Dolores Purdy, Caddo/Winnebago - A Woman's Perspective on Ledger Art

202 Southwest O Street,Bentonville AR 72712

05 March, 2022

Description

Dolores shares the history of traditional leger art through her unique perspective as a woman and will field your questions after her talk. Join in as Dolores takes us through the history of traditional leger art shares her unique perspective as a woman into the traditionally male-dominated art form. Dolores will be fielding your questions after her talk. Contemporary Ledger art uses the same medium as the Native ancestors but with modern twists. Ledger Art started as a pictographic story told within a village or society, showing the warrior artist's bravery and conquests on hides and Tee-pees. European contact brought the paper and color pencils/watercolors to the Plains Native people, and all were highly coveted. These drawings were done exclusively by men and considered "Warrior Art." Dolores has followed this traditionally male-dominated art form for nearly two decades using the same medium of antique paper and colored pencils. She creates a contemporary version of ledger art from a female perspective. Her work veers far from the usual imagery of modern ledger art. The images can be humorous or severe while immersed in Native American heritage, iconography, and pop culture. Peter Maxx and the psychedelic pop-art movement have influenced her artwork in the past, and she feels this is the perfect genre to continue. Other influences in her art are the Art Deco movement and Japanese textiles. Tongue-in-cheek humor, bright colors, and vivid, whimsical imagery are her way to stand out from the other ledger artists and honor the ancestors. Her images may represent Bison hunters riding past colorful tipis or bright Cadillacs racing across the page.