Paddle store to have art show at Snoqualmie Casino
December 10, 2008
By Laura Geggel
Although the myths and legends that inspired their artwork are intangible, their artwork — ranging from totem poles to beaded regalia — is not.
About 20 Snoqualmie Valley and Native American artists will showcase their creations at the exhibit, “A New Moon is Beginning to Appear,” which will be held in the ballroom of Snoqualmie Casino, 37500 S.E. North Bend Way, Snoqualmie from 1-7 p.m. Dec. 14.
Artist John Romero holds up one of his paintings. He and other artists will have work on display at an exhibit at Snoqualmie Casino on Dec. 14.
Because the art show will be held in the casino, guests must be at least 21 years old.
The store manager of Paddle, Jamie Sportsman, explained the title of the show.
“The theme for the art how is it’s a new moon. Everything is kind of new with the new casino going on — providing new jobs, providing new relationships. We’re entering into a new season, a season of growth and progression.”
Paddle, which celebrated its first-year anniversary Dec. 8, held a smaller art show Aug. 30. Sportsman hopes this show will draw a larger crowd, with Flutist Peter Ali and other Native American musicians and dancers performing in the ballroom alongside the art.
Artist John Romero already has his work on display in Paddle and its satellite store in the casino. An Eastern Shoshone Native American from Wyoming, Romero joined the navy after the Vietnam War and now lives in Tukwila where he incorporates narratives into his artwork.
“I’ve been painting my whole life,” Romero said. “When I was young, I used to put drawings in the state fair and win ribbons. It’s all self taught.”
Using colored pencil and oil and acrylic paints, Romero illustrates tales he hears or creates.
“I outline what I’m going to do in my mind that best represents that story,” Romero said. “I paint that story right onto the canvas.”
His subjects have changed since his move from Wyoming, where he drew horses and dancers. Now, he frequently paints water creatures and canoes.
“Since I came out here, I’ve been introduced to a whole new culture,” Romero said.
Carnation artist Fred Fulmer spends much of his waking hours carving wooden totem poles and masks and molding clay and concrete masks and figurines.
His mother’s family, Tlingit Indians from Alaska, exposed him to native culture and art. One of his yellow cedar totem poles that will be at the art show tells the story of Gonakadet, a man who has difficulties with his nagging mother-in-law.
There are many variations of the legend, and Fulmer told the story of how Gonakadet catches a sea monster and dons its magical pelt. When he puts on the pelt, Gonakadet transforms into the sea monster and is able to catch seafood for his people in a time of famine.
But Gonakadet’s mother-in-law takes credit for the food, which Gonakadet mysteriously leaves at the entryway of the longhouse. She assumes the role of shaman and begins making blatant predictions of what food she would discover next.
When the mother-in-law says she foresees two whales on the beach, Gonakadet does his best to wrestle the two beasts ashore — a feat that kills him when he is unable to remove the magical pelt before the first raven crows in the morning. When his people see a strange sea monster lying next to the two whales on the beach, Gonakadet’s wife breaks down crying and tells her people her husband’s secret.
The mother-in-law dies of shame and the wife joins her husband, who comes back to life but must remain a sea monster.
“The people in the village never saw her again, but they say that when you go outside on a beautiful sun-shiny day and you catch a glimpse of these nice shimmering silvery colors — their children — in the water, you’ll become very rich,” Fulmer said.
In addition to totem poles and paintings, there will be beaded merchandise, from earrings and pens to bracelets to moccasins.
Sandy Phillips and her daughter Lakota, who works at Paddle in Snoqualmie, will sell a variety of their beaded ornaments at the show. Lakota Phillips said she learned beading from her mother as a teenager.
“You got to have a lot of patience to do it,” Phillips said. “When I did it first, I said, ‘Yeah I know how.’ It gives you bragging rights from female native to another.”
All of the artists said the show would help expose their art and get ideas for future creations.
“I think it’s important to get to be known within all of the different communities as an artist,” Fulmer said.
Phillips agreed.
“This is the stuff I’ve grown up around,” Phillips said. “Going to powwows to look at other artists.”
Reach reporter Laura Geggel at 392-6434 .221 or lgeggel@snovalleystar.com.
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