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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 17, 2018)
8 Wednesday, January 17, 2018 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon Sisters artist carves conquest By Jim Cornelius, Editor In February of 1519, a mere handful of Spanish adventurers launched the conquest of the massive, sophisticated and populous Aztec Empire in what would eventually become the nation of Mexico. That epic tale of valor and tragedy has been brought to life through the carving of Sisters artist J. Chester “Skip” Armstrong. In the summer of 2012, Armstrong created a massive five-panel depiction of the Mayan creation myth, which is housed at Javier’s Mexican Restaurant in the Aria Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. Thousands of peo- ple have seen that work. One man in particular, a resident of Belize, fell in love with it. “He saw it whenever he went to Vegas,” Armstrong told The Nugget. “Every time he went to Vegas he made a point of making a pilgrimage to see it.” Finally, he commis- sioned Armstrong to tell his own Mesoamerican Quality Truck-mounted CARPET CLEANING Quality Cleaning 16 years in Reasonable Prices Sisters! — Credit Cards Accepted — ENVIROTECH 541-771-5048 PHOTO PROVIDED J. Chester “Skip” Armstrong has depicted the conquest of Mesoamerica in a massive carved triptych. story — the story of the Conquest of Mexico. The client is of Spanish Castilian descent — the blood of the Conquistadors flows through his veins. Armstrong’s work, which flows across three pan- els, offers up vignettes from the saga of his ancestors. That story, from the stand- point of 2017, is a fraught one. A handful of Spaniards, armored and armed with steel blades and mounted upon horses, conquered and sub- jugated a vibrant, extensive — and bloodthirsty — indig- enous empire. Armstrong sought an honest and imagi- native retelling of that story, in all of its tragedy and vio- lence, but also in all of its 40-60% OFF Select home decor , art, jewelry, purses, accessories & more OPEN EVERY DAY Stop & Shop in Sisters! Licensed • Bonded • Insured • CCB#181062 RESIDENTIAL • COMMERCIAL $50 OFF Cut & Color or 1/2 OFF Haircut with Morgan Perske, new stylist from Aveda in Portland. 541-549-8591 | 150 W. Cascade Ave. 21 fl avors of de lectable, homemade fudge is your Hometown Pharmacy And want to SAVE you money! Sarah Conroy, Chiropractor Prevent • Heal • Feel Better Happy a 2018, Sisters! Nourish yourself... N Schedule feel better! nline! o 161-C N. Elm St. Call 541-588-2213 • Kn o • Ca wledgabl ring e •Com p e t iti •Clos e to ve Hom e Freshly Made Here In Sisters • Competitive prices • Personalized service • Most insurance accepted • Pet prescriptions. “We want you to be happy with our knowledge, experience, and service.” – Amanda, Your Hometown Pharmacist 541-549-1784 Est. 2002 ned Sisters Ow 392 E. M Main Ave. | www.sisterschiropractor.com Located within Bigfoot Wellness Shena Fields LMT#7439 | Harmony Tracy LMT# 21211 Give us a call, we’ll give you a price quote. hair | massage | nails ails | f facials | makeup said himself — what hap- pened,” the artist said. Noting that Western minds “read art from left to right,” Armstrong started the story in the upper-left-hand corner of the first panel with the arrival of Hernan Cortés in his ships, which was seen by the Aztecs as the fulfill- ment of a prophecy. Pre-order Your Platter for the PLAYOFFS! Sisters Drug We care about you! “crazy courage and valor beyond all rationality.” History — especially dif- ficult and racially charged history — has become a cultural flashpoint in recent years. Armstrong’s carv- ing recreates an especially charged history vividly — unsanitized and unapologetic. “It is — like the (client) Pharmacy Hours: Mon-Fri 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Sat 10 a.m.-2 p.m. 541-549-6221 • 211 E. Cascade Ave., Sisters (Until we move to a new location in Sisters) Order at least O one day in advance. a Always ert p meat ex ty! on du 541-719-1186 5 Every Day MEATS • CHEESES • EATERY EA AT E ERY RY • DRINKERY DR NK DRINK KE ERY R Y
