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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (July 25, 2018)
4 Wednesday, July 25, 2018 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon Paidter’s works captures momedts of dative idedtity Mark Shelton’s paintings reflect moments of Native American identity — offering a prayer, weaving a blanket, reflecting upon sacred waters. He creates intense color fields and textures in his works by layering bits of exotic papers in the construction of his sub- jects. His distinct collages are further enhanced with boldly applied acrylics. The direction that his career and life now traverses is oppo- site the trajectory in which it commenced. Mark grew up in the 1970s, another solidly Midwestern kid in the region that inspired the heartland songs of John Mellencamp. Fully ignorant of his Native American heri- tage, he first came to know about “Indians” through Hollywood movies. What Mark didn’t know was that his grandmother belonged to the Seneca People of the Iroquois Confederacy. The reason he hadn’t been told was due to the verbal abuse his great-grandparents and grandmother had endured throughout their lives. Some realizations, however, seem destined. Early on, Mark and his cousin John began identifying with American Indian ways, stereotyped as they were. As boys, they played Cowboys and Indians in mock battles, always embracing the indig- enous side. It got to the point that John, though an adopted child of Italian origin, would claim and insist that he was Comanche, even to school officials. When he turned 14, Mark’s father finally told him of his Seneca heritage. Mark moved to Oregon in 1984, where he began study- ing all Native American peo- ples. Moving to New York City to attend art school, he graduated with honors from the Pratt Institute in 1991. Upon returning to Oregon, Mark began a career in ear- nest as a painter of Native American subjects. It has become my duty to educate, inform, and promote the Chinook and their significant ties to history... — Mark Shelton Chief Cliff Snider (Leloo or Grey Wolf) of the Chinook people, partially raised in Sisters, also came to learn of his heritage only after his early youth. It was “The Chief” who took on the Native American mentorship of Mark and exemplified that it is proper to embrace that ancestry also. Chief Grey Wolf recommended, and the Chinook Tribe ceremoni- ally bestowed, the title of Honorary Chinook Tribal Artist upon Mark in 2006. Only those well versed in Native American history, indigenous treaties, rights and laws, along with current American Indian affairs might be aware of the complicated status regarding the Chinook People. In 1851, a represen- tative of the United States Government signed the Anson Dart Treaty with the Chinook People, a well-established tribe of the middle and lower regions of the Columbia River. Unbeknownst to them for a number of years, Congress did not ratify the treaty; therefore, they never were a “tribe” according to the U.S. Government. In early 2001, President Clinton finally gave Federal recogni- tion and tribal status to the Chinook People. However, in an unprecedented and contro- versial move, President Bush revoked that recognition less than two years later. The prestige of being the Honorary Chinook Tribal Artist affords both privileges and responsibilities. Shelton states, “It has become my duty to educate, inform, and promote the Chinook and their signifi- cant ties to history, starting with their aid to the Lewis and Clark expedition and the opening of mercantile trade between native and non-native peoples in the Northwest via the Columbia River and Pacific Ocean. I feel a sense of responsibility to honorably represent the Chinook.” The Native American art world holds a number of annual shows and mar- kets that celebrate the artists. Two of them are juried and considered the preeminent — Richard Esterman Presents — Arts & Crafts Festival & Antiques in the Park July 28 & 29, 2018 CREEKSIDE PARK Hwy. 20 & Jeff erson Ave. Sat. 10 ؏؏-5 ؏؏ Sun. 10 ؏؏-4 ؏؏ Variety of Arts, Crafts, Antiques, Food & Live Entertainment t Scott Brown Sat. 1-5 p.m. & Sun. Noon-4 p.m. FAMILY FUN ZONE Fundraiser benefi tting our Veterans Special thanks to Bend/Sisters Garden RV Resort, KSJJ 102.9, Mix 100.7, News Channel 21, Indian Head Casino, Sisters Rental, Les Schwab, Your Store, Davis Tire, Centro, Print Solutions, SistersOlive.com For information: CentralOregonShows.com • 541-420-0279 or 541-213-9362 PHOTO PROVIDED Mark Shelton has always identified with native heritage — before he realized it was his own. venues, The Santa Fe Indian both, receiving an award at Market during August in New The Heard. Mexico and The Heard Show One of the nation’s finer during March in Phoenix, Arizona. Mark has shown in See SHELTON on page 8 Norma Holmes Open Studio Sat., July 28 • 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. • 431 N. Maple Ln. Directions: From N. Locust St./Camp Polk Rd., turn east on E. Black Butte Ave., turn right on N. Maple Ln., third door on right. ————— 541-588-6493 • NormaHolmes.com —————
