User:Jonpark47/Diane Schenandoah/Bibliography

Biography

Diane Schenandoah is a Native American artist best known for her distinct sculptures and influence on the Oneida community^[1]. She was born in upstate Oneida, New York^[2], on October 21st, 1958. Schenandoah is the daughter of Clifford Schenandoah, an Onondaga Nation chief, and Maisie Schenandoah, an Oneida Wolf Clan Mother^[3]. She has three sisters, Vicky, Joanne, and Danielle, that were all raised in their mother’s Wolf Clan. Her father was a Jazz musician and singer and her mother was an artist and pianist. Before her parent’s passing, both of Schenandoah’s parents always encouraged her and her other siblings to embrace their talents. Her mother would collect ancient Haudenosaunee artifacts and give them to her children to help them be more creative. With these artifacts, Schenandoah soon learned how to make rattles, baskets, and many other crafts that are essential to her culture. She also took inspiration when she became the mother of five children by making sculptures of mothers holding their babies.

Schenandoah spent most of her early years growing up in the Oneida Territory, which is located near Oneida, New York. Schenandoah became most reputable for her ability to shape clay and carve stone; she used clay and stone to create sculptures that would help represent her culture. During her career, she met a man named Allan Houser, a renowned sculptor who noticed her skills and would later choose to mentor her. Before adopting her as his mentee, he credited her artistry, stating, “I have never had a woman apprentice but if I were to have one, you would be it.”^[4] Schenandoah later stated that these words gave her the confidence and motivation to take sculpting to the next level. As her skills progressed, her artworks transformed with every new piece, making each sculpture distinct from one another. Schenandoah noted that she prefers to use as many natural materials as possible in her sculptures since she believes it was given to the humans by the hand of the Creator, therefore being a blessing. Throughout her career, Schenandoah has won numerous awards at many art shows. One of her most recent awards, the “Community Spirit Award” from the First People’s Fund, was for her devotion to serving her community at Oneida. Schenandoah would later pass on her skills to the youth and teach the Oneida children creative writing, sculpting and culture presentations. Her loyalty to her community has earned her much respect from the Oneida people. As she continued to pursue her dreams of becoming a gifted sculptor, the numerous awards she won through her artwork motivated her to test new styles and, ultimately, evolve into a better artist.

Besides working as a Native American artist, Schenandoah occasionally worked as a backup singer and percussionist for her sister, Joanne^[5], who was a well-known Grammy winner.

Education

Diane Schenandoah received her Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from Syracuse University. Schenandoah then moved to New Mexico in 1979 to attend Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute (SIPI). In 1980, Schenandoah chose to start her illustrious career by attending the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) in Santa Fe. Schenandoah received her degree in Fine Arts/3D and Creative Writing at the IAIA soon after.

Artworks

“Calling All of Creation”^[6]

Diane Schenandoah defines her unique style as an artist by using natural materials to mold her sculptures. Her artwork, “Calling All of Creation,” displays two Haudenosaunee men in the midst of a sacred ritual shaking their turtle rattles as they are sitting together on a bench, facing each other. She signifies her use of natural materials in her artworks, stating, “For my sculptures, I shape the clay from Mother Earth or I chisel natural elements such as stone, marble or bone. I often carve my sculptures from the bone of deer, buffalo or caribou. I enjoy combining several of these elements into one sculpture… Working with Mother Earth gives me a certain closeness that goes beyond a particular art. It’s the grand feeling of knowing the ancestors before have passed throughout this clay.” This piece of artwork is made out of Ohio clay that was mounted on a black walnut base and the distinct turtle rattles are made of buffalo horn.

“Shhh”

Diane Schenandoah’s inspiration for her piece, “Shhh,” came from her experience as a mother of five children. “Shhh” depicts a mother comforting her baby, rocking it back and forth to sleep. It is noted that nearly all of Schenandoah’s sculptures portray women in one way or another. The reason for this is because the Haudenosaunee Confederacy^[7] is a matriarchal system. Their society puts women at the head of their family, placing them in charge and allowing them to make important decisions.

“Breath of Life”

Schenandoah’s “Breath of Life” series are small pieces of jewelry that are carefully carved from deer bone. It can either be worn around the neck or be used as a stickpin. This sculpture shows a woman hugging her son and represents women as life-givers. Schenandoah's "Breath of Life" was a tribute to mothers of the Oneida people; the mom firmly clasping her son shows the abundant love she had for her family.

“Beholding Beauty”^[8]

Schenadoah’s artwork, “Beholding Beauty,” displays the back of a naked woman as she continues to look onward. The small details included in this sculpture help depict the image of a beautiful-looking woman even when only showing her back. “Beholding Beauty” is carved out of clay strictly from animal bones since Schenandoah believes that using natural resources from Mother Earth goes beyond just art and helps with her sculptures.

Exhibitions

Notable Exhibitions

Woman's Dance, Buffalo, NY

Heard Museum Opening, Phoenix, AZ

Pow wow, Cruise, Bahamas
Where We Stand, Cooperstown, NY
She Walks with Traditions, One woman show, Greensboro, NC
4th Annual WCNY Televised Art Invitational
Traveling Exhibition, Everson Museum of Art, Barnes and Noble, Syracuse, NY
Munson Williams Proctor School of Art, Utica, NY Schweinfurth Memorial Art Center, Auburn, NY
Six Nations - Six Artists, San Francisco, CA
Shadow of the Eagle, Castellani Art Museum, Niagara, NY
New York State Museum - Iroquois Artists, Albany, NY
American Indian Museum, Minneapolis, MN
Dance of Life, Institute for AIS, Washington, CT
Life of Potters, First Peoples Gallery, Minneapolis, MN
Earth Visions-Arts of the Woodlands People, Old Forge Arts Center, Old Forge, NY
The Indolent Boys (N. Scott Momaday), Private Show, Syracuse Stage, NY
Silent Art Auction, Landmark Theater, Syracuse, NY
Iroquois Artists of Today, St. Marie Among the Iroquois Museum, Liverpool, NY
She Walks With Traditions, Shako:wi Culture Center, Oneida, NY
Iroquois Museum Schoharie, NY
Contemporary Iroquois Artists of Today, American Indian Community House, NYC
New York State Museum - Iroquois Artists, Albany, NY
Miccosukee Indian Art Festival, Everglades, FL
Mountain Eagle Indian Arts Festival, Hunter Mountain, Catskills, NY
Eight Northern Pueblos 13th Annual Arts and Crafts Show, San Ildefonso Pueblo, NM
Indian Market, Santa Fe, NM Indian Market, Demonstrating Artists, Santa Fe, NM
The Silver Phoenix, One Woman Show, Oakton, VA
Upper Hudson Regional Library System Exhibit Series, Albany, NY
Stables Art Center New Mexico Color and Light Invitational Exhibitions, Taos, NM
United World College, Encounter New Mexico Juried Exhibit, Las Vegas, NM
EL FAROL, One Woman Show: New Blood, Canyon Road, Santa Fe, NM
Bird Library, Syracuse University, Iroquois Art, Syracuse, NY
Berkshire Museum, Women spirit; Focus on Women Regional, Pittsfield, MA
Chicago's Navy Pier, Native Arts Conference
New York State Museum, Thanksgiving Show, Iroquois Artist Today, 1983, Albany, NY
I.A.I.A., Graduates Show 1982

Current Exhibitions

Fennimore Museum, gift shop, Cooperstown, NY

Heard Museum Opening, Phoenix, AZ

Shell and Stone Gallery, Fayetteville, NY

Art Port Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ

Iroquois Indian Museum, Howe's Cave, NY

Grant Jewelers, Skaneateles, NY

Six Directions Gallery, Sterling, VA

The Creative Native, Chester, NJ

Ziibiwing Center, Mt. Pleasant, MI

The Ace of Diamonds Jewelers, Oneida, NY

Sage Spirit, Sarasota, FL

Collections

Rancocus Nation Museum, Rancocus, NJ

New York State Museum, Albany, NY

“Thaw Collection” Fennimore Museum, Cooperstown, NY

Mashentucket/Pequot Museum, Ledyard Ct

Honors and Awards

Throughout the time it took to master her craft, Diane Schenandoah was honored and received two grants, the “Business and Leadership Grant” and the “Community Spirit Award,” from the First Peoples Fund in South Dakota. Along with grants, Schenandoah also received awards from the Oneida Area Arts Guild (located in Oneida, NY) and Ridgefield Fine Arts Exhibit (located in Ridgefield, CT).