I Said Native Artists: Livelihoods, Resources, Space, Gifts Dwight Hobbes Twin Cities Daily Planet When is a study not just another study: when it transcends academia as something of real value to John and Jane Q. Public. To wit, Native Artists: Livelihoods, Resources, Space, Gifts written by Marcie Rendon and Ann Markusen, published this past December by the University of Minnesota's Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs. It has, without doubt, great academic value as assigned reading for this or that class. And research-crazy eggheads, for which the U of M is famous, will it fascinating think-tank material. However, thanks to its plain language and lack of intellectual jargon, regular run-of-the-mill folk, including those who've never been near a university campus, have the opportunity to find out a little something about very special people they never knew existed. People, by the way, from whose forbears every inch of non-Indian occupied land in this state was stolen. People who, disadvantaged by that history of wholesale theft and subjugation, today contend with having their contributions to the arts selectively relegated to the social sidelines and the public eye's periphery to the point of being all but totally obscured. The genocidal doctrine of Manifest Destiny accomplished its mission of stealing America from Native Americans. Discrimination sustains the spirit of supremacy, denying Native artists the public exposure and financial autonomy their abilities merit. As the executive summary for Native Artists: Livelihoods, Resources, Space, Gifts succinctly states, "Explicit racism has restricted access to art training and market development." The authors, importantly, come from both sides of the racial equation. Marcie Rendon (White Earth Anishinabe), a profoundly accomplished artist, herself, is an author, playwright, poet and spoken word performer. Her poetry appears in numerous anthologies, including Traces in Blood, Bone and Stone (Birchbark Books) and Ahani: Indigenous American Poetry (Poetry International). Her plays have been produced by St. Paul's nationally renowned History Theater, American Indian Repertory Theater in Lawrence, Kansas and in Minneapolis by Raving Native Productions where is producer and founding artistic director. Ann Markusen (Danish-Irish-English-German descent), a professor for 30-plus years, is Director of the Project on Regional and Industrial Economics at Humphrey Institute. Her recent arts-related work includes San Jose Artists' Resource and Space Study, Leveraging Investments in Creativity Artist Data User Guide, Crossover: How Artists Build Careers Across Commercial, Non-profit and Community Work and The Artistic Dividend. She is also the author of a dozen books, including Reining in the Competition for Capital (Upjohn Institute). Native Artists observes 50 Ojibwe artists as "germane to the prospects for all Minnesota's Native artists." It looks at how they make a living, how they get their supplies, where they are able to work and, of course, their talents and skills. One purpose of documenting these careers and circumstance is to rectify the anonymity in which Native American artists subsist – in a state where, ironically enough, you can't travel far in any direction without seeing an Indian word on the road signs: i.e., Minnehaha, Minnetonka and, for that matter, Minnesota. "In 2006", Ann Markusen notes, I published a study of Minnesota's Artists' Centers. When that study was completed, I felt that I, offspring of settler families, was just beginning to understand the real history of our state and the disgraceful role of our government and white citizens in the displacement and oppression of Native people." She adds, "[Marcie Rendon and I] believe that, through the talents of many of our interviewees, Minnesota and neighboring states could build a reputation for distinction in Woodland Indian art comparable to the place Pueblo and Navajo art holds in the southwest." Accordingly, the report makes recommendations for arts resources and space managers, funders and more to raise the visibility of artists, thereby supporting viable careers and establishing feasible incomes for Native American artists in Minnesota. Rendon quite realistically states, "Studies do not change racism. [This] study might prod some institutions and organizations into action to cover themselves ‘cause they don't want to look bad. It hopefully will also benefit artists we didn't have the chance to interview." Among artists profiled are painters Karen Savage-Blue and Jim Denomie, graphic designer Connie Engebretson, spoken wordsmith Sarah Agaton Howes, poet Robert SwanSon and producer-musician Keith Secola. The book is handsomely laid out, reads easy and, all said, has a refreshing air about it. There is nothing like learning from a fascinating source of information.
Dwight Hobbes has written for ESSENCE, Reader's Digest, Washington Post, Minneapolis Star Tribune, St. Paul Pioneer Press, City Pages, Mpls/St. Paul, MN Law & Politics, Pulse of the Twin Cities, Twin Cities Daily Planet, Women & Word, San Diego Union-Tribune and Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder (where he contributes the commentary column Something I Said). He's spoken his mind over National Public Radio, Minnesota Public Radio, Blog Talk Radio's UNOBSTRUCTED and KMOJ in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Was regularly featured as guest commentator on NewsNight Minnesota (KTCA-Minneapolis/St. Paul) and Spectator (Minneapolis Television Network). His monthly column "Hobbes In The House" in MN Spokesman Recorder speaks to domestic abuse and rape. His plays are Shelter - produced at Mixed Blood Theatre by Pangea World Theater, Dues - produced by Mixed Blood Theatre, University of Southern Illinois in Point of Revue, selected for Bedlam Theatre's 10-Minute Play Festival and published by Playscripts, Inc. You Can't Always Sometimes Never Tell - produced by Theater Center Philadelphia, Long Island University, reading at The Kennedy Center and published in the anthology CENTER STAGE, In the Midst - produced by Long Island University, starring Samuel E. Wright. Hobbes spoke on the panel "Farewell To August Wilson" at the Guthrie Theater, broadcast on Conversations With Al McFarlane (KFAI, KMOJ). Singer-songwriter Dwight Hobbes recorded the single "Atlanta Children" (BeatBad Records) and gigged 10 years in the Long Island/NYC area, including The Other End, Kenny's Castaways and My Fathers Place. He fronted the Boston blues band Midlight. In Minneapolis, Hobbes opened for David Daniels at First Street Entry, James Curry at Terminal Bar, sat in with Yohannes Tona, Alicia Wiley at Sol Testimony's Soul Jam, The New Congress at Babalu, Willie Murphy at the Viking Bar and Wain McFarlane & Jahz at Lucille's Kitchen. Dwight Hobbes still drops in at the occasional open mic around town. www.myspace.com/dwighthobbesmusic
