By Dana Lance, Media Relations Specialist
Chickasaw Nation Media Relations Office
Courtney Parchcorn
Two young Chickasaw artists will be traveling to Colorado this month to be a part of a prestigious Native American art show.
Courtney Parchcorn's beaded cane and Natasha Wagner's painting were selected for the Native American Rights Fund (NARF) art show "Modern Day Warriors: Empowering the Young Voices of Native Americans." The art show will take place Saturday, Nov. 10 in Boulder, Colorado.
Both up-and-coming artists will receive national exposure by participating in the exhibition.
Courtney created the beaded cane, entitled "For All The Grandfathers" in honor of her grandfather and Fran's father, Franklin D. "R. L." Allen, a full-blood Chickasaw.
She started the bead work on the wooden cane earlier this year, and intended to give it to him when it was completed. He suffered from diabetes and Courtney thought he would be able to use the cane. "He knew I was working on it but he didn't know I was going to give it to him."
The 17-year-old was in the midst of beading three eagles on the cane last May when her mother called and told her "Pa-Pa" had died.
Her grandfather, who died at 77, never saw the cane.
In the midst of her grief, she continued the tedious bead work and finished the cane in time for the June Red Earth competition.
Crystal Echohawk, NARF's assistant development director, said Courtney has a remarkably high level of artistry, and the piece and its story, resonated with the art show jury members.
"It's a remarkable piece by a remarkable young artist," she said. "The Chickasaw Nation can be proud of her."
The show is described as a "dynamic exhibition of visual art by young Native artists," that celebrates the voices, visions and perspectives of today's and tomorrow's modern day warriors for Native American rights and the traditional and contemporary life ways of native peoples.
Echohawk said the 30 artists featured at the event will be the ones to watch in the Indian art world.
"These artists are helping to create a platform to carry on a cultural tradition."
Over 100 pieces of art were submitted for consideration for the show. The works were reviewed by a national jury comprised of artists and non-profit, business, media, publishing and marketing professionals, who chose a total of 50 works of art, including Courtney's.
Thirty-nine artists representing 34 different American Indian tribes from across the country participated in this year's competition. The works of art selected for the show, including the cane, will also appear in Volume II of NARF's art book, which will be published and released nationally in 2008.
All artwork will be available for sale at the NARF Modern Day Warrior Art Show, with a portion of the profits from the event going to support the non-profit legal and advocacy work of NARF on behalf of the rights of Native Americans.
Founded in 1970, NARF is the oldest and largest nonprofit law firm dedicated to asserting and defending the rights of Indian tribes, organizations and individuals nationwide.
"That's the only way Courtney will part with the cane," said her mother, Fran. "She sees the greater good."
Courtney echoed her mother's thoughts, by saying many native citizens can be helped through her donation.
If her cane sells, she also plans to give another donation to the school supply fund for the South Dakota Pine Reservation children. The cane earned Courtney her second consecutive "Best in Show" at the Red Earth Youth Arts Competition, and she recently donated a third of the prize money to help the students.
She is excited about making the trip to Colorado; it will be the first time she has traveled by air, and it will be the farthest she has ever been from Ada.
Courtney stays busy with tribal activities including Pontotoc District Youth Council and Chickasaw Children's Choir. She also participates in the After School Arts Program each year. In fact, one of her art teachers will accompany her to the event.
She said she hopes to be a good example for others, especially younger Chickasaws.
"I want to send a positive message about my tribal affiliation," she said.
Parchcorn and her father, Buddy, designed the cane to portray all the life-lessons learned from grandfathers. Buddy taught his only child to bead and its an activity the two do together.
"She makes me a better as an artist, she motivates me to set the bar higher," he said.
Buddy said her daughter learns about her culture through her art work, and since her blood line includes four tribes; Chickasaw, Kiowa, Cherokee and Creek, she has many native traditions to learn.
"We hope she does not forget the people in the past," said her father.
The cane and painting are two of 50 works of art created by artists from 15 to 35 years old that was selected to be showcased at the event.
At 17, Courtney is one of the youngest artists who will be exhibiting work in the show. She lives in Ada with her parents Buddy and Fran and is a senior at Byng High School.
Courtney also recently won her division at the SESAM (Southeastern Art Show and Market), sponsored by the Chickasaw Nation at the annual festival.
"Good things happen to her because she has a good heart," said her father, Buddy.
After high school graduation, Courtney would like attend the Institute of American Indian Arts, in Santa Fe, New Mexico, but she is keeping her college options open.
Another Chickasaw citizen, Natasha Wagner, 28, was selected to be a part of the art show.
Wagner is a student at the Institute of American Indian Arts and lived on the Rosebud Reservation for two years. She contributes her time on the reservation, plus her Chickasaw heritage as inspiration for her work.
"I attribute my current career path to Rosebud and thank Rosebud, along with the support of the Chickasaws for my new exploration, experimentation, and overall learning in studio arts," she said.
"I am Chickasaw and proud of my Nation, but I find myself also including memories of Rosebud into my work here at the Institute of American Indian Arts," she continued.
Wagner's painting depicts South Dakota's Bear Butte in the distance with a prayer tree and tobacco ties placed in the middle. Bikers party in back of the painting while paper doll Lakota figures express the transformation of traditional to modern warrior, one manipulated by an unjust system.
Chickasaw Nation Governor Bill Anoatubby said the young women are a great example of the many talented young Chickasaws who are helping preserve Chickasaw culture and traditions for future generations.
"We are extremely proud of Courtney and Natasha's accomplishment and all citizens of who work diligently for the betterment and preservation of the Chickasaw Nation," said Governor Anoatubby.
2007 NARF Modern Day Warrior young Native American artists selected to exhibit are:
Votan (Maya/Nahua); Daniel McCoy (Muscogee/Potawotami); Cara McDonald (Chemehuvei); Natasha Wagner (Rosebud Sioux Reservation); Bunky Echo-Hawk (Pawnee/Yakama); Arion Poitra (Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa); David Bernie (Yankton Sioux); Julius Badoni (Navajo); Angela Glass (Cherokee/Yakama); Alyssa Macy (Wasco/Navajo/Hopi); Vonnie Alberts (Three Affiliated Tribes, Fort Berthold Indian Reservation); Sacheen Smith (Navajo); Lavina Bowers (Yurok); Manuel Monguia (Cahuilla Band of Indians); Jay McCray (Navajo); Dylan Adam Torkelson Miner (Woodland Métis); Andrew Morrison (Haida/Apache); Nadya Kwandibens (Anishinabe); Valarie Norris (Red Lake Nation); Chris Pappan (Kaw Nation); Darren Oliver (Navajo); Sharyl Pahe (Diné/San Carlos Apache); Courtney Parchcorn (Chickasaw/Kiowa/Cherokee/Creek); Erin Genia (Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate); Dante McCoy (Cherokee); Venaya Yazzie (Diné); Ryan Red Corn (Osage); Monty Singer (Navajo); Jasmine Vigil (Jicarilla Apache/Jemez Pueblo); and Chris Turley (Osage).
