Native American Art Presented by the American Indian Education Program
Yuba Sutter Arts & Culture is pleased to present the annual gallery exhibition and artist reception featuring artwork by a group of remarkable young Native American artists. The works on display embody the gifts of the land and the artists’ transformative labor. This gathering of young emerging artists provides a glimpse into the indigenous landscapes of the region and the active connections that have been maintained for millennia.
The exhibition is being held in the Gallery at Yuba Sutter Arts & Culture, 624 E Street in Marysville. On Friday, November 8th from 5-7pm, YSAC will host a free “Meet the Student Artists” reception. Free refreshments will be provided and will feature appetizers based on traditional native American food traditions.
The American Indian Education Program, under the direction of Pat Bennett, is part of the Marysville Joint Unified School District. With over 40 different tribes represented, the program serves approximately 1,000 American Indian students in the Yuba-Sutter area. Most students are of Cherokee, Choctaw, or Maidu descent. The program provides tutoring, craft classes, field trips, a variety of hands-on experiences and classroom presentations.
The goal of the American Indian Education Program of Marysville is to provide students with the opportunity to become engaged in the educational process by helping them to master basic skills, become knowledgeable about their cultural heritage, and strengthen their ability to make good choices for their future. The program achieves these goals by offering academic assistance, promoting cultural enrichment activities, and providing students with opportunities to develop good decision-making skills.
The student’s artwork represents generations of “traditional ecological knowledge” or TEK. These young artists work in cultural mediums that share a commitment to the TEK practices going back thousands of years. TEK forms the basis of seasonal practices that affirm the intergenerational relationships of the animals, the plants, and the people.
Plenty of free parking is available on the streets adjacent to the gallery and theater and at the Umpqua Bank and Bank of America parking lots directly across the street.