Sanctuary on the Trail Couple Applied for the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Fellowship for $8,000 Today

Chris busy at work drying lashing to teach children to tie on a wigwam. In the background he is burning/drying the wigwam so poles to protect them from over time.

Rene' working on the gourd ornament for the Governor's mansion holiday tree.

Art collaboration between Chris (hanging box) and Rene' (ornament) for the Virginia Governor's holiday tree. Chris place two tobacco leaves on top for prayers and good energy.

Native American Indian couple Chris and Rene’ White, CEO and president of Sanctuary on the Trail™ successfully applied for Virginia's Museum of Fine Arts Professional Fellowship in the mixed media category today. All applicants will be notified by letter the first week of Feb 2017 if they win.
     If awarded, Chris and Rene’ will receive $8,000 for collaborative art work they do with Sanctuary on the Trail™ to bring recognition to contributions of Native American Indian people and to reduce suffering. If they win they must remain a permanent VA resident during the grant period of Aug 2017–May 2018.
    The Fellowship was established in 1940 through a generous donation by the late John Lee Pratt of Fredericksburg. Today the Fellowship is also supplemented by annual gifts from the Lettie Pate Whitehead Foundation and the J. Warwick McClintic Jr. Scholarship Fund.
     Earlier this year, Chris and Rene’ received a grant from the Virginia Commission for the Arts to teach children how to build an Indian Village. Sanctuary on the Trail™ is part of the Artisan Trail. They are part of the Clarke County Studio Tour and Top of Virginia Artisan Trail. 
     In October, Clarke County selected Rene's gourd art to represent Clarke county as an ornament for the Governor's holiday tree. Chris designed the box (which can also hang) to carry her ornament.
     Sanctuary on the Trail is a Native American Indian faith-based non-profit church helping leaders first and bringing recognition to contributions of indigenous to reduce suffering. The couple along with a dedicated team of 25 volunteers are currently planning to bring The Gathering 2017 to Clarke County Fairgrounds. The Gathering is an educational, celebration of agri-CULTURE. They are expecting twice the attendance (10,000)  of last year’s event.
  
 

Ceremonial subterranean sweat lodge by Chris.