Holly Wilson SECRETS ARE BURDENS

Conversations: Eiteljorg 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship

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The exhibition “Conversations” is in its last few weeks at the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art. I have been so honored to be apart of this 2015 fellowship, to have meet such wonderful people and to be given the opportunity to share my stories. There are many to thank for this opportunity the selectors that choose my work, 2013 Fellow Julie Buffalohead (Ponca Tribe of Oklahoma), former contemporary art curator for the National Museum of the American Indian and 1999 Fellow Truman Lowe (Ho-Chunk) and independent art curator and consultant Mindy Taylor Ross, owner of Art Strategies, LLC and founding director of the Indianapolis Art’s Council’s Public Art Indianapolis. Jennifer Complo McNutt Curator of Contemporary Art at the Eiteljorg Museum and Ashley Holland Assistant Curator of Native American Art at the Eiteljorg Museum for their vision in creating such an amazing exhibition. James H. Nottage president and John Vanuasdall CEO at the Eiteljorg, both strong advocates for Native Arts. The Lilly Foundation for its generous support. To all of these people and so many more, thank you for your celebration and support of Native Arts and the Artists who share their stories and their histories.

To the writers on the beautiful catalog I send thank you’s for helping to share the many layers of meaning that our work has and that we are always trying to get on paper. I know for myself, the writing about my own work is hard on a good day. Thank you John Vanausdall, Jennifer Complo McNutt, Ashley Holland, Martin DeWitt, heather ahtone, Aldona Jonaitis, and Margaret Archuleta. All of your words and understanding touch our hearts.

The 2015 Fellowship, Conversations, marks the ninth round of the program and the continuing tradition of Native expression. This year’s fellows are Luzene Hill (Eastern Band of Cherokee), Brenda Mallory (Cherokee Nation), Da-ka-xeen Mehner (Tlingit/Nisga’a), Holly Wilson (Delaware Tribe of Western Oklahoma/Cherokee), and invited artist Mario Martinez (Pascua Yaqui)

Show ends February 28, 2016
“Conversations”, Contemporary Art Fellowship Group Exhibition
Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians & Western Art
500 West Washington St. Indianapolis, IN 46204
317.636.9378
http://www.eiteljorg.org

Left: "Low Tide" by Brenda Mallory. Center: "Belonging" by Holly Wilson. Right: "On a Limb" by Holly Wilson. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
Left: “Low Tide” by Brenda Mallory. Center: “Belonging” by Holly Wilson. Right: “On a Limb” by Holly Wilson. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
Front: "Mother" and Center: "Belonging" by both Holly Wilson. Right: "Saligaaw 1-9" by Da-Ka-xeen Mehner. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
Front: “Mother” and Center: “Belonging” by both Holly Wilson. Right: “Saligaaw 1-9” by Da-Ka-xeen Mehner. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
"Low Tide" by Brenda Mallory. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
“Low Tide” by Brenda Mallory. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
Left: "Masked" Right "Should I Stay or Should I Go" both by Holly Wilson. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
Left: “Masked” Right “Should I Stay or Should I Go” both by Holly Wilson. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
Back Left: "Rider" Center: "Secrets are Burdens" both by Holly Wilson. Back Right: "Reformed Order" by Brenda Mallory. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
Back Left: “Rider” Center: “Secrets are Burdens” both by Holly Wilson. Back Right: “Reformed Order” by Brenda Mallory. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
Mario Martinez is explaining his piece "Conversations". At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
Mario Martinez is explaining his piece “Conversations”. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
Left "Recurring Chapters in the Book of Inevitable Outcomes" by Brenda Mallory. Center: "Secrets are Burdens" by Holly Wilson. Right "Inside-Outside" by Mario Martinez. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
Left “Recurring Chapters in the Book of Inevitable Outcomes” by Brenda Mallory. Center: “Secrets are Burdens” by Holly Wilson. Right “Inside-Outside” by Mario Martinez. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
Left: "On a Limb" by Holly Wilson. Right: "Saligaaw 1-9" by Da-Ka-xeen Mehner. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
Left: “On a Limb” by Holly Wilson. Right: “Saligaaw 1-9” by Da-Ka-xeen Mehner. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
Left: "Saligaaw 1-9" by Da-Ka-xeen Mehner. Center front: "Belonging" Center back: "Mother" by both Holly Wilson. Back: "Conversations" by Mario Martinez . Right: "Low Tide" by Brenda Mallory. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
Left: “Saligaaw 1-9” by Da-Ka-xeen Mehner. Center front: “Belonging” Center back: “Mother” by both Holly Wilson. Back: “Conversations” by Mario Martinez . Right: “Low Tide” by Brenda Mallory. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.

 

"Enough" by Holly Wilson. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
“Enough” by Holly Wilson. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
Left: "It's Probably Magic" by Mario Martinez. Right: "Enough" by Holly Wilson. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
Left: “It’s Probably Magic” by Mario Martinez. Right: “Enough” by Holly Wilson. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
Brenda Mallory is explaining her piece "Reformed Spools". At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
Brenda Mallory is explaining her piece “Reformed Spools”. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.

 

 

Back Left: "It's Probably Magic" by Mario Martinez. Center: "The Four Matriarchs" by Holly Wilson. Back Right: "Coloization" by Brenda Mallory. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
Back Left: “It’s Probably Magic” by Mario Martinez. Center: “The Four Matriarchs” by Holly Wilson. Back Right: “Coloization” by Brenda Mallory. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
Left: "The Four Matriarchs", Center: "Enough", back Left:"Masked" and Back Right: "Should I Stay or Should I Go" all 4 by Holly Wilson. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
Left: “The Four Matriarchs”, Center: “Enough”, back Left:”Masked” and Back Right: “Should I Stay or Should I Go” all 4 by Holly Wilson. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
Left: "The Pilgrimage Ribbon #1" Luzene Hill. Middle: "Language Daggers" by Da-Ka-xeen Mehner. Da-Ka-xeen is talking about his piece here. Right: "First Captiva Dream State" by Mario Martinez. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
Left: “The Pilgrimage Ribbon #1” Luzene Hill. Middle: “Language Daggers” by Da-Ka-xeen Mehner. Da-Ka-xeen is talking about his piece here. Right: “First Captiva Dream State” by Mario Martinez. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
"Gaaw Kooteeyaa 1, 2, 3" by Da-Ka-xeen Mehner. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
“Gaaw Kooteeyaa 1, 2, 3” by Da-Ka-xeen Mehner. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
Left "Language Daggers" by Da-Ka-xeen Mehner. Center: "Rider" by Holly Wilson Right: "Recurring Chapters in the Book of Inevitable Outcomes" by Brenda Mallory . At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
Left “Language Daggers” by Da-Ka-xeen Mehner. Center: “Rider” by Holly Wilson Right: “Recurring Chapters in the Book of Inevitable Outcomes” by Brenda Mallory . At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
Brenda Mallory is explaining her piece "Recurring Chapters in the Book of Inevitable Outcomes" At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
Brenda Mallory is explaining her piece “Recurring Chapters in the Book of Inevitable Outcomes” At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
This is the entrance into the show. Left: "Conversations" by Mario Martinez. Back: "Retracing the Trace" by Luzene Hill. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
This is the entrance into the show. Left: “Conversations” by Mario Martinez. Back: “Retracing the Trace” by Luzene Hill. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
Left: "Conversations" by Mario Martinez. Center: "Mother" by Holly Wilson. Right: "Retracing the Trace" by Luzene Hill. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
Left: “Conversations” by Mario Martinez. Center: “Mother” by Holly Wilson. Right: “Retracing the Trace” by Luzene Hill. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
Luzene Hill is explaining her piece "Retracing the Trace". At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
Luzene Hill is explaining her piece “Retracing the Trace”. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
Detail of "Retracing the Trace" by Luzene Hill. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
Detail of “Retracing the Trace” by Luzene Hill. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
Luzene Hill is explaining her piece "Retracing the Trace". At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
Luzene Hill is explaining her piece “Retracing the Trace”. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
Left: "Retracing the Trace" by Luzene Hill. Right: "Call and Respond 1" by Da-Ka-xeen Mehner. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
Left: “Retracing the Trace” by Luzene Hill. Right: “Call and Respond 1” by Da-Ka-xeen Mehner. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
"Call and Respond 2" by Da-Ka-xeen Mehner. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
“Call and Respond 2” by Da-Ka-xeen Mehner. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
Front: "Mother" by Holly Wilson. Back: "Retracing the Trace" by Luzene Hill. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
Front: “Mother” by Holly Wilson. Back: “Retracing the Trace” by Luzene Hill. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
Left: "Masked" Right: "Should I Stay or Should I Go" both by Holly Wilson. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
Left: “Masked” Right: “Should I Stay or Should I Go” both by Holly Wilson. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
"Rider" by Holly Wilson. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
“Rider” by Holly Wilson. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
Front Left: "Enough" Middle: "Secrets are Burdens" both by Holly Wilson. Back Left: "Recurring Chapters in the Book of Inevitable Outcomes" by Brenda Mallory. Back Middle: "Rider" by Holly Wilson. Back Right: "Inside-Outside" by Mario Martinez. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
Front Left: “Enough” Middle: “Secrets are Burdens” both by Holly Wilson. Back Left: “Recurring Chapters in the Book of Inevitable Outcomes” by Brenda Mallory. Back Middle: “Rider” by Holly Wilson. Back Right: “Inside-Outside” by Mario Martinez. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
"Secrets are Burdens" by Holly Wilson. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
“Secrets are Burdens” by Holly Wilson. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
Left: "Mother" by Holly Wilson. Right: "Low Tide" by Brenda Mallory. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
Left: “Mother” by Holly Wilson. Right: “Low Tide” by Brenda Mallory. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
Front Right: "Colonization" by Brenda Mallory. Front Middle: "Enough" Middle: "Secrets are Burdens" both by Holly Wilson. Back Left: "Recurring Chapters in the Book of Inevitable Outcomes" by Brenda Mallory. Back Middle: "Rider" by Holly Wilson. Back Right: "Inside-Outside" by Mario Martinez. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
Front Right: “Colonization” by Brenda Mallory. Front Middle: “Enough” Middle: “Secrets are Burdens” both by Holly Wilson. Back Left: “Recurring Chapters in the Book of Inevitable Outcomes” by Brenda Mallory. Back Middle: “Rider” by Holly Wilson. Back Right: “Inside-Outside” by Mario Martinez. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
Back Left: "Floating", Right: "Superior Mindscape", and "Brushstroke Flower RRR" by Mario Martinez. Center: "Rider" by Holly Wilson. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
Back Left: “Floating”, Right: “Superior Mindscape”, and “Brushstroke Flower RRR” by Mario Martinez. Center: “Rider” by Holly Wilson. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
Brenda Mallory is explaining her piece "Undulations (Red) Back Right: "Interrupted Forms #2". Back Left: "Inside-Outside" by Mario Martinez. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
Brenda Mallory is explaining her piece “Undulations (Red) Back Right: “Interrupted Forms #2”. Back Left: “Inside-Outside” by Mario Martinez. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
Brenda Mallory is explaining her piece "Interrupted Forms #2". At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
Brenda Mallory is explaining her piece “Interrupted Forms #2”. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
Left: "Interrupted Forms #2" by Brenda Mallory. Center: "Secrets are Burdens" by Holly Wilson. Right: "It's Probably Magic" & "Unveiled Universe" by Mario Martinez.At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
Left: “Interrupted Forms #2” by Brenda Mallory. Center: “Secrets are Burdens” by Holly Wilson. Right: “It’s Probably Magic” & “Unveiled Universe” by Mario Martinez.At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
Left: "Ancestral Realms II" by Mario Martinez. Right: "The Four Matriarchs" by Holly Wilson. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
Left: “Ancestral Realms II” by Mario Martinez. Right: “The Four Matriarchs” by Holly Wilson. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
Left: "Saligaaw 1-9" by Da-Ka-xeen Mehner. Back Left: "Masked" Back Right:"Should I Stay or Should I Go", Front: "Enough" by Holly Wilson. Right: "Colonization" by Brenda Mallory. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
Left: “Saligaaw 1-9” by Da-Ka-xeen Mehner. Back Left: “Masked” Back Right:”Should I Stay or Should I Go”, Front: “Enough” by Holly Wilson. Right: “Colonization” by Brenda Mallory. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
Back Left: "Inside-Outside" by Mario Martinez" .Middle: "Secrets are Burdens", Front: "Enough" by Holly Wilson. Right Front: "It's Probably Magic", Right Middle 1 & 2 "Ancestral Realms II", "Unveiled Universe" by Mario Martinez. Back Right: "Interrupted Forms #2" by Brenda Mallory. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
Back Left: “Inside-Outside” by Mario Martinez” .Middle: “Secrets are Burdens”, Front: “Enough” by Holly Wilson. Right Front: “It’s Probably Magic”, Right Middle 1 & 2 “Ancestral Realms II”, “Unveiled Universe” by Mario Martinez. Back Right: “Interrupted Forms #2” by Brenda Mallory. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
Left: "Ancestral Realms II" by Mario Martinez. Middle: "The Four Matriarchs", Center: "Enough", back Left:"Masked" and Back Right: "Should I Stay or Should I Go", "Right: "Rider" by Holly Wilson. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
Left: “Ancestral Realms II” by Mario Martinez. Middle: “The Four Matriarchs”, Center: “Enough”, back Left:”Masked” and Back Right: “Should I Stay or Should I Go”, “Right: “Rider” by Holly Wilson. At the Exhibition Conversations: Eiteljorg Museum 2015 Contemporary Art Fellowship.
Holly Wilson-Gathering-Detail

“GATHERING” by Holly Wilson apart of the traveling exhibition “Return From Exile”

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Holly Wilson-Gathering
GATHERING, Bronze, Patina and Locust Wood 28” x 16.5” x 5.5”, 2015

“GATHERING”
Bronze, Patina and Locust Wood
28” x 16.5” x 5.5”, 2015
by Holly Wilson

When I was young we lived on a mountain in Cherokee, NC, my father taught at the Indian School for several years. My memories have no words from that time just images, some of running the woods, others of going up and down the winding stairs to go to school.  The “Gathering” is my interpretation of that part of my life; my coming home to the place and to the people I am a part of.

The wood is from a Locust tree. It is cut lengthwise; it exposes the rough center of the tree and the lines, the lines of the tree show its history. This wood is cut on the angle to be the mountain I lived upon, and the mountain we all climb during life.

When “Gathering” is hung the light cast’s shadows of the figures on the wall, these shadows represent for me memories.  Memories cannot be held they have no words, and in the end we are all only a shadow in history, shadows on this earth.

I used my Cigar Figures to represent my family in “Gathering”. These figures come from a Native American story of my childhood that my mother told of the “Stick People”. The “Stick People” would run through the night and call your name, she never described the figures and I was drawn to the idea of what they looked like for most of my life. The Cigar Figures are my reimagining of that story, now a story of family and my past. The figures are made of real cigars and found sticks. I create molds of the cigars and then cast them and the sticks in bronze. The faces are of the people from my past and my present.

 

This piece is apart of the traveling exhibition “Return From Exile”

CURRENT EXHIBITION:

• October 15, 2015-January 15, 2016: Collier County Museums, Naples, Florida

FUTURE EXHIBITIONS:

• February 4-May 6, 2016: Dr. J.W. Wiggins Gallery, Sequoyah National Research Center, University of Arkansas, Little Rock, Arkansas

August 30-September 23, 2016: John Brown University Galleries, Siloam Springs, Arkansas

• October 1-November 20, 2016: AHHA – Hardesty Arts Center, co-sponsored with Gilcrease Museum, Tulsa, Oklahoma

• June 2-August 20, 2017: Cherokee Heritage Center, Tahlequah, Oklahoma

Gathering-Holly Wilson

The 96th Santa Fe Indian Market, SWAIA

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August 19 - 20, 2017 Booth #719 LIN E 7:00am-5:00pm. The 95th Santa Fe Indian Market Transforms the City of Santa Fe, with nearly 900 of the continent’s finest Native American artists showing their work in booths filling the Santa Fe Plaza and surrounding streets. The Indian Market is the largest and most prestigious Native American fine art show in the world. Read more