Did you know... The Cherokee nation is the only group of native that have an offical dress for women

Did you know... the traditional dress from Panama is one of the most elaborate and can cost thousands of dollars and is sometimes passed down from mother to daughter?
 
Did you know... The Navajo Language is very similar to the Athabaskan and the Navajo are considered southern Athabaskan?

Did you know.. The Huilip is a traditional square cut blouse with heavy emgbroidery worn by the women of Guatemala and can be worn as a shawl for warmth or to carry a child or goods?

Did you know... In the winter, the Athabaskin live in a more permanent structure made of wood or sod.

Did you know... In the summer the Athabaskin live by streams and rivers in tents

Did you know...The quechua Women of Peru wear elaborately decorated wool jacket called Jauna.for special holidays and for everyday use they turn the jacket inside out
 
Did you know...In Peru the Liclla is a small cloth fastened in front using a tupu, however now it is more common
to see a safety pin?

Did you know... Unkuma,is used by the Quechus women of Peru,to carry snacks such as corn or coca

Did you know...Bedore the traders and mississioneries came to the publos, the Hopi men did all the weaving?

Did you know... in the summer, Athabaskan were clothing made from sealskin?

Did you know.... the traditional dress of the Guatemalan women is called a traje?

Did you know...The Athabaskan women made the clothing and footwear of anminal skins, tanned caribou or moose hide, then sinewn together with bone needle with snew as thread.?

Did you know... The environmental conditions in the north froced Athabaskins to live a nomadic lifestyle?

Did you know... In the summer the Hopi women wore little clothing because of the heat?.

Did you know... The Nampayos family of the Hopi Indians, along with Maria Martinez are famous for their pottery?

Did you know... The Mexican peasant dress is loose fitting and has beautiful and colorful embroidery on the bodice?

Did you know... The designs behind the Arapaho are know as petroglyphs (carved into the rock) and pictographs  (painted on).  There are many ideas about what they represent, one was that they were a form of newspaper?.

Did you know... Arapaho women were in charge of the houses.  Beside cooking and cleaning, they made their house (tipis) and the house always belonged to the woman?

Did you know... Arapho women wore moccasins, knee length leggings and a dress.  For ornamentation on the dress, they used porcupine quills, paint, elk teeth and beads?

Did you know...K'eperina is a large rectangle cloth used by the La Quechua women and is worn over the back then knotted in the front and used to securely hold a child or goods?

Did you know... That in Brazil, an estimated 1.3 million slaves were imported until slavery was abolished in 1888.  Double the number of people broughtto the intire United States in slavery?

Did you know... Over 80% of the population of Bahia is AfroBrazilian?

Did you know... One of the most important festivals of Bahia is Festa do Lemenja, dedicated to the "Queen of the Sea".  Flowers, perfumes, fruits and jewelry are tossed into the sea to please the "Mother of the Waters" and to gain her protection.?

Did you know... The traditional dress of the is Kuna women is a wrap skirt of brightly colored fabric, beaded arm and leg bands, many necklaces. a mola blouse and a head scarf?.
 
Did you know... The Kuna natives are famous for their mola, which grew out the tradition of painting their bodies in brightly colored geometric shapes? 

Did you know.. Gold nose rings are used, in fact, the nose ring is especially important aspect of Kuna beauty?

Did you know...that the native Alaskans from the interior of the far north are called the Northern Athabaskins and thought to be related to the Navajo's who are referred to as the southern Athabaskins?

Did you know....that the people of Brazil speak Portuguese?

Did you know...traditionally when a Kuna girl become a women her hair is short and is worn with a scarf?

Did you know.... the hats the women of Peru wear are called Monteras and often you can tell what village the women comes from just by the hat she wears?

Did you know...the native women from the state of Bahai wear long hooped skirts for feativals?

Did you know....that the Kuna Indians of San Blase, a husband is expected to make his and his sons clothing, and wives sew the female garments?

Did you know.....when Hopi girls are old enough to get married, they wear their hair in a squash bloosom style,  This was accomplished by wrapping thier hair around a piece of bent wood on either side of their head.?

Did you know...that the colorful folklore dresses of Mexico were inspired by the Euorpean fashions of the 1880's?

Did you know...the colorful skirts of the Quechua women of Peru are made from handwoven wool and are called Polleras.  The women may wear 3 or 4 skirts in a graduated layer effect.  On occasion such as a festival, wome may wear up to 15 polleras?

Did you know...that Arapaho women occasionally painted their hair red.  Both men and women painted their faces for special occasiona?

Did you know...the most striking accessory of Guatemalan women is a headdress called  a cinta skillfully wrapped into the hair with each town or area has its own design? 

Did you know...  the Hopi woman’s traditional dress is called manta. This rectangular piece of fabric is usually woven out of black wool. The fabric is wrapped around the body, attached at one shoulder and held by a woven belt around the waist?

Did you know.....the Kuna of San Blas Panama have a matriachal society in which the line of inheritance passes through the women. A young man, after marriage, must live in his mother-in-law's house and work for several years under apprenticeship to his father-in-law. The daughters of the Kuna people are prized because they will eventually bring additional manpower into the family?

january 16

I recieved this and had to pass it on - this is decated to everyone in the midwest with all our snow and our current sub zero weather

Diary of a Demented Snow Shoveler in the U.P..

December 8 6:00 PM
It started to snow. The first snow of the season and The wife and I took our cocktails and sat for hours by The window watching the huge soft flakes drift down From heaven. It looked like a Grandma Moses print. So Romantic we felt like newlyweds again. I love snow!

December 9
We woke to a beautiful blanket of crystal white snow Covering every inch of the landscape. What a fantastic Sight! Can there be a mor e lovely place in
The whole world? Moving here was the best idea I've Ever had! Shoveled for the first time in years and felt like a Boy again. I did both our driveway and the sidewalks.
This afternoon the snowplow came along and covered Up the sidewalks and closed in the driveway, so I got To shovel again. What a perfect life!

December 12
The sun has melted all our lovely snow. Such a Disappointment! My neighbor tells me not to worry- We'll definitely have a white Christmas. No snow on Christmas would be awful! Bob says we'll have so much Snow by the end of winter, that I'll never want to see
Snow again. I don't think that's possible. Bob is such A nice man, I'm glad he's our neighbor.

December 14
Snow, lovely snow! 8 inches last night. The Temperature dropped to -20. The cold makes everything Sparkle so. The wind took my breath away, but I warmed Up by shoveling the driveway and sidewalks. This is The life! The snowplow came back this afternoon and
Buried everything again. I didn't Realize I would have to do quite this much shoveling,
But I'll certainly get back in shape this way. I wish I wouldn't huff and puff so.

December 15
20 inches forecast. Sold my van and bought a 4x4 Blazer. Bought snow tires for the wife's car and 2 Extra shovels. Stocked the freezer. The wife wants A wood stove in case the electricity goes out. I think that's silly.. We aren't in Alaska , after all.

December 16
Ice storm this morning. Fell on my ass on the ice in The driveway putting down salt. Hurt like hell. The Wife laughed for an hour, which I think was very Cruel.

December 17
Still way below freezing. Roads are too icy to go Anywhere. Electricity was off for 5 hours. I had to Pile the blankets on to stay warm. Nothing to do but
Stare at the wife and try not to irritate her. Guess I Should've bought a wood stove, but won't admit it to Her. God I hate it when she's right. I can't believe I'm freezing to death in my own living room.

December 20
Electricity is back on, but had another 14 inches of The damn stuff last night. More shoveling! Took all Day. The damn snowplow came by twice. Tried to find a neighbor kid to shovel, but they said They're too busy playing hockey. I think they're
Lying. Called the only hardware store around to see about Buying a snow blower and they're out. Might have Another shipment in March. I think they're lying. Bob Says I have to shovel or the city will have it done And bill me. I think he's lying.

December 22
Bob was right about a white Christmas because 13 more Inches of the white shit fell today, and it's so cold, It probably won't melt till August. Took me 45 minutes To get all dressed up to go out to shovel and then I Had to piss. By the time I got undressed, pissed and Dressed again. I was too tired to shovel. Tried to Hire Bob who has a plow on his truck for the rest of The winter, but he says he's too busy. I think the Asshole is lying.

December 23
Only 2 inches of snow today. And it warmed up to 0. The wife wanted me to decorate the front of the house This morning.. What is she, nuts?!! Why didn't she tell me to do that a month ago? She Says she did but I think she's lying.

December 24
6 inches - Snow packed so hard by snowplow, I broke The shovel. Thought I was having a heart attack. If I Ever catch the son of a bitch who drives that snow Plow, I'll drag him through the snow by his balls and Beat him to death with my broken shovel. I know he Hides around the corner and waits for me to finish Shove ling and then he comes down the street at a 100 Miles an hour and throws snow all over where I've just Been! Tonight the wife wanted me to sing Christmas Carols with her and open our presents, but I was too busy watching for the damn snowplow.

December 25
Merry f---ing Christmas! 20 more inches of the damn slop tonight - Snowed in The idea of shoveling makes my blood boil. God, I hate the snow! Then the snowplow driver came by asking for a donation and I hit him over the head with my shovel. The wife says I have a bad attitude. I think she's a fricking idiot. If I have to watch "It's A Wonderful Life" one
more time, I'm going to stuff her into the microwave.

 December 26
Still snowed in. Why the hell did I ever move here? It was all HER idea. She's really getting on my nerves.

December 27
Temperature dropped to -30 and the pipes froze; plumber came after 14 hours of waiting for him, he only charged me $1,400 to replace all my pipes.

December 28
Warmed up to above -20. Still snowed in. The BITCH is driving me crazy!!!

December 29
10 more inches. Bob says I have to shovel the roof or it could cave in. That's the silliest thing I ever heard. How dumb does he think I am?

December 30
Roof caved in. I beat up the snow plow driver, and now he is suing me for a million dollars, not only for the beating I gave him, but also for trying to shove the broken snow shovel up his ass. The wife went home to her mother. Nine more inches predicted.

December 31
I set fire to what's left of the house. No more shoveling.

January 8
Feel so good.. I just love those little white pills they keep giving me. Why am I tied to the bed?

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!
A new year but the same old resolutions.  You know the ones - diet, excerise, sell more art and so on.
I hope to do all of the above.  I  try every year but.... I can't seem to stick to the first 2 to motivate myself for more than a short time.  I do my art though  
I just finished reading "I'd rather be in my studio" by Alyson Standfield and she is good.  Practical suggestions, work sheets plus an artist  how to focus on what's important.  If I had one New Year wish for an artist it would be to read this book and practice what is written.  I've read, as I'm sure most artists, have different "help" books for artists, but I really feel this one is the best.
I have also started a journal as was suggested in the book.  I have listed what I want to do and cross it off when I have accomplished that task.  I have also listed ideas for artwork as well as thoughts and dreams.  And I have encouraged my Thursday art class to do the same.

Last night was the opening for my "Woman of the Americas" series.  A total of 10 large paintings and 7 small paintings.  I had a informational description of each of the large paintings explaining something about the individual culture and the clothing of the women.. 
The post card displays the woman and clothing from Brazil.  I sent out over 100 post cards and have some left over that I plan to place in different locations around town that tourist can pick up.  Please sign up if you would like recieve one of the postcards. 
The show looked great and every one enjoyed it, especially the information.   I plan on continuing  this series and  find some over places to display this series - "take the show on the road".  

September 2008,
My new series "Women of the Americas" is about complete and I'm pleased with the results.  Ten large paintings 24 x 48 high featuring women of the Americas in their traditional clothing with designs from that culture.  This covers Athabaskin, Arapaho, Hopi, Navajo, Mexico, Guatamala, San Blaz Islands of Panama, Peru, Brazil and Argentina.  Each one required research into the various cultures.  The exhibit was supported in part by the Illinois Arts Council/Freeport.  The opening for the show is September 19th.