American Indian Beadwork Artist-in-Residence @ SUU: July 11 - 15

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 27, 2011
Amie Conner
Braithwaite Fine Arts Gallery
College of Performing and Visual Arts
Southern Utah University
Office: (435) 586-5432
gallery@suu.edu

FOR CALENDAR EDITORS: American Indian Artist-in-Residence / The Tradition of Tribal Beadwork

WHAT: Sandra Pubigee Heaton, a member of the Northwestern Band of the Shoshone Nation and closely affiliated with the Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah, will spend five days at the Gallery demonstrating her intricate tribal beadwork skills.

WHO: American Indian Artist-in-Residence Project

WHEN: July 11-15, 2011

TIME: 10 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. & 4:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.

WHERE: SUU Campus, Braithwaite Liberal Arts Center, ground floor

PRICES: Free and the General Public is encouraged to attend.

MORE INFO: http://www.suu.edu/pva/artgallery/


American Indian Artist-in-Residence,
Sandra Pubigee Heaton,
Demonstrates the Tradition of Tribal Beadwork
July 11-15, 2011

Southern Utah University, Cedar City, Utah: It is a true American art form that has been passed from one generation to the next. It is American Indian beadwork. This summer, SUU’s Braithwaite Fine Arts Gallery will showcase the tribal tradition of beadwork. The Gallery will host the first annual American Indian Artist-in-Residence program, July 11-15, 2011. Sandra Pubigee Heaton will spend five days at the Gallery demonstrating her intricate beadwork skills. Heaton will be working in the gallery from 10 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Monday – Friday, July 11-15, 2011 only. Admission is free and the General Public is encouraged to attend.

Sandra Pubigee Heaton, a member of the Northwestern Band of the Shoshone Nation and closely affiliated with the Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah, has been practicing her craft for more than 40 years. While beadwork is Heaton’s primary art form, she also tans leather and works with willow. Her final work includes moccasins, Regalia, bead work on a loom and also directly on leather. Her work is sold at powwows and gatherings throughout Utah, Idaho, Nevada, and Arizona. These unique crafts were learned from her mother and older sister, a craft that has been taught from generation to generation. Heaton moved to Cedar City in 1995 with her husband. Together they have five children and 11 grandchildren, all who are members of the Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah from the Shivwits band and the Indian Peaks band.

A highlight of Heaton’s residence at the Braithwaite Gallery will be a master class on Wednesday, July 13 from 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. At this time, Heaton will teach participants the intricacy of her craft and beads will be provided for those attendees. Space is extremely limited, so please call the gallery at 435) 586-5432 to reserve your spot. The class is free and open to anyone 13 years and older. In addition, Heaton’s stunning finished beadwork pieces will be available for purchase at the gallery.

The special event has been made possible with funding provided by the SUU Outdoor Initiative.

This project will run alongside the current exhibition in the Braithwaite Fine Arts Gallery; Southern Utah Art Invitational: Summer Exhibit and Sale and The Costume Designers' Art: 50 Years at the Utah Shakespeare Festival, runs now through September 3, 2011. The exceptional work by artists from across southern Utah is featured in the Invitational Exhibit. Artwork available for sale ranges in medium including watercolor, ceramics and oil. This exhibit runs concurrently with The Costume Designers' Art: 50 Year at the Utah Shakespeare Festival, which features various costumes, costume renderings, and other artwork highlighting the work of the Festival’s amazing costume artists and technicians. Summer gallery hours are Monday – Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. In addition, the gallery recently added a SUMA Gift Shop which features such items as Jim Jones giclées, posters and catalogues, as well as Roland Lee prints. A portion of all sales benefit SUMA, the future Southern Utah Museum of Art.

The public is encouraged to stop in and watch Heaton demonstrate her beautiful American Indian folk art. For more information about this exciting project, please visit www.suu.edu/pva/artgallery or call (435) 586-5432. The Braithwaite Fine Arts Gallery’s mission is to exhibit, collect and preserve historic and contemporary works of art significant to the interior American West. In addition, the Gallery hosts art exhibitions that represent the principal artistic styles and periods of world cultures.

ABOUT THE COLLEGE
The Southern Utah University College of Performing and Visual Arts is comprised of nationally accredited departments of Art and Design, Music, Theatre Arts and Dance, as well as a graduate program in Arts Administration. The College offers 16 different degree areas, including liberal arts Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees; professional Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Fine Arts in art and theatre degrees; and a Master of Fine Arts in Arts Administration degree. More than 60 full- and part-time faculty and staff are engaged in teaching and mentoring over 550 majors in the College. Over 1100 students enroll each year in over 195 arts classes on the SUU campus. The College presents 100 performances, lectures, presentations, and exhibitions each year. The College’s affiliate organizations include the Braithwaite Fine Arts Gallery, American Folk Ballet, Utah Shakespeare Festival, the performance group Acclamation, and the SUU Ballroom Dance Company. For more information about the College of Performing and Visual Arts, contact the Office of the Dean at (435) 865-8561, or by e-mail at cpvamktg@suu.edu.