. I've expressed in my post about this piece that I enjoy the silence it creates and the echo that follows. I feel like the ancestors who once walked the land want the familiar calling they once let out at their lungs.

When I traveled to Buckingham Palace in London, England, I let out my loudest warhoop, silencing that crowded area. I definitely informed the people of London that we are still here. With "Healing Echos," I hoped to have inspired Indigenous people to let out their Warhoop/LiLi/Faumu from time to time, not caring where they are and who is around. To me, it isn't just a cry; it's a healing cry that lets out my anger, my sadness; I use it for the joy I have for something and as a form of celebration.

How have you been dealing with and working during the COVID-19 pandemic?

This pandemic was a bummer. My artistic friends and I had an art show in Bristol, United Kingdom, called "Young Americans Exhibit" at the Rainmaker Gallery, which was canceled. I was also invited to London, United Kingdom, to perform, which was canceled as well. From the beginning of this pandemic, I drew up masked dancers, which displayed cultures dancing with masks. I intended for Indigenous people to keep their traditions alive during these isolating pandemic times. Due to the masked dancers, my publicity has increased. I had the honor to create a design for PowWows.com featured in the Great Lakes Pow-Wow Guide for the Anishinabek Nation. I illustrated for Supaman, my friend Nataanii Means, and I collaborated with First Citizen Co. and an Indian Relay Horse Race team. nativemax.com

The Insider

“See The Woman,” and on the wall of the Thunderbird Casino outside of Norman, Oklahoma.

Hatfield continues to participate in several Native American art markets throughout the year.

Where are you from? Tell us a little bit about yourself.

Haa Marawea Nu nahnia tsa Nahmi-A-Piah. My name is J. NiCole Hatfield Curtis, a self- taught artist and mother from Apache, Oklahoma.

How has your upbringing shaped your identity?

How did it shape your craft?

I come from a long line of strong Comanche women; it has shaped me into a strong, resilient, independent woman. If I have my mind set on something, I go for it, and I don’t give up. That is what I did with art. It is apart of our tradition. I feel complete with art. It is medicine.

How did you get interested in painting, and how did you teach yourself?

It’s something that has always been with me. My family created in many art forms, whether that be beading, dressmaking, painting, etc. I have drawn since I could hold a pencil, but one day my high school art teacher gave me some paint and said, “Make me a masterpiece.” So I just dove in and never looked back. He allowed us the freedom to create and use what we wanted. This was during a dark time in my life; it was a way to express myself since I had a hard time doing that verbally. It was mentally and spiritually healing to me; it always will be.

As a Native American female, what point of view do you bring to painting? How does it set you apart from the rest?

Strength, leadership, balance.

J. NiCole Hatfield and her painting “Little Brother”. For more information about Hatfield, visit his website WWW. JNICOLEHATFIELD.COM. Photos: courtesy

J. NiCole Hatfield A self-taught contemporary painter, J. NiCole Hatfield (Comanche/Kiowa), realized her love for drawing early. This love led to painting at the age of fifteen years of age. “Painting is medicine. It’s very healing to me,” Hatfield explains. Originally from Apache, Oklahoma, but now residing in Enid, Oklahoma, Hatfield is known for her paintings, which involve bright, attention-grabbing colors, while featuring Native people.

Hatfield attended the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico, for one semester, where she transcended her art into a range of different mediums. Her preferred medium is acrylic, which translates bold colors to canvas. “As a Numunu/Khoiye-Goo woman, there is nothing more important to me than the voice of my people,” says Hatfield. She draws her inspiration from historical photographs of her tribal people, particularly the women of the nativemax.com

tribes. “I want people to see the inner beauty and strength of our women, not just the physical appearance.” The vibrant colors represent her own emotions as well as the emotions that surround her. “We carry all of these beautiful colors within ourselves, and I want them to resonate with each portrait, without me having to speak about it.”

Unity, spirituality, and connection to the Earth are at the center of her culture, and these are the teachings that Hatfield wants to continue to include in her art. “Storytelling is the way that we keep these traditions alive. I frequently incorporate tribal language and traditional stories into my paintings with the hope of inspiring the Native youth to keep creating and continue our traditions of storytelling in painting.”

Hatfield’s artwork has been featured across the country, included painted across the sides of buildings as murals: in Anadarko, Oklahoma on the Lacey Pioneer Building, in downtown Oklahoma City on the E. Sheridan St. underpass titled

What cultural values do you incorporate into your art?

I try to incorporate taking care of our elders and community, our children and women are sacred, equality, our beliefs, respect, and to always be giving, etc.

You include storytelling with your art. How do you come up with a story to tell within a piece/work?

The paintings I create have a story within the eyes, colors, and clothing. The story is your interpretation. Ledger pieces are my stories, things that I see, feel, and experience, I guess my own little diary.

How do you convey the rich culture and history of the Native person/people in your work to the viewer?

Through clothing, facial features, hair, traditional jewelry, and medicine paint.

Do you have a favorite piece/project/work you most favor? Or is it of the utmost meaning to you?

They all are, they are like my babies. A little piece of my spirit is in each piece.

You also mentioned inspiring Native Youth with your paintings frequently. Why is this important for you?

They are our future generation. They will be taking care of our people and traditions.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020 | NATIVE MAX MAGAZINE 29

The Insider Mikayla Patton Born and raised on the Pine Ridge reservation near the Black Hills of South Dakota, Oglala Lakota artist Mikayla Patton creates unique work using alternative printmaking methods, papermaking, and other mixed media, along with traditional beadwork techniques. Though Patton grew up without strong ties to the Lakota culture, she’s inspired to keep learning, in which she threads the Lakota stories and language she’s learned into her work. For example, Patton’s piece “Unci’s Love” is a three-piece addition to the relationship she remembers with her grandmas. Patton utilizes the process of papermaking to embed fabric and traditional medicines into a recycled paper pulp before its made. For Patton, the materials, textures, tears, and uneven edges of the paper embody many of healing actions. “On the surface, I have taken aspects of Lakota geometric symbolism to thread together personal and traditional forms,” she explains. “The paper is burned into, cut out, and embossed, and only a few possess color, but all reflect honest cultural importance.”

Please share with us a little bit about yourself.

I was born and raised on the Pine Ridge reservation. I left the rez to go to boarding school, then I went straight to college at the Institute of American Indian Arts but dropped out for a few years to raise money. Before returning to school, I had the opportunity to mentor a Lakota printmaker who taught me monotype printing and artist management. I continued my undergrad in 2015 and focused both on painting and printmaking. Towards the end of my undergrad, I decided to lean more towards printmaking and soon learned papermaking. I graduated from the Institute of American Indian Arts in 2019; I continue to work based in Santa Fe, New Mexico. I am a printmaker/paper maker. I’ve been interested in paper sculpture, but I do work in various printmaking modes, incorporating beading, hand paper, etc.

How has your upbringing shaped your identity? How did it shape your craft?

I grew up in a family that didn’t have strong ties to my culture. I remember learning a few things from Lakota culture classes in the reservation school, but after middle school, I didn’t have a lot of Lakota-geared learning when I went to boarding school. Plus, when I was young, I was always afraid to ask for help or ask what this or that meant. But as I got older, I wanted to learn, and art helped me get through that. As an artist now, I’m continuously learning stories and language, which I thread into my work to understand and acknowledge what I’m learning. I never claim to know everything but rather get people to think about who my people are and how they empower me. My patience and life experiences shaped my work.

As a Native American artist, what point of view do you bring to your art? How does it set you apart from the rest?

The work I create is personal and explorative. I am a very emotional person and sensitive, but I find it necessary to express my thoughts and emotions through my work. I’ll be honest; I’m not great at sketching out what I want to make, but rather create through at the moment is my best trait. I wouldn’t say I’m very different from other Native Artists, I see us all working and expressing what we need to, and we must encourage each other.

How do you spread awareness of issues Native people face as well as inspiration with your art?

Well, I think the issue is that it is unfortunate that I am only learning my culture more as an adult, but it is inspiring that I’m doing it. I would want people and young natives to know that if they ever feel ashamed of not knowing that it’s okay to keep striving to overcome that feeling. This is a personal 30 NATIVE MAX MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020

struggle but also a very common one among Native country.

You’re also known to use modern mediums such as papermaking and other mixed media and more traditional mediums such as beadwork techniques. How do you balance these mediums while conveying the rich culture and history of the Native person/people who are in your work to the viewer?

Native people have always been so innovative, and when we are introduced to new materials, there’s nothing we can’t do. At a young age, I remember beading before anything, but it wasn’t something I was the greatest at, and once I started printing and making paper, it was something I felt I needed to reintroduce myself to. I manage to incorporate beadwork into my current work because, as a Lakota person, it was my way of bringing and representing beauty and strength into my work. It’s not that I never saw my work in those ways, but it reaches something personal and cultural.

Mikayla Patton and her various works on paper and some beadwork she created. For more information about Patton and her art, visit her website WWW. MIKAYLAPATTON.COM. Photos: courtesy

You also paint. What’s your preferred medium to create with?

Yes, in my undergrad, I focused a lot of my time painting, and I honestly thought I would continue to paint, but I found printmaking more artistically fulfilling. As a printmaker, I work in many processes, such as relief, intaglio, collagraph, and lithograph. Along with printmaking, I am also passionate about making my paper and beading. It seems like a lot to hand with different materials, but I find it rewarding for me. I have the beaver’s instinct to collect and find the right colors of beads, then I’m obsessed with textures from the paper, and printmaking in its own has so many modes of processes that I enjoy. I very much an artist who is it for the process and methods. Time and movement keep my mind at ease, plus a friend of mine told me Lakota women are always supported to be working on something. As an artist, it is a gift to see the world differently.

Do you have a favorite piece/project/work you most favor? Or has the utmost meaning to you?

Printmaking I love, but once I started making paper, I was happy to combine the two. Including beadwork, I am enjoying the work I’m doing now, but I think it’s because I’m in a place where I am creating work that fulfills my artistic abilities. My recent piece titled “Anpa Kazanzan Win,” is one of my favorite pieces so far. It is a paper sculpture made of my handmade paper, laser cutting, and sinew.

The piece is a self-portrait reflecting stages of my life.

Patton’s three piece edition, “Unci’s Love”.

Photos: courtesy

How have you been dealing with and working during the COVID-19 pandemic?

The early stage of the shutdown hit me pretty hard; I was financially struggling more than usual. Surprisingly before the pandemic, I applied for some residencies I wasn’t confident about and got a couple, the Dublin fellowship and the Roswell artist-in-residency. I’m used to working in a studio, but I had no choice but to work in my tiny apartment. I started beading more and eventually beading on my paper. That leads to some more ideas for future work. The pandemic also put some strains on my practice; I stayed mainly positive and stayed a lot closer to friends and family. nativemax.com

Cara Romero Cara Romero is a contemporary fine art photographer, producing stunning and expressive images of Native American people that tell uplifting stories of empowerment in a contemporary context: thriving, resilient, beautiful, and Indigenous. She’s deeply committed to doing work that addresses Native American social issues and changes how people perceive Native Americans, especially Native women, in contemporary society. “If we want respect, love, and beauty among us and others, we must actively promote it through art,” she says. Romero uses vibrant color, experimental lighting, and photo-illustration to explore ideas of how the supernatural world overlaps with our everyday lives. “In combining form and content, I reflect a uniquely Indigenous worldview that shows our thriving cultures’ resilience and beauty.”

A citizen of the Chemehuevi Indian tribe, Romero was raised between contrasting settings: the rural Chemehuevi reservation in Mojave Desert, California, and the urban sprawl of Houston, Texas. Born in Inglewood, California, Romero’s family returned to the Chemehuevi Valley Indian reservation in 1979. Romero’s identity informs her photography, a blend of fine art and editorial photography, shaped by years of study and a visceral approach to representing Indigenous and non-Indigenous cultural memory, collective history, and lived experiences from a Native American female perspective.

Romero utilizes photography as her tool to resist Eurocentric narratives and as a means for opening audiences’ perspectives to the fascinating diversity of living Indigenous peoples. “My approach fuses time-honored and culturally-specific symbols with 21st-century ideas,” she explains. “This strategy reinforces the ways we exist as contemporary Native Americans, all the while affirming that Indigenous culture is continually evolving and imminently permanent.”

Now married with three children (her husband is Diego Romero, a worldrenowned contemporary potter from Cochiti Pueblo raised in Berkeley, CA), she travels between Santa Fe and Chemehuevi Valley, where she maintains close ties to her tribal community and ancestral homelands.

Thank you for joining us. Please share with us a bit about yourself.

As an Indigenous photographer, I want to tell our own stories and express a different point of view through a medium that is used globally. Photography has become a universally shared way of visually communicating. I embrace photography as my tool to resist Eurocentric narratives and as a means for opening audiences’ perspectives to the fascinating diversity of living Indigenous peoples. My approach fuses time-honored and culturally specific symbols with 21st-century ideas. This strategy reinforces the ways we exist as contemporary Native Americans while affirming that Indigenous culture is continually evolving and imminently permanent.

How has your upbringing between the Chemehuevi reservation and Houston, TX, shaped your identity? How did it shape your craft?

These locations and experiences, urban and rural, my parents, Native American, and White, my individual experiences in each and both, are all just extremely different. Like two parallel universes, I think many of us Native folks have two traverses both worlds, and we learn to navigate and speak both languages. I try to be honest with those realities and share my truth. So, many of my images are autobiographical and often about my identity and the subjects’ identity. When I tell my truth, I think my artwork comes from the “space between,” which is like me—a collision of paradigms.

I’ve always wanted to tell uplifting stories and stories that empower us.

I always look around the world and media, and I want to see us next to all nativemax.com

Romero’s piece, “Revolver”.

the world cultures in a contemporary context, thriving, resilient, beautiful, Indigenous.

How did you get interested in photography? At what age?

As an undergraduate at the University of Houston, I pursued a degree in cultural anthropology. Disillusioned, however, by academic and media portrayals of Native Americans as bygone, I realized that making photographs could do more than anthropology did in words, which led to a shift in the study. I was 21 years old when I took my first black-and-white film class, and I had an amazing instructor, Bill Thomas, that emphasized content over technical ability. I fell in love instantly, and photography was a healthy compulsion that I always wanted to get better at while telling all the visual narratives I had racing around in my thoughts. I went to school at the University of Houston and IAIA for film and later to OSU for an Applied Science degree in Photography Technology, so digital and commercial became an important part of my practice. I love the medium and continue to learn and practice,

Romero’s piece, “Shameless”.

hoping to get even better.

As a Native American female, what point of view do you bring to fine art photography? How does it set you apart from the rest?

The Chemehuevi people believe the Creator is a female deity, and the power of the female spirit is an integral part of our society. This sentiment resonates throughout my photographs, where strong female native figures take center stage. I believe it is a subtle but powerful shift to have a Native woman behind the camera in a traditionally white, male dominated-medium. I am deeply committed to doing work that addresses Native American social issues and changes how people perceive Native Americans, especially Native women, in contemporary society. If we want respect, love, and beauty among us and others, we must actively promote it through art.

I am an empowered woman artist, and I am also a mother who must put my family first. As a Native woman, I have had to overcome vast challenges SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020 | NATIVE MAX MAGAZINE 31

One of Romero’s favorite pieces, “TV Indians”.

to gain recognition from the art world and learn to invest in my practice.

I want to prove that a young woman from a marginalized reservation can visualize Native people powerfully, give critical visibility to our communities, and represent a new era of national consciousness that elevates our youth and women.

You incorporate storytelling with your photography. How do you come up with a story to tell within your work?

My photographs explore our collective Native histories and how our indigeneity expresses itself in modern times. I firmly believe Native peoples are as Indigenous today as we were before the advent of colonialism.

Sometimes I portray old stories, such as creation stories or animal stories, in a contemporary context to show that each grows and evolves with ensuing generations. I use vibrant color, experimental lighting, and photo-illustration to explore ideas of how the supernatural world overlaps with our everyday lives. In combining form and content, I reflect a uniquely Indigenous worldview that shows our thriving cultures’ resilience and beauty. Here, selfrepresentation through photography battles the “one-story” narrative that casts complex, living cultures into stereotypes, instead offering multi-layered visual architectures that invite viewers to abandon preconceived notions about Native art, culture, and peoples.

You’re also known to incorporate contemporary photography techniques with your storytelling while depicting the modernity of Native people. How do you do all this while conveying the rich culture and history of Native people in your work to the viewer?

Since 1998, my work has been informed by formal training in film, digital, fine art, and commercial photography. By staging theatrical compositions infused with dramatic color, I try to take on the role of storyteller, using contemporary photography techniques to depict Native peoples’ modernity, illuminating Indigenous worldviews, and aspects of supernaturalism in everyday life.

When we as Native people explore new artistic tools and techniques, such as photography, we indigenize them. Our vision and an intimate relationship to our communities are precisely what make Native photographers the people best equipped to convey the allure, strength, and complexity of contemporary Native life. I am deeply committed to doing work that addresses Native American social issues and changes the way people perceive us in contemporary society. My style offers viewers sometimes serious and sometimes 32 NATIVE MAX MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020

playful social commentary on pressing issues like the border wall, the hypersexualization of Native women in histories of photography, environmental destruction of Native lands, and stereotypes of Indigeneity in pop culture.

In response, I unapologetically depict where we are now, in the present day, making sure always to respect cultural protocol and ancestral ties.

To further counter photography’s exploitive past, I actively collaborate with my models. Hailing from many tribal backgrounds and many geographic regions, these subjects are my friends and relatives. Together we stage photographs to tell stories that we feel (together) are important and give back to our Native community. My photographs explore our collective Native histories and how our indigeneity expresses itself in modern times. I firmly believe Native peoples are as Indigenous today as we were prior to the advent of colonialism.

Do you have favorite works you most favor? Or have of the utmost meaning to you?

“T.V. Indians,” “Water Memory,” “Last Indian Market,” “Kaa,” “Coyote Tales No. 1”, “Evolvers,” and “Puha,” to date.

How have you been dealing with and working during the COVID-19 pandemic?

I have been socially distancing and creating work with family confined to the outdoors and my Indian reservation for the last few months.

Like many of us, our families’ and children’s’ mental health and well being have become my priority. I have been raising COVID19 relief funds for the Chemehuevi tribe’s youth through the Cultural Center and Education Departments. I hope to start a new series this month that will be released in the Summer of 2021.

For more information about Romero and her art, visit her website WWW. CARAROMEROPHOTOGRAPHY.COM.

One of Romero’s favorite pieces, “Kaa”.

nativemax.com

The Insider

Tattoos as Cultural Art Multidisciplinary artist and actress Nathalie Standingcloud sees tattooing as a way of bringing her culturally-inspired artwork to life.

BY KELLY HOLMES

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Nathalie Standingcloud, working on her client, Alyssa Willie (@alyssandn). Right: the finished tattoo, Deer Woman, which is Standingcloud’s hand-drawn design inspired by a Sailor Jerry pin-up design.

I

t's undeniable that Norman Collins (better known as Sailor Jerry) made significant contributions to the art of tattooing. Not only did he create his own pigments, but Sailor Jerry's influence on the art of modern tattooing is also widely recognized for his creation of the "old-school tattoo" style. This inspired his most famous designs: scrolls, anchors, and swallows, to name a few. He also created what could be argued as the world's most iconic pin-up tattoos.

Sailor Jerry inspired countless tattoo artists worldwide, including Muscogee Creek, Colville, Salish-Kootenai, and Cherokee tattoo artist Nathalie Standingcloud.

Hailing from Tahlequah, Oklahoma, Standingcloud makes her living as an artist, both in ink and on stage. She uses her artistic talent to design exquisite body art at the River City Tattoo shop in Tahlequah, where she's slowly solidifying her unique style of bringing her culturally-inspired artwork to life. While she tattoos and dabbles in hand-drawing and painting, Standingcloud also acts in various works throughout the Midwest.

Standingcloud began tattooing in her sophomore year of college. She noticed when she would instead draw than pay attention in class.

Standingcloud eventually decided to try her hand at tattooing because it was something her father had done. "My father's always been a pretty good artist," she says. Standingcloud shares with us that her father learned tattooing in prison for most of his life. It wasn't until she got to know her father after high school when she asked him about tattooing. Upon finding this out, Standing-

cloud became interested and wanted to pursue tattooing. After learning from her father, Standingcloud excelled at tattooing, where she was able to support herself and grow as a tattoo artist financially. Being a tattoo artist also made her a better painter because she's done more tattoos than paintings. "I'm getting a better understanding of color and how that works." Her artworks include a mural at Tahlequah's Wal-mart and the Cherokee Nation's Cherokee Homecoming 2018 t-shirt design.

Being a tattoo artist, most people are surprised when they don't see Standingcloud covered in tattoos. Standingcloud's tattoos aren't noticeable, as they're located in areas that are hidden with clothing. This is because of Standingcloud's acting career. "I do have tattoos, but I keep them small and hidden," she explains. I still am having a career as an actress, and I don't want to have all of these tattoos that are going to box me into one type of role." Though she has minimal tattoos now, Standingcloud plans to add more ink later on in her life.

Before art and tattooing, acting was Standingcloud's first passion. "Standingcloud" was the first independent short she starred in at the age of six, written and directed by the actress in her family, Kimberly Norris Guerrero. This experience led her to continue acting in live theatre at the Cherokee Heritage Center during its run of the "Trail of Tears Drama." Standingcloud continued to play in numerous high school productions such as Dorothy in "The Wizard of Oz" and Rizzo in "Grease." Additionally, Standingcloud appeared in PSAs, commercials, and docu-

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nativemax.com

The Insider

Left: Standingcloud’s workstation at the tattoo shop she works at in Tahlequah, Oklahoma.

Below: A portrait of Standingcloud taken after her interview with Native Max.

mentaries for the Cherokee Nation and was also a member of the Cherokee National Youth Choir. Her most recent performances have been Sacajawea/ Carey in "Crossing Minisose," Tash One Star/Sallie Eagle Horse in "Reclaiming One Star," and Prairie Flower/Betsy/Bright Eyes in "Return to Niobrara"; all written by Cherokee playwright Mary Kathryn Nagle. Standingcloud's film credits include the lead in "Totsu (Redbird)" by Jeremy Charles.

Standingcloud takes pride in being a Native female tattoo artist. "First thing I hear from people is they're surprised to find out that I'm a woman," she laughs. "Besides that, I'm Native American." Unfortunately, this is also why Standingcloud sees lots of flash tattoo art that's supposedly drawn up by a Native American. "If you look closely if you know the symbolisms and the patterns, you can see the difference between designs that were drawn by Native American people and designs from a different perspective."

Although she's still honing in her signature style of tattooing, Standingcloud's known for incorporating her tribe's patterns and basketry, as well as artwork and symbolisms of stories shared through the generations. She takes inspiration from her culture’s stories as well as visuals like basket and pottery patterns or syllabary to create unique designs for tattooing, bringing storytelling and language to tattooing from her point-of-view as a Native American artist. "If there's a chance I can put Cherokee syllabary into a design, I definitely want to try to do that and make sure it's accurate."

Most of the time, Standingcloud's clients usually ask for designs pulled off of the social media site Pinterest. Lately, she's been asked to draw original drawings for tattoos, which is something Standingcloud's been waiting for. nativemax.com

In fact, she recently brought to life her original drawing, a Sailor Jerry pinup-inspired hand-drawn design of Deer Woman, on a client who traveled from Colorado to Oklahoma. Standingcloud used an old Sailor Jerry design of an Asian woman pulling up her skirt. It was her body posture that spoke to Standingcloud. "When I saw her, I didn't see this Asian woman pulling up her skirt, I saw Deer Woman showing her legs," she explains. "And I thought, how cool would it be to change that around and make it my own and make a pin-up version of Deer Woman. It turned out beautiful."

Deer Woman, a spiritual figure for many tribes throughout the country, has always been a favorite character of Standingcloud's. "She's a character that women can get behind because she doesn't mess with women," she says.

"She's like this superhero of mine that I just always really loved." To see her client walk out of the door with Standingcloud's original design made her day. "It's neat to see her come alive as a tattoo, knowing that she's going to be living out there. It's awesome."

Overall, seeing Native people wearing her tattoos brings joy to Standingcloud. "It's a whole nother feeling because tattooing has been around forever, and in a weird sense, it's like a ceremony," she describes. "Just knowing my art is out there living on people, walking around and breathing and staying with them as long as they're with us, they're just as unique as the person wearing them."

Follow Nathalie Standingcloud on Instagram: @nattatt8.

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On the Cover

PJ Vegas is Ready for His Close Up PJ Vegas quickly became a master of his craft and is certainly at the start of carving out his own genre of retro-bending R&B. After just dropping a new single from his upcoming album, he’s out to prove he’s made for the spotlight. Vegas is now ready for his close up.

BY KELLY HOLMES PHOTOGRAPHY BY GABE SACHS DESIGNS BY VOSQ

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020 | NATIVE MAX MAGAZINE 37

On the Cover

Over the few weeks leading up to my interview with PJ Vegas, much of my time is spent reading up on the constant mentions of and comparisons between his career and those of his dad and uncle, Pat and the late Lolly Vegas. While it would be a much easier story to tell you that Vegas followed in his father's footsteps to become an award-winning singer-songwriter, that wouldn't be honest. The truth is that Vegas entered the music industry and quickly made a name for himself, all on his own terms.

When I interviewed him, I hardly noticed that the person I'm speaking with is a superstar in the making. "Thanks to everyone at Native Max Magazine for showing support to so many Indigenous artists!" he states at the beginning of the interview. He speaks with ease and is straight-to-thepoint with his answers. Not at all did he emit an ego typically seen from the privileged and pampered kids of celebrity rockstars.

As the son of Pat Vegas–the legendary founder of Native American, Billboard Top 100-charting band REDBONE–music has always been at the forefront of Vegas' life. He's quickly become a master of his craft and is undoubtedly at the start of carving out his own genre of R&B. His first mixtape, "Priceless: The Free Album," released in 2013, received rave reviews from numerous music critics, further solidifying himself as a force to be reckoned with in the music industry. His upcoming LP, "SMOKE," will only continue to add momentum to his career.

Despite pursuing a newer music style than that of his father and REDBONE, which was a mix of funk, swamp rock, and soul, you can still hear the soul's infusion by Vegas. The LA-based melodic and retro-leaning musician is best known for his sultry and smooth vocals. Though most of his music is soulful R&B, Vegas' fluidity between R&B and hip-hop is a feat that few up-and-coming artists can execute—yet he manages to pull it off quite effortlessly. His music's flow is also fluid, with some of his tracks featuring hard-hitting tempo that has more of a hip-hop sound to it, while the rest are slow and steady. Even incorporating a variety of sounds into his music makes him undeniable: guitar, synth-pop samples, and gunshots, to name a few. But don't be fooled by his unique mix of music; Vegas' lyrical subject matter

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contains raw and gritty content that always tells a story. And when he gets the chance, Vegas mixes in his traditional Native culture into his music.

Vegas' work connects well with the millennial audience, all of which will only add to his star power.

Dressed in exclusively-designed tees and bandanas by Payómkawichumowned Vosq Clothing, Vegas stars on the cover of this month's fashion & art issue. His signature ultra-hip style transfers onto the feature, where he combines California-cool vibes with a retro flair. This is thanks to the man behind the camera—film and tv writer Gabe Sachs, who loves photographing people with vintage film cameras. Fitting, since Vegas is into classic vintage.

Vegas represents the Yoeme (Yaqui) people of the Río Yaqui valley in the Mexican state of Sonora and the southwestern United States. Nonetheless, Vegas is a true California kid–born and raised in Los Angeles, CA, and growing up in the San Fernando Valley. This inspired us to host the cover shoot somewhere in LA that best represented Vegas' style and story while honoring his upbringing.

As the son of Pat, music has always been at the forefront of Vegas's life.

This can really go without saying, but I'll say it anyway: music is a family affair for Vegas. Music is not just in the name, it's in his blood. Aside from co-founding REDBONE, Pat is also known to have inspired many Native American artists to succeed in mainstream musical genres, including his son.

"My father has inspired me in so many ways, but the main thing I'm thankful for is showing me that anything is possible." Being an Indigenous man and reaching the heights he did, his father gave Vegas all the inspiration he needed. "I look to him for advice when creating because I know he'll always keep it real with me." Though he's found success in his own right, too—it isn't surprising that Vegas grew to be a professional multi-talented musician and singer-songwriter like his old man, but he did have to make his way into the industry.

This was sort of why Vegas actually tried to keep away from being an artist at first. "In the beginning, I did kind of shy away from music, but that was only because I knew I had such big shoes to fill," he explains. "I knew that if I was going to do it, I wanted to make sure that I could give it my all."

Vegas remembers the moment he thought, "I'm a musician, also." Eight years ago, he was sitting in the studio as a spectator with his friends when he randomly got the opportunity to record one of his original songs he had been hiding. "Once everyone heard what I had been holding onto, their reactions

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On the Cover

“I remember telling myself: I’m willing to work one-hundred times harder than the next man forever until I’m heard.”

let me know that I had something, and I haven't stopped since."

From then on, Vegas has produced a handful of tracks with accompanying music videos, all of which you can check out on his YouTube channel. He's proud to be one of the first Native American R&B singers to be recognized in the industry by MTV, having won the Video Music Award for "Best Video With a Message" in 2017, and since then, has continued to make waves as an Indigenous artist. In 2018, Vegas won the award for Best Independent Single at the Native American Music Awards–like the Native American Grammys– for his song "Tears." Vegas is also a loyal advocate for his community, merging his passions for music and social justice constantly. He helped plan the inaugural Indigenous People's Day in Los Angeles for the past two years.

This past July, Vegas became the first-ever Native American artist co-signed by west coast artist, multi-Grammy-nominated rapper, and actor The Game. His musical talents and dedication to supporting minority creatives recently caught the well-known rapper's attention, who personally reached out to Vegas to collaborate. He told Vegas he was putting a compilation of mixtapes and wanted to feature him. "Growing up listening to his music and then getting a DM on Instagram from him telling me that he likes my sound was something special," says Vegas about working with The Game, which was an experience he will never forget. "Pesos" was featured on a compilation mixtape that The Game curated this summer.

The strength of his ancestors inspired the "Pesos." "The music industry, just like life, has a lot of ups and downs, and sometimes you feel your hard work goes unnoticed," Vegas explains. "I remember telling myself: I'm willing to work one-hundred times harder than the next man forever until I'm heard." Then, Vegas dove deeper and thought about his ancestors facing the same hardships to this day. "There are so many hard-working people that come to this country like my ancestors did and find a hundred different ways to survive doing jobs that most don't want to. This song is meant to inspire."

He released "Pesos" back on July 4th. There has never been a more significant time to celebrate diversity and amplify minority voices in America, which is why Vegas has chosen this memorable holiday to drop the first single from the upcoming LP.

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"Pesos" comes from Vegas' up-and-coming album, SMOKE, which is set to drop at the beginning of 2021. The title itself embodies and evokes many meanings and ideas. "I titled my album SMOKE because, for me, it represents healing, 'the smoke' or 'the smudge' is a way to release negative energy." The name is also an acronym that stands for "still my only known enemy," which, according to Vegas, speaks to the battle between ourselves and our insecurities, and how much that limits our growth. "I've dealt with that a lot and still do at times, but this album is a constant reminder that it's all in my head," Vegas tells us the process of putting together the new album has been fun. "I'm bringing in a lot more moving parts in this time, and I'm creating a bigger sound and definitely collaborating with my father a lot, so it's really good." Much of the inspiration for the tracks on SMOKE derives from the significant uprisings within the black and brown communities from this year. Vegas sees all peoples of colors have been uniting to stand up for racial equality, and that's something unique and important to Vegas, all of which inspired "Pesos" and his upcoming album.

Do you know what else is suave besides his music? His style, of course. I tell Vegas that since this was the Fashion and Art issue, we wanted to highlight his fashion style, which we thought was fresh and unique. "Thank you! My style switches a lot, but right now, I'm definitely into the classic vintage look." I asked Vegas to describe his personal style, which is unquestionably unique from other California R&B musicians. "Something about fashion from the '50s and '60s is cool to me," he answers. Vegas also incorporates Native beadwork and retro shoe styles with his signature vintage look.

Just like the rest of us, Vegas dealt with the pandemic lockdown. "To keep me busy, I've kind of became a producer overnight," he laughs. "Been working hard on trying to elevate my skill when it comes to engineering, and it's been going pretty well." Obviously, what comes with lockdown is the creativity drain. The way Vegas feeds his musical creativity is by way of hunting for new experiences that will give him something cool to write about.

Spending time in solitude would only help Vegas create more dope music for his upcoming album. Quite honestly, I can’t wait to listen to SMOKE once it drops. More importantly, I can’t wait to see Vegas go up in the world.

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Follow PJ Vegas on Instagram: @ therealpjvegas.

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020 | NATIVE MAX MAGAZINE 43

Loren Aragon: Five Years Later

BY KELLY HOLMES

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Photo by Valentina Aragon

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On the Cover

After working as a mechanical engineer for twelve years, Loren Aragon and his wife Valentina debuted their fashion brand called ACONAV [the name represents the cohesion of cultures between its founders Loren (Acoma Pueblo) and Valentina (Navajo)]. Five years later, Aragon's eponymous brand is now a couture fashion brand that's cat-walked on runways all over the country, graced magazine covers, had countless media mentions, styled celebrities, and won coveted titles.

A

lthough we've worked closely together with Loren Aragon and his team for years, the last time we wrote a story that focused on him and his fashion brand was in 2015, where he was at the starting line of his fashion career. At the time, Aragon had just captured attention for his custom-made gown worn by Pueblo model and stylist Daphne Coriz during a Miss Native American USA pageant followed by a presentation of his collection at Plitzs New York City Fashion Week, which happened during New York Fashion Week.

While recapping his journey, it's incredible to see how far he and his team have come. Thus far, Aragon has been in a handful of fashion shows, showcases, Indian Markets, and more. His accolades include a commission for Walt Disney World in 2018, the cover of AZ RedBook Magazine, and a grand mention in Cowboys and Indians Magazine. He's also styled celebrities– Tony Awards member Collen Jennings-Roggensack debuted an ACONAV gown on the red carpet at the 2019 Tony Awards, Secwépemc First Nation actress Grace Dove from Oscar-award winning film "The Revenant" at Phoenix Fashion Week 2017, and Apache actress Sivan Alyra Rose, best known as the first Native American female lead of television series "Chambers" on Netflix, for the cover of Native Max Magazine's inaugural Fashion issue last year.

Most notably, Aragon won the prestige title of Phoenix Fashion Week's 2018 Couture Designer of the Year.

Now, the brand ACONAV is synonymous with couture fashion, and Aragon is now one of North America's most promising Indigenous fashion visionaries. He's at the forefront of the movement of advancing Native fashion into the mainstream fashion industry, where he collaborates with other fashion designers, artists, and organizations for the cause. Lastly, the brand continues to celebrate women's strength and empowerment through positive expressions in designs that tie culture to modern style, a long-standing mission of Aragon's. We are proud to see Aragon's progress and his team's fashion brand and wanted to have a quick catch-up.

Let's start with a quick introduction for our readers who are just getting to know you.

I am Aa'ku' meh, from the Acoma Pueblo of New Mexico. The first eighteen years of my life were spent growing up on the reservation with a balance of traditional and modern teachings. I attended our elementary/junior high school, then graduated from Grants High School, in the neighboring town. I attended Arizona State University, where I obtained my degree in Mechanical Engineering in 2004. I spent the next 12 years working as an engineer in automotive testing, then later in military applications and virtual training as a design engineer. I was always involved in the arts all through my education and professional career. I had my hands busy in illustration since my childhood and kept advancing my techniques and trying new things. I eventually discovered the mediums of sculpture and jewelry, but fashion is where I could genuinely apply everything I love to do and blend my technical and artistic backgrounds.

What is your first fashion memory? Who did you learn sewing from?

I always saw my mother and aunt sewing growing up. Although I never wanted to sew as a kid, I found that I wanted to preserve our family tradition and sought lessons from my mother and aunt, who taught me the basics of sewing and helped me construct my first garments.

When did you first realize you wanted to pursue a career as a fashion designer? What inspired you to take on fashion?

I came upon fashion design by accident. I had no passion for sewing or designing dresses. I always thought it was the "girly" thing to do, but what provoked me to pursue this career was observing an absence of Native American talent on the major runways all over the world.

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If you could go back and tell yourself one thing before beginning your career in fashion, what would it be?

"Do or do not… There is no try." I know it's a quote from Yoda, but if anything pushed me forward to do what I had in my mind, it would be these words and what they meant. After so many years, I learned that dreams mean nothing if we don't take action and if we say we are going to "try," we already place doubt upon ourselves, but if we say we will "do" something, you are more likely to take action.

What was the biggest rookie mistake you made when just starting in fashion?

Wait for things to happen after a runway show. You have to make the show work for you, and you have to put forth the effort to build your audience.

People will go to a show to watch, but if you want to move forward in this business, you have to bring the people who will buy the creations you put forth.

What is one thing you look for when working with anyone new for ACONAV? The first question I ask is, "are they good for my brand?". Most decisions made in moving forward with ACONAV have been based on the answer to this question. I want to see meaningful contributions to my brand, which will reflect what we stand for, which is the "celebration of women's strength and empowerment, to Evoke Empowerment."

How is working in fashion different today than from when you first started?

It is indeed more about business than it is creativity. A fashion brand is only as good as the business effort you put into it. Creativity will always be there, but you have to push your creativity to new levels, even in business.

What role do you think social media plays in fashion today?

Social media is still an excellent tool for marketing and creating awareness for a brand. We use social media extensively to promote new products and show our audience what is happening behind the scenes. More importantly, it keeps us connected with those who look to ACONAV and believe in what it represents.

What made you want to expand your business from just designing fashion to doing various collaborations?

Collaborations are a great way to expand your audience. Collaborations with other designers and artists is a great way to create even more awareness to those who may not know about the high-end fashion side of things and the progression of Native fashion in the fashion industry. I love that collaboration is a sort of educational tool, and many of them have generated growth in our following.

What is your favorite part about being a fashion designer?

To this day, my favorite part is seeing a design come to life when a model wears it down the runway. There is no greater sense of accomplishment than seeing all your efforts grace a runway and seeing my vision come to life, and most especially seeing the audience connect with me through the story being told.

How do you want womxn to feel when wearing your designs?

As our message entails, we want womxn to be empowered! The idea of empowerment is not coming from us; it is a discovery within the wearer. We are a catalyst to the idea of empowerment. Every garment is designed to instill empowerment; I hope that whoever wears ACONAV will find their strengths, then embrace them and celebrate them.

There's so much pressure for fashion designers to come out with their best collection season after season. How do you find inspiration for new ideas and designs? How do you overcome any challenges?

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Model: Rania DeWahe (Pueblo)

Photo by Nikki Gonzales Jewelry by Silver Artichoke

Countless ideas are swirling in my mind, just waiting to come to life. It's hard to judge what is the "best," but you feel it and know it, especially when the response you get is the one you are looking for. Inspiration can come from anywhere. The challenge is how to capture all the ideas inspired by whatever it is that inspired it. My Acoma culture is the foundation of all my inspiration.

I love it when an observation in the greater world brings me back to connecting with something from my culture.

You work with a small team in creating and bringing designs to life; who works with you? What's the importance of working as a team?

My team consists of myself, my master seamstress, and my chief operations officer. They are not only my team but my family; they are my mother and my wife. We also have an intern who is an extension of our family. My team is essential, without them, I wouldn't be able to bring many of the creations I have in mind or from the sketch to the runway. We all wear so many different hats, and we all spark creativity in one another.

It’s been five years since we last featured you, where you were at the starting line of your fashion career. Reflecting on your journey so far, how do you feel? What were some of your proudest moments?

The journey continues. It’s been a great experience since coming on to the fashion scene. So many great people I’ve met along the way. I feel that the decision to pursue this career path was the right one. It’s been great to see the response to what I’ve done and what I continue to do—such generous support from our fans and patrons. My proudest moments will always be getting that next collection to walk down the runway, but among the greatest have been a collaboration with Walt Disney World and outfitting some of my biggest influencers for the red carpet. The greatest of which was being represented at the Tony Awards!

Lastly, how does your work contribute to bringing Native fashion to the mainstream fashion industry?

I like to continue to challenge myself to push Native fashion out of the Native community and into the greater community. We have every right to be on the same runways as more well-known non-native designers. I love that we continue to gain new audiences' interests and generate greater awareness of Native Fashion.

For information about ACONAV and Loren, visit WWW.ACONAV.COM.

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Herstory by Gwen Boutique & Gallery Denver, Colorado nativemax.com

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