SMOKE SIGNALS September 15, 1995 Page 5
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DAfter months of labor, artist
Rip Caswell has nearly com
pleted the sculpture of Martha
Jane Sands. The statue will be
erected at the entrance of Spirit
Mountain Casino.
By Tracy Dugan
THE ARTISTS
Artist Rip Caswell wanted to sculpt Martha
Jane Sands even before he knew the Tribe
wanted him to. What began as a chance encoun
ter between two artists has resulted in the comple
tion of a magnificent work of art. There isn't a
person Indian or non-Indian who wouldn't
be impressed by its beauty and realism.
After months of research, interviews, long
hours in the studio, and one burglary, the twice
life size sculpture of Martha Jane Sands and her
granddaughter, Gertrude is nearly complete. The
photo on the right is a miniature a maquctte
Rip initially sculpted from a pencil drawing. The
drawing was the work of tribal member Lon Mer
rier, Martha's great-great grandson. Lon, also a
professional artist, met Rip when he invited Lon
to be a featured artist at his gallery in Troutdale,
during their annual Native American art show.
When Lon first showed the drawing to Rip he
was so inspired by Martha's image he began the
sculpture, just for himself.
I just fell in love with the image of Martha,"
he said.
When he learned that Tribal Council wanted
to have Lon's drawing reproduced into a sculp
ture for Spirit Mountain Resort, he immediately
started sculpting the miniature. Bruce Thomas,
General Manager of Spirit Mountain Develop
ment Corporation, invited Rip to submit a min
iature for consideration. The finished piece was
better than anyone had imagined. Rip was com
missioned to create the bronze sculpture.
Rip said that the piece was a real challenge
because of its size and because he only had a
photograph from which he worked to create
Martha and Gertrude's likeness. Regardless,
he dove into this project zealously, and now
Martha Jane Sands and the history she repre
sents has come to life.
Several tribal members have served as models
for Rip during his sculpting. Kathryn Harrison's
hands were used as models for Martha's, and
Sanda "Sam" Henny's feet served as models for
Gertrude's feet. Because Gertrude's face was a
little blurred in the photograph, Bruce Thomas's
daughter, Natalie, posed as a model for her face.
Like Lon Mercier, Bruce is also one of Martha
Jane's descendents. In fact, Gertrude
was his grandmother.
The photograph doesn't clearly de
pict Gertrude's clothing, cither. So
Rip researched traditional dress from
that time period, and even hired a pro
fessional seamstress to sew a pinafore
type of dress that he thought Gertrude
was wearing in the photograph.
Rip said that the more he's gotten into the
project, the more he realized how important it is
to be accurate. He spent an entire week just
sculpting Martha's necklace, trying to make it
look exactly like the one in the photo.
"I feel like I'm making history," he said.
One bittersweet note: Last April the first
maquette Rip sculpted the one he was to use
as a model was stolen from the Caswell Gal-
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lery during a weekend opening. It was April
1st, and realizing it was not an April Fool'sjoke,
Rip notified the authorities, but never really ex
pected to see the statue again. (The bronze
maquettes are limited-edition collector's pieces,
and valued at more than $2,000.) Rip conducted
further research and ended up recreating a mock
up he was happier with. Then in May, Dustin
Olson, 19, of Gresham, found the maquette near
the Union Pacific Railroad bridge in Lewis and
Clark State Park, wrapped in a paper bag. He
returned it to the Caswell Gallery, where Rip
rewarded him with $100.
THE WOMAN
Martha Jane Sands was born in Oregon in the
1840s, and lived near the Rogue River with her
family until 1856, when the Rogue River Wars
occurred.
Martha, her cousin Harriet, and her mother
says that she died in 1912, at the age of 68. In
that case, she would have been twelve years old
in 1856.
During the attack, Martha, Harriet, and her
mother hid in a beaver canal until the next morn
ing, but were captured by soldiers returning to
the village.
In order to make room for white settlers,
Martha, along with over 1 ,000 Indians from over
1 5 Oregon tribes, was forced to march across
Oregon and through the Willamette Valley, to
be relocated in Grand Ronde. Martha made the
journey in her bare feet, and was reunited with
her people a few months later.
So Martha Jane Sands brought the art of bas
ket weaving to Grand Ronde, where she lived
for the remainder of her life.
Basket making was an art that Martha had
mastered. Weaving one was a meticulous pro-'
cess that consisted of gathering hazelnut
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were visiting an Upmqua village when they were
attacked by American soldiers. ' There is some
question as to Martha's age at that time. In the
Applegate Report, which contains a written ac
count of Martha's verbal testimony, she stated
her age as 64. Her testimony was supposedly
given in 1 905, which means she would have been
15 years old at the time of the attack. On the
other hand, the engraving on Martha's headstone
branches, soaking them for weeks, stripping the
bark from them, and letting them dry. All that
even before the weaving could begin.
Her daughter, Hattie Hudson, worked with her
mother over the years to earn money. They sold
and traded their baskets in metropolitan areas. It
was their main source of income, a craft they
knew well. Then in the early 1900s, Martha Jane
passed away.
"This has always
been my home."
The following dialogue is an excerpt from
the historical Applegate files. O.C.
Applegate was hired by the U.S. govern
ment in the 1900s to come to Grand Ronde.
interview Indians on the reservation, and
document tribal lineage in order to deter
mine who would receive land allotments
from the government. The Applegate Re
port is available at the Oregon Archives.
Here is part of Martha Jane's testimony.
How old are you and what is your name?
I am 64 years old and my name is Martha J.
Sands.
What is your blood Mrs. Sands?
I am pure blood Rogue River. My people lived
in the Rogue River valley in southern Oregon.
Did you come here under the treaty?
Yes, I came before my people, the Rogue
Rivers came. My first cousin, Harriet, now
Harriet Lindsey, and myself were not at home
when the war with the white people occurred
but were over in the Umpqua country visiting
with the Umpqua Indians, among whom we
had some relatives.
Then you know Harriet Lindsey and came
with her, with the Umpqua Indians?
Yes, I knew her my whole life. We were chil
dren together and we were about the same
age, we were playmates. I call her my sister,
according to the Indian way, but she is my
first cousin.
You say you came with the Umpqua Indi
ans, Mrs. Sands. What chiefs were in
charge when you came?
Louis Nepissank was the first chief and Pe
ter McCoy was the second chief, I think.
Your own people came later?
Yes, they came the same summer, but later.
We were united to our own relatives when
the Rogue River Band came.
How long did Harriet Lindsey remain here
after she came?
Nine or ten years, I think. She lived with an
army officer for about three years and then
was married to David Leno and lived with him
maybe as long. Then she left him and went
to The Dalles and has never lived here since.
Has she any children that you know of?
Yes, she has a daughter, now 34 years old
named Marion, who is living in Portland. She
had other children, but this is the only one
living.
Have you always lived here?
Yes, this reservation has always been my
home.
Martha never could have known how her skill
and love for basket weaving would be admired
and appreciated for so many generations of
Grand Ronde tribal members. Nor could she
have known that her image would one day sym
bolize the strength and courage ol'a people. The
sculpture, like Lon Mercier's old photograph,
symbolizes the importance of the exchange of
knowledge from old to young. It will depict
Gertrude being taught the craft of basket mak
ing by her grandmother. That was the tradition
of our people. That's the way it should be.