WEEKEND : Festival Celebrates American Indian Art

The rocks in Abiquiu, a town just north of Santa Fe, N.M., provide more than a tranquil, picturesque setting for Jan Loco on her daily hikes.

The Apache silversmith and jeweler is drawn to the rough-textured rocks because she believes they possess an innate spirit.

Back in her Albuquerque studio, Loco takes the rocks, places sterling silver over them and hammers the metal repeatedly until the spirit of the rock is transferred to the silver and creates a characteristic metallic design.

“The more I hammer on a rock, the more I find something special in the way of a design. Sometimes it takes an hour to find the right surface,� says Loco, who started designing jewelry three years ago. “It’s just a matter of finding the ones you can communicate with. I think it’s that way with people as well.�

Ali MacGraw, Demi Moore, Rue McClanahan and Emmy Lou Harris--who collect and wear Loco’s jewelry--couldn’t agree more. But the non-show biz crowd need not feel left out.

This weekend, Loco will be among 42 American Indian artisans exhibiting works at the 19th annual American Indian Festival & Market at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.

During the three-day festival--Friday through Sunday--visitors can meet artists from more than two dozen tribes.

They will be showing and selling contemporary American Indian art. But this is more than just an art sale. The festival provides a chance to experience the rich and diverse cultures and traditions of American Indians and to introduce the public to the beauty and vitality of their art.

“There seems to be somewhat of a misconception that the highlight of Indian culture was during the Wild West with cowboys and Indians. Really, the culture is not gone, but is still very vital and living on,� says Shelley L. Stephens, festival organizer.

“There (is) a group of Native American cultures moving on into the next century, and they’re really very strong,� Stephens adds. “The arts are very important to all Native American Indian groups; they continue to have a real vibrancy and vitality in their art.�

Most, if not all, of the art work exhibited and for sale--pottery, jewelry, baskets, wood carvings, sculptures, paintings, prints, stained-glass, beadwork and figurines--reflects ancient Indian themes, motifs and stories.

However, many of the artists have added a contemporary look not usually associated with traditional Indian art. Some jewelry designs, for instance, feature 14-karat gold and diamonds.

“This year, I’m bringing some very contemporary pieces,� says Ray Tracey, a Navajo jeweler from Gallup, N. M. “Some of my designs are traditional. But most are contemporary. That means the designs aren’t so ethnic in origin.�

For the price of admission on Saturday and Sunday, museum visitors also will be treated to traditional dance performances by the Inter-Tribal Dancers of Los Angeles. On Sunday, they can enjoy a music and mime show and the movie “The Shadow Catcher,� a biography of photographer Edward S. Curtis, in the museum’s auditorium.

And what’s a festival without food? Fry bread and other traditional American Indian foods will be sold all weekend.

Not bad for a festival that started in 1972 with a few artists demonstrating their techniques in the foyer outside the museum’s gift shop. Stephens is amazed when she thinks back to the time she used to beg artists to come to Los Angeles and be a part of the show.

“In the beginning, it was very difficult,� she recalls. “I used to really have to work to get the artists to take the risk and incur the expense to come to Los Angeles and make it worthwhile for them. Now I’m glad I did.�

With a limited number of spaces available, Stephens now has to turn away artists, who must be invited to appear at the festival.

“Invitations are now coveted,� she says. “You can’t just buy a booth.�

The festival--which raises funds for the museum--is the museum’s largest annual event. Crowds this weekend are expected to top last year’s attendance of 18,000.

Stephens attributes the festival’s success in part to the artists and the quality of their work. Items sold will range from $5 to $5,000.

“It’s a rare opportunity to have all these artists under one roof at one time from all across the United States,� says Stephens. “Our goal is to showcase the best Native American Indian Art.�

If nothing else, she believes that those who attend will leave with a better understanding of American Indians and a deeper respect and appreciation for their cultures and traditions, which the artists are committed to preserving.

This year marks Ray Tracey’s 10th appearance at the festival. He says it’s a treat for him to come and be a part of the show.

“I just enjoy being among a lot of people who are interested in what you do for living and who are interested in where you come from,� he says. “People just come by and talk about all different kinds of things. For me, it’s a lot of fun.

“The importance of the festival is that it provides an opportunity for people to come in and be aware of other cultures and other ways of life, at least the Native American Indian half and to be a part of the show.�

Another returning artist is Benjamin Harjo Jr., a painter and printer from the Seminole and Shawnee tribes. He likes the exposure for his work and the opportunity to share his cultural background with others.

“If people have questions about pottery, sculpture, jewelry and traditional feelings, they have a chance to talk to a variety of people,� he says.

A first-time artist attending the festival is actor Michael Horse, who stars as Deputy Tommy (The Hawk) Hill on ABC-TV’s “Twin Peaks.� While the public may recognize his work on television, few are aware that he is a jeweler, stone carver, sculptor and painter.

Horse, part Zuni, Mescalero Apache and Yaqui, grew up in the San Fernando Valley and is a graduate of the American Indian Art Institute in Santa Fe.

His art reflects both traditional and modern designs with a Kachina theme. He is the first to admit that he is looking forward to this weekend.

“I’ve always wanted to do this show,� he says. “It’s one of the best shows out here in Southern California.�

Horse hopes his presence at the festival will serve as a role model for youngsters who have become alienated from their heritage.

“What this event shows is that as a culture, we have grown, and it’s a good lesson for American Indian kids that we’re not in a stagnant role,� he says.

The American Indian Festival & Market, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, 900 Exposition Blvd. Admission: adults $5, students and senior citizens (with ID) $2.50, children (5-12) $1. For information, call (213) 744-3488.