The Blanket Dancers

by Anderson R Moore

Original - Sold

Price

Not Specified

Dimensions

24.000 x 13.000 x 1.000 inches

Title

The Blanket Dancers

Artist

Anderson R Moore

Medium

Painting - Steamset Dyes On Silk

Description

The blanket dancers are a fascination to me as to the many reasons they have done this dance in the past and how it is being revived in today's world.

The Eastern blanket dance is one of the oldest and most traditional dances done by the women of the east coast, north and southeast. In pre-contact times, it was a ceremonial dance, and has only in the last century been a competition. The Eastern Blanket Dance is a slow and graceful dance to represent the honored role of a woman as giver of life and the keeper of the family, according to organizers.
For females of different ages, the dance had different meanings and was performed differently. For instance, teens and young women start the dance usually with the blanket wrapped around their backs and their arms stretched out ahead of them; this does symbolize their coming of age and the courtship of a partner. Also, these young women were showing off their blankets to the onlookers; showing that they had learned the skills of a blanket maker, passing through a stage of life. Older women start off with the blanket semi-open, to show they are or have been courted and have passed through certain stages and experiences of life, such as marriage and childbirth.
Golden agers should never start the dance with the blanket closed in front of them, and should also not spin the blanket around their heads, as they are revered and respected for their wisdom and knowledge of their accomplishments as elders, matriarchs and tenders of the home and family.
The​ ​Blanket Dance was also a means of gaining contributions from the audience for certain causes, (e.g., paying the drummers, a family in need, special programs, etc.). Sometimes a blanket dance​ ​would be held to give the spectators a chance to donate gifts or money to help defray pow wow​ ​expenses for a particular reason or person. The lead dancers hold the blanket, by each corner,​ ​and walk around the arena. The other dancers may join behind the procession. As the blanket​ ​was carried by, the spectators are given a chance to contribute by tossing money into the blanket.​ ​


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My interest in depicting Native Americans, their life style and tipee's and knowing that many of them were documented in old black and white photographs has been prodding me forward for a while now. With this series of paintings, the task was to create several pieces that held very bright and bold colors and that the setting of the paintings depict the vast array of colors enjoyed in the southwest, plains and western mountains which the seasonal changes bring to this people and their lives through out the year. Hand painting on silk allows the colors to pop, a depth in the silk and transparency can be achieved that is most satisfying to me as an artist.

I appreciate all the collectors and wonderful comments and discussions on all of my art. I have recently had these works re-scanned with better technology to provide my clients a more crisp true to life viewing experience of my art work. The only place that a print of this painting can be legally purchased is from me off of Fine Art America or directly from me the artist. If you have purchased this print with out my signature in the print or from anyone else please contact me the artist with that information. Copyrighted

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May 2nd, 2016

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