The National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) invites community-based artists of the Americas and Hawai`i to apply to the Artist Leadership Program (ALP) for Individual Artists. Museums, arts organizations, and cultural institutions in the U.S. and Canada are invited to apply to the ALP’s organization track.
     The ALP is an incredible personal and artistic experience that reconnects artists to indigenous cultural materials for inspiration and discovery, and to challenge personal boundaries. ALP artists have access to more than 800,000 objects, photographs, and paper archives in the NMAI’s collections at the Cultural Resources Center and the museum on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

     ALP artists return home empowered with new insights, skills, and techniques to share in community workshops and public arts programs. The ALP seeks to inspire artistic practice and creativity, mentor young people through pride in learning about their cultural and artistic heritage, and reflect the fact that indigenous arts hold value and knowledge and offer communities a means for healing and new ways to exchange cultural information.
     Both indigenous artists and Native museums and cultural arts organizations are welcome to apply to the NMAI Artist Leadership Program.
     For detailed program information and to apply online, please visit our online application.
     ALP applications are due Monday, June 15, 2015, at 5:00 pm ET.

    Family, friendly fun Saturday May 16 on the old walking mall downtown in Winchester Virginia.
    Join the Native American Church of Virginia and Virginia Lovers' Gourd Society for a fun day of designing gourd necklaces to help promote The Harvest Gathering www.HarvestGathering.org.

   The Core -- Sign up is available for NAC of VA Sanctuary on the Trail™ Art in Nature™ Hike on the Appalachian Trail (AT). This is a a Native American led watercolor art class that teaches physical and spiritual aspects of seven elements of art (space, line, shape, color, value, texture and form) as students hike portions of the AT enjoying magnificent views of the Blue Ridge Mountain and Shenandoah River Valley. 
     All supplies are provided and artwork can be displayed at “The Gathering” a Native American inter-tribal harvest dance and Virginia gourd festival celebration at the Clarke County fairgrounds this fall.

Art in Nature™ Hike
Dates and Times:
5/2       SA       12+      3-6:00 PM      
5/23     SA       12+      3-6:00 PM      
8/1       SA       12+      3-6:00 PM     
Instructor: Rene' White
Location: Bears Den, Berryville, VA

Sign up available through The Core Summer/Spring 2015 catalog or by calling the Clarke County Parks and Recreation at 540-955-5140.

The Photo Argus Road Shots photo challenge features our entrance to the Sanctuary on the Trail.™  Image by nature artist Warren Krupsaw of our road, photographed during a recent winter fog, launches the photo challenge. Photographers interested in participating in the TPA photo challenge should submit your shots before Jan. 9 midnight EST. Directions by TPA author Bill Jones is provided at this button below:

Gourd #15 is fondly called "Na'vi" for the indigenous tribe of Na'vi from a favorite movie called, "Avatar." Aritst: René White (Feather) president of the Native American Church of Virginia.

Medium & Materials. Naturally dried gourds, carved, engraved and enhanced using water-based inks and white feathers.

Exhibition Oct. 24-26. This piece is on exhibit at the Art in the Foothills 2014 show and sale in Bluemont Virginia Friday-Sunday, Oct. 24-26. Sales from this gourd will help wounded warriors, fund youth scholarships and help preserve sacred lands.

Authentic Native American Art. I certify that the item listed here meets the “Authentic Indian Arts and Crafts” and “Indian Product” criteria and is labeled appropriately as authentic in accordance 36 CFR 51, Authentic Native Handicrafts.

Gourds #13 and #14 are called, "Small Rainbow Trout." These are the 5th and 6th fish in Fish Series by René White (Feather) president of the Native American Church of Virginia.

Medium & Materials. Naturally dried gourds, carved, engraved and enhanced using water-based inks: pine-tree green, chartreuse, apple, turquoise, pink and blazing blue; heat set and sprayed using gallery conservation varnish; and accented with silver wire and turkey feathers.

Exhibition Oct. 24-26. These fish are on exhibit at the Art in the Foothills 2014 show and sale in Bluemont Virginia Friday-Sunday, Oct. 24-26. Sales from these gourds will help wounded warriors, fund youth scholarships and help preserve sacred lands.

Authentic Native American Art. I certify that the item listed here meets the “Authentic Indian Arts and Crafts” and “Indian Product” criteria and is labeled appropriately as authentic in accordance 36 CFR 51, Authentic Native Handicrafts.

     To help raise money for albino children, gourd #12 is named Leucism /ˈljuːsɪzəm/ for its white feathers and white specks. Leuc- in Latin means "white."
     Leucism is a condition in animals characterized by reduced pigmentation during development. Unlike albinism, leucism is caused by a reduction in all types of pigment.
     Leucistic animals have normally colored eyes. This gourd has blue eyes.
     Animals with lighter plumage may be robbed of protective camouflage and more vulnerable to predators.

Children In Uganda Need Our Help
     Likewise, children who are born with albinism in Uganda and Tanzania are vulnerable to predators. They need our help.
     A percentage of the sale of this gourd will go to help Humanity Healing saving albino children around the world; the remaining percentage goes towards helping wounded warriors and sacred land preservation.

Accented with Albino Peacock Feathers.  The medium and materials include: naturally dried gourd, carved and enhanced using water-based inks and highlighted using acrylic gold

and silver; heat set and sprayed using gallery conservation varnish; and accented with white Albino peacock feathers. Most of the gourd color is its natural color.

Exhibition Oct. 24-26. This piece is being exhibited by the Artist at the Art in the Foothills 2014 show and sale in Bluemont Virginia Friday - Sunday, Oct. 24-26.

Authentic Native American Art. I certify that the item listed here meets the “Authentic Indian Arts and Crafts” and “Indian Product” criteria and is labeled appropriately as authentic in accordance 36 CFR 51, Authentic Native Handicrafts.

      In recognition of October being Archeology Month, this is a fun exercise for elementary school students, an interactive education module developed by the Virginia Department of Historic Resources.
      "May this module inspire other artists to create similar online applications for our children," said Rene' White (Feather) artist with the Native American Church of Virgina.
     This link features artwork by John White, governor of the “Lost Colony” that settled in present-day North Carolina in 1585.
      White’s colorful eyewitness depictions of Indian life provide a compelling means for learning about the clothing, rituals, activities, food, and houses of Native Americans of the mid-Atlantic coastal region.
      Enter the Indian world of White’s paintings through an interactive education module developed by the Department of Historic Resources.
      Based on three of White's watercolors, this module is a good online resource and springboard for learning about Indian life, especially for elementary school students. It combines history, archaeological artifacts, and the oral traditions of Native Americans today.