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Dezhoni Anton When i think about art i don't think too much about the artist except for the fact that they're very talented. Art has many colors, but none of them are steryotyped into a lable. People are many colors, yet we're labled and brandnamed. Art doesn't care waht your skin color is, or where you came from. it wants to be. Native American art can be made by a non-native person. if you choose to stick closely to traditions, then you have every right to do so. but say a Native American artist adopted a white boy and the artist taught the boy everything he knew. when his times comes and the white boy takes on his father's trade, sy it was moccsin making, and you saw him selling them at a powwow, what would you think? To be honest, my first thought would be, "Who does he think he is?" and then walk on past and forget about it completley. Its a different story if they're copycats who make fakes and advertise them as the real thing. that in itself is inexcuseable, but if you make it with your hands is what's important.

09/10/09 Rhiannon Boyd: This might sound bad but, I was always taught not to purchase from a "non-native" stand at a pow wow; that it was then not truly authentic. In a way I do agree. Like for example, I was also taught that your first outfit (pow wow) was supposed to be made by your mother or the next closest. So I'm not about to go out and buy bead work or a yolk made from a "non-native" person. And I disagree because, I'm not against someone else using Indians as their influence or including us in their work; if anything its somewhat an honor! When it comes to using technology to help to make your craft, I don't see anything wrong with that because we have had to evolve with an ever changing world; why can't the way we make things. I don't think of it as cheating, its still art. I don't go in my backyard and cook over an open fire every night, I use my stove just like the next person. Art, whether its music, crafts, or stories, are a great way to pass traditions just because someone found a "better" way to do them doesn't mean that the tradition isn't there or that it doesn't mean the same thing. I consider everything that I do to be "Indian", "Native", "Indigenous", "Menominee", or "Oneida"; because that is who I am. It doesn't matter to me what anyone else wants to call it. Sheila Dash 9-9-09 The article really got me thinking and made me realize how many people are stereotyped. I also see how this is a big issue to many of the Native Artists because its labeling them and may be very offensive to them depending on their own feelings. I like how it shows things change with time. Talking about how many artists are coming up with newer and easier ways of getting their art done. Honestly I think its allowing the artist to produce and create more things which show the traditions which were passed down. Speaking from experience I know my great-grandmother showed me a lot of different forms and I would like to display as much of that as I can so I will be able to pass it down. Therefore; I believe if there is a possible way for me to get some of the work done using a quicker method that would be nice. Yet! Does that mean its different from past creations or traditions? I know somethings are unchangeable and will no doubt take time and there are no short cuts. I don't think this makes the value of the work put into the art any more or any less meaningful. I also like how the article brings up the fact that many times art should be seen for the time and effort one puts into it; not what one's ethnic or genetic qualifiers may be. All in all the article opened my eyes and made me see that this is a good question and there is no right or wrong answer. The answer is what you feel in your heart, mind, and soul.

Jason Williams 9-10-2009 The article is very well written and it really got me thinking about art just being ART. Why do we have to label everything and everyone like our culture does. It is unnecessary and quite insulting at times. Now if I were an Native American artist I would be very upset if someone tried to label my art "Native American" art. Why can't it just be art? Art that just happened to be produced by an Indian man. Maybe the day will come soon when we stop labeling things and people, one can only hope.

Amber Webster American Indian art to me is art based on your religion and or about it. doesent necessarly have to be about and indian in a pepblo. you can be an Native Anerican and make all kinds of different art. I would also be mad if i was an artist, and made graphic designing for companies, and people were claiming my art to be native american art...would be a lil insulting.

Racheal Ninham9-13-09 To me Native American art is from the heart, mind, soul, backround of your religion, and mind. And I know that there are people out there that consider them selves Native American artist for the fact that they create art that is from Native American background but does that really make them Native American artist? In this article it did make me realize that know body should label anybody. But for certain people it does bother them that another race makes art work that doesn't really belong to them. And to a point I do agree with that because its not fair for a native artist to create beautiful artwork that doesn't get recognized as sometimes a other person with no native background does. But then again this article makes me feel that I shouldnt care because non natives do make beautiful art. This article is very different for everyone and they have they own opinions. And it doesnt make them bad, wrong, or mean its just how people think of art. Worden Waukechon September 14,2009 Yes, I believe art should be accepted as art and only be labeled as the artist wishes. Indian art, drawings, and sculptors as Native American Art if the artist intends the work to be Native American Art, on the other hand if an Native Averican Art work is an oil painting of boats or rock aroll bands and would like his work to be classified as realism oil paintings than, so be it. The idea and the labeling of artist`s works, should be his preference and style or his form to choose from. However he/she wants to be recognized. This is my summary from the Cross Roads article.

Schuyler Sallaway 9-15-09 To me, Native American art is not something that is just limited to those "Native Americans". Just because someone is not Native American doesn't or shouldn't mean that they cannot create Native American Style art. Many people of different cultures greatly admire ours, commenting on our styles of art. Many times at a pow-wow I have been complimented on my regalia, and having done some "Native American" style art as well, been complimented on that as well. Some Native American people also do other kinds of art, besides native american style. I'm not sure if a non-native artist who has done native american art a Native American artist, he/she should be recognized for doing that style of work, but not as a Native American Artist. That is something that I think should be saved as a title for actual Native-American artists. It's a subject that has many different opinions that everyone is entitled to. It depends on what your views are on art. The article was very well written.

Linda King

I guess in my opinion Native American Art is that you must be native, and enrolled, for your work to be considered Native American Art. So truly to me that is not fair. Just because our generations who cannot get enrolled they will not be considered Native period. That's the way I see it, so if my children are raised native on the reservation and not enrolled they are not Native?????????? That is all they may know, and if my children become artists their work will not be recognized as native??????? To me it is up to the individual what they create. What if a person is full blood native and turns out to be an artist nobody will recognize his work as Native.

Darrell Skenandore 9-24-09 There are too many questions that go into trying to classify a piece of Art Work, when really only three questions are needed. 1) Is the person who did the art Native American? 2) Does the author classify his/her art work as Native American Art? and 3) Does the art work involve Native Americans? If you can answer yes to two out of the three questions then that art work can go on the Native American Art exhibit at the museum.