28720205
Description
Mind Map by Joseph Gianotti, updated more than 1 year ago
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Created by Joseph Gianotti
over 3 years ago
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Kay WalkingStick
- Basic Information
- WalkingStick is a Cherokee painter. She was born on March 2, 1935 to a Irish-Scottish mother and Cherokee
father. She grew up in Syracuse, NY, relatively removed from her Cherokee heritage. Though, her siblings spent
their summers in Oklahoma, and had a better understanding of their Native American background.
- WalkingStick is a Cherokee painter. She was born on March 2, 1935 to a Irish-Scottish mother and Cherokee
father. She grew up in Syracuse, NY, relatively removed from her Cherokee heritage. Though, her siblings spent
their summers in Oklahoma, and had a better understanding of their Native American background.
- Art Career
- WalkingStick began her formal study of art at Beaver College, receiving her Bachelor’s of Fine Arts. After her
studies in Glennside, Pennsylvania, she spent 10 years creating representational art.
- Her works during this times conveyed feminist themes, using pop-ish styles. She went on to attend the Pratt
Institute in 1973, during which time she continued to Pop colors and began to include the theme of landscapes.
- She also began to explore her Native American identity in her art during this time, likely inspired in part by the
19-month occupation of Alcatraz by Native Americans which occurred during this time. An early example of
this is her “Chief Joseph Series”, which pays homage to the Nez Percé leader who resisted the imposition of
reservation life by the United States government onto his people.
- This series, which took about three years to complete, serves
as both a cultural and personal piece as WalkingStick’s father
looked up to Chief Joseph. Her explorations of Native
American culture were not restricted just to her Cherokee
background.
- She has incorporated tipis, tent-like dwellings typically
associated with idigenous peoples, into her works. It is
believed that she did this in order to portray “nativeness”
to people who do not have much knowledge of Native
American culture. During the 70s and into the 80s,
WalkingStick’s works were akin to relief sculptures.
- The Chief Joseph series features linear patterns cut into
layers of acrylic paint and wax. Throughout the decade, her
works became increasingly bulky through the inclusion of
pebbles and seashells. She also continued to incorporate the
etching seen in the Chief Joseph series.
- The Chief Joseph series features linear patterns cut into
layers of acrylic paint and wax. Throughout the decade, her
works became increasingly bulky through the inclusion of
pebbles and seashells. She also continued to incorporate the
etching seen in the Chief Joseph series.
- She has incorporated tipis, tent-like dwellings typically
associated with idigenous peoples, into her works. It is
believed that she did this in order to portray “nativeness”
to people who do not have much knowledge of Native
American culture. During the 70s and into the 80s,
WalkingStick’s works were akin to relief sculptures.
- This series, which took about three years to complete, serves
as both a cultural and personal piece as WalkingStick’s father
looked up to Chief Joseph. Her explorations of Native
American culture were not restricted just to her Cherokee
background.
- She also began to explore her Native American identity in her art during this time, likely inspired in part by the
19-month occupation of Alcatraz by Native Americans which occurred during this time. An early example of
this is her “Chief Joseph Series”, which pays homage to the Nez Percé leader who resisted the imposition of
reservation life by the United States government onto his people.
- Her works during this times conveyed feminist themes, using pop-ish styles. She went on to attend the Pratt
Institute in 1973, during which time she continued to Pop colors and began to include the theme of landscapes.
- It wasn’t until 1985 that WalkingStick began to create diptychs, the two panelled paintings
for which the artist is most well known. She began these diptychs by making one side
abstract and the other some sort of representational work, but increasingly focused on
landscapes as her career progressed.
- After her husband passed away in 1989, her works reflected her grief through the symbolism of waterfalls,
meant to represent the “unstoppable, ultimate destiny of our lives”. She also included images of her mourning in
place of landscapes during this time, which caused her to realize that her landscapes had been a representation
of herself all along.
- Her works in the 90s were heavily influenced by trips to Italy, and the Alps. It was during the 80s to 90s that
WalkingStick solidified her notoriety in the global art scene. In the 2000s, her focus shifted to the landscape of
the American west.
- WalkingStick has received various honors for her works. In 1995, she was the first Native American
artist to be included in H.W. Janson’s History of Art, which is a standard textbook used in many
universities for intro to art history courses.
- She was also the first woman to receive the Distinguished Artist Award from the Eiteljorg Museum of
American Indians and Western Art. In 2011, she received the Lee Krasner award for lifetime achievement.
- WalkingStick has appeared in various group and solo exhibitions. The National Museum of the
American Indian honored her with a solo exhibition in 2015-2016. This exhibition thoroughly
covered her career, including a comprehensive catalog which detailed her entire fifty year career.
This exhibition has been touring around the United States since its start in Washington D.C..
- WalkingStick has appeared in various group and solo exhibitions. The National Museum of the
American Indian honored her with a solo exhibition in 2015-2016. This exhibition thoroughly
covered her career, including a comprehensive catalog which detailed her entire fifty year career.
This exhibition has been touring around the United States since its start in Washington D.C..
- She was also the first woman to receive the Distinguished Artist Award from the Eiteljorg Museum of
American Indians and Western Art. In 2011, she received the Lee Krasner award for lifetime achievement.
- WalkingStick has received various honors for her works. In 1995, she was the first Native American
artist to be included in H.W. Janson’s History of Art, which is a standard textbook used in many
universities for intro to art history courses.
- Her works in the 90s were heavily influenced by trips to Italy, and the Alps. It was during the 80s to 90s that
WalkingStick solidified her notoriety in the global art scene. In the 2000s, her focus shifted to the landscape of
the American west.
- After her husband passed away in 1989, her works reflected her grief through the symbolism of waterfalls,
meant to represent the “unstoppable, ultimate destiny of our lives”. She also included images of her mourning in
place of landscapes during this time, which caused her to realize that her landscapes had been a representation
of herself all along.
- WalkingStick began her formal study of art at Beaver College, receiving her Bachelor’s of Fine Arts. After her
studies in Glennside, Pennsylvania, she spent 10 years creating representational art.
- Art Style
- WalkingStick gained notoriety for her diptychs, typically made on wood. Though not seen
in her earlier works, landscapes are present in nearly every single one of her pieces. From
the late 1980s to the early 2000s, she paired these landscapes alongside an abstract scene,
with each component occupying one side of the diptych.
- Before this point, her works consisted of almost entirely abstract works, typically featuring linear,
geometric designs. From the late 2000s to the current day, WalkingStick has created almost entirely
landscapes. Though, linear abstract designs similar to those featured earlier in her career were often
incorporated into the scene.
- WalkingStick’s Le Alpi e le Gambe is a prime example of her tendency to place an abstract
background next to a landscape. It’s important to note that her depiction of the mountains is still
not necessarily “realistic”.
- Popish colors, such as a bright yellow green and
rich gold, are seen striping along the side of the
mountain. This piece was created in 1999, a time
during which WalkingStick frequented Italy and
often included the Alps within her works. We can
assume that this mountain range is depicted in
this piece as well, especially given the title.
- On the other side of the diptych, a bright green is used to mimic the shape of the mountains. However, there are
human leg- like figures dotting the scene, which were created using gold leaf. While WalkingStick has not issued
an official artist’s statement on this piece, she has commented that similar diptychs of this era were meant to
show the “push-pull between nature and culture, material, and spirit”.
- It is likely that the juxtaposition of the leg-like figures onto the mountain shape was meant to depict a human
connection to nature, a theme heavily prevalent within Native American culture. It may also be interpreted that
it depicts humans “walking all over” Mother Nature and taking advantage of her, an issue which WalkingStick
has been cognizant of in other pieces.
- It is likely that the juxtaposition of the leg-like figures onto the mountain shape was meant to depict a human
connection to nature, a theme heavily prevalent within Native American culture. It may also be interpreted that
it depicts humans “walking all over” Mother Nature and taking advantage of her, an issue which WalkingStick
has been cognizant of in other pieces.
- On the other side of the diptych, a bright green is used to mimic the shape of the mountains. However, there are
human leg- like figures dotting the scene, which were created using gold leaf. While WalkingStick has not issued
an official artist’s statement on this piece, she has commented that similar diptychs of this era were meant to
show the “push-pull between nature and culture, material, and spirit”.
- Popish colors, such as a bright yellow green and
rich gold, are seen striping along the side of the
mountain. This piece was created in 1999, a time
during which WalkingStick frequented Italy and
often included the Alps within her works. We can
assume that this mountain range is depicted in
this piece as well, especially given the title.
- WalkingStick’s Le Alpi e le Gambe is a prime example of her tendency to place an abstract
background next to a landscape. It’s important to note that her depiction of the mountains is still
not necessarily “realistic”.
- Before this point, her works consisted of almost entirely abstract works, typically featuring linear,
geometric designs. From the late 2000s to the current day, WalkingStick has created almost entirely
landscapes. Though, linear abstract designs similar to those featured earlier in her career were often
incorporated into the scene.
- Farewell to the Smokies is another oil on wood diptych created by WalkingStick, finished in 2007. The human
figure takes up far less visual space than in the aforementioned works, however the message they carry is more
emotionally heavy.
- The diptych depicts the Trail of Tears, as a group of Native Americans leave a warm, inviting image of the Smoky
Mountains for a foreboding, dark and cold one. This was meant to depict the fear and uncertainty which the
Native Americans faced as they were made to march directly into danger. The figures are small and made to
seem insignificant in comparison to the landscape that surrounds them, possibly expressing the colonial
attitude that indigenous peoples were less valuable than the land which they owned.
- This may also be a way to express the “smallness” which the
Native peoples themselves felt as their way of life and
agency was stripped away by the colonizer. Regardless of
the implicit meaning, this piece relies heavily on the
symbolism of color to express the generational trauma and
horrors that were created by the hands of colonialism.
- Despite the importance of this piece, WalkingStick expressed hesitance on
creating a piece on the Trail of Tears “because every Cherokee has to do a
Trail of Tears painting”. However after seeing the mountains which
witnessed this incredible tragedy, the artist was moved to create Farewell to
the Smokies.
- Despite the importance of this piece, WalkingStick expressed hesitance on
creating a piece on the Trail of Tears “because every Cherokee has to do a
Trail of Tears painting”. However after seeing the mountains which
witnessed this incredible tragedy, the artist was moved to create Farewell to
the Smokies.
- This may also be a way to express the “smallness” which the
Native peoples themselves felt as their way of life and
agency was stripped away by the colonizer. Regardless of
the implicit meaning, this piece relies heavily on the
symbolism of color to express the generational trauma and
horrors that were created by the hands of colonialism.
- The diptych depicts the Trail of Tears, as a group of Native Americans leave a warm, inviting image of the Smoky
Mountains for a foreboding, dark and cold one. This was meant to depict the fear and uncertainty which the
Native Americans faced as they were made to march directly into danger. The figures are small and made to
seem insignificant in comparison to the landscape that surrounds them, possibly expressing the colonial
attitude that indigenous peoples were less valuable than the land which they owned.
- Il Signo del Cortile is a print that was created by WalkingStick in 2004. Though not produced on wood, this piece
is still a diptych as it consists of two separate sheets of paper. Many of WalkingStick’s works on paper from this
time period included only one seen, spread out onto two pieces of paper.
- They contain fewer landscapes and more explicit depictions of the human form (as opposed to the more abstract
depiction seen in Le Alpi e le Gambe), spanning over colorful backgrounds. This piece includes two people’s legs,
over a background which contains brown silhouettes of trees.
- The two humans seem to be facing each other and are quite close to one another, creating a feeling of trust and
intimacy. Similarly to the aforementioned piece, the relationship between human and nature is highlighted. In
this case, nature is seen as the backdrop for human connection. The trees envelop the two figures, implying
harmony and comfort not only between the two humans, but between humans and nature.
- The two humans seem to be facing each other and are quite close to one another, creating a feeling of trust and
intimacy. Similarly to the aforementioned piece, the relationship between human and nature is highlighted. In
this case, nature is seen as the backdrop for human connection. The trees envelop the two figures, implying
harmony and comfort not only between the two humans, but between humans and nature.
- They contain fewer landscapes and more explicit depictions of the human form (as opposed to the more abstract
depiction seen in Le Alpi e le Gambe), spanning over colorful backgrounds. This piece includes two people’s legs,
over a background which contains brown silhouettes of trees.
- Our Land is another oil on wood diptych with heavy nature themes. Created in 2007, this piece makes explicit
reference to the fact that American land belongs to the Native Americans. Similar to her other works, a
mountain range is one of the main focuses.
- Walkingstick has stated that she creates her mountains to create awe, highlighting their “force of being” as a
“spiritual being”. Much of her works revolve around the idea that nature is very much so alive, and that
landscapes are in a way, self portraits (especially as a Native woman with deep connections to the land).
- A geometric pattern, reminiscent of patterns often seen within various Cherokee art, can be seen striped across
the left panel of the diptych. This band may be perceived almost as a stamp, highlighting the claim to the
mountain which the local indigenous peoples hold.
- It’s important to notice that this pattern does not obstruct the awe of the mountain. This may convey that Native
people do not wish to exude power over their land, rather they exist in harmony with it. In this way, the
expression of “Our Land” is not one of arrogance or subjugation, but rather one of coexistence and respect.
- It’s important to notice that this pattern does not obstruct the awe of the mountain. This may convey that Native
people do not wish to exude power over their land, rather they exist in harmony with it. In this way, the
expression of “Our Land” is not one of arrogance or subjugation, but rather one of coexistence and respect.
- A geometric pattern, reminiscent of patterns often seen within various Cherokee art, can be seen striped across
the left panel of the diptych. This band may be perceived almost as a stamp, highlighting the claim to the
mountain which the local indigenous peoples hold.
- Walkingstick has stated that she creates her mountains to create awe, highlighting their “force of being” as a
“spiritual being”. Much of her works revolve around the idea that nature is very much so alive, and that
landscapes are in a way, self portraits (especially as a Native woman with deep connections to the land).
- WalkingStick gained notoriety for her diptychs, typically made on wood. Though not seen
in her earlier works, landscapes are present in nearly every single one of her pieces. From
the late 1980s to the early 2000s, she paired these landscapes alongside an abstract scene,
with each component occupying one side of the diptych.
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