Style Spotlight: Artists Lend a Helping Hand
- A basket donated to the auction by Kenneth Williams Jr., made by RoseAnn Whiskers, San Juan Paiute.
A culture rich in creative history has gathered its forces to aid a nation that has long supported its artists, as Native American artists auction works of art to benefit disaster relief in Japan.
Darryl Dean Begay, Lyndon Tsosie and Raymond Yazzie —all prominent Native American artists —created “Native American Artists for Japan,” asking their fellow artists to donate works to be auctioned on eBay, with proceeds benefiting the Red Cross in their Japanese relief efforts. “We are a community of Native artists giving in the Native way, as our ancestors did,” explains Begay.
Donated works by more than 40 artists include sculpture, jewelry, paintings, mixed media, wood and more. The first auction, scheduled to last seven days, launched in early April, with subsequent auctions planned for later weeks. The organization is also accepting monetary donations.
For more information, visit www.nativeamericanartistsforjapan.com.
