Leather

Linda Longtoe Sheehan

Enrolled Citizen of the Elnu Abenaki Tribe

Juried Artist since 2013
Image of Linda Longtoe Sheehan.
Linda Longtoe Sheehan

Linda Longtoe Sheehan’s specialty is wampum. She is known affectionately as “Wampum Woman.”  She started making wampum belts over thirty years ago and passed her knowledge onto countless young people.

Linda  makes wampum belts and jewelry from glass beads, mother of pearl and quahog.  Her beadmaking starts with a quahog shell. She cuts it to size and shapes it.  Then she weaves her wampum belts using braintanned leather.

Linda learned brain tanning from Mark Humpel, who hosts an annual braintanning weekend. Unfortunately, due to a disability she can no longer make braintan leather herself so she is passing this tradition on to students. In the winter months, Linda teaches them how to scrape the deer hides; soak them in the braintan solution; stretch and dry the hides; and work them until they are soft. Then she cuts it into long strips. Each hide takes about 50 hours.

She has done demonstrations at museums and historic sites throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic States.  Her work was even requested by the Presidents protocol office.

Artist Statement

I have been designing and making wampum belts, wrist bands, necklaces, bracelets and earrings for over 30 years;. I work with real Quahog, glass and mother of pearl wampum beads.   My work has been on display at the Institute for American Indian studies and at Johnson Hall  (historic site).

During the winter months,  I also make my own brain tan leather which I use for to weave my belts.  

Although I specialize in wampum,  I also do Traditional finger weaving, eastern center seam moccasins, Quillwork and I twine.

Contact

Address: RR 30 Box 261

Email:  [email protected]

Website: Back To The Moose Robe

 

Image of wampum seen at the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum.
Wampum
Image of wampum earrings made by Linda Longtoe Sheehan.
Wampum earrings
Image of wampum jewelry made by Linda Longtoe Sheehan.
Wampum jewelry
Image of wampum bracelet made by Linda Longtoe Sheehan.
Wampum bracelet
Image of eagle wampum belt.
Eagle Wampum Belt

Exhibits  (select list)

2009 to present 

Contact of Cultures, Lake Champlain Maritime Museum, Vergennes,  VT

2017-2018

Alnobak: Wearing Our Heritage (traveling exhibit). Vermont Abenaki Artists Association and Lake Champlain Maritime Museum.

2015

Parley and Protocol: Abenaki Diplomacy Past and Present. Lake Champlain Maritime Museum. Vergennes, VT.

2014     

  • Traditional Sources, Contemporary Visions – Invitational Group Art Exhibit. Lake Champlain Maritime Museum, Vergennes, VT
  • All My Relations: Faces and Efficacies from the Native World – Invitational Group Art Exhibit.  Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum, Warner, NH

2013      

  • Featured Artist, Institute for American Indian Studies, Washington, CT
  • Demonstrator. Ft. at # 4, Charleston, NH

Presentations & Demos (select list)

2013      

  • Demonstrator. Ft. at # 4, Charleston, NH
  • Annual Native American Weekend, Lake Champlain Maritime Museum, Vergennes,VT
  • Abenaki Encampment, “Jamaica Old Home Days,” Salmon Hole, Jamaica, VT

2012      

  • Annual Native American Weekend, Lake Champlain Maritime Museum, Vergennes, VT
  • Demonstrator. Ft. at # 4, Charleston, NH
  • Abenaki Encampment, “Jamaica Old Home Days,” Salmon Hole, Jamaica, VT

2011      

  • Annual Native American Weekend, Lake Champlain Maritime Museum, Vergennes, VT
  • Speaking To The Ancestors Abenaki Gathering,  ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center/Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, VT
  • Abenaki Encampment, “Jamaica Old Home Days,” Salmon Hole, Jamaica, VT
  • Demonstrator.  Native American Month Presenter. University of Vermont, Burlington, VT

2010     

  • Annual Native American Weekend, Lake Champlain Maritime Museum, Vergennes, VT
  • Abenaki Encampment, “Jamaica Old Home Days,” Salmon Hole, Jamaica, VT

2009   

  • Vermont Indigenous Celebration.    ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center/Leahy          Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington, VT
  • Abenaki Encampment, “Jamaica Old Home Days,” Salmon Hole, Jamaica, VT

2008      

  • Annual Native American Weekend, Lake Champlain Maritime Museum, Vergennes, VT
  • Abenaki Encampment, “Jamaica Old Home Days,” Salmon Hole, Jamaica, VT

2007     

  • Annual Native American Weekend, Lake Champlain Maritime Museum, Vergennes, VT
  • Abenaki Encampment, “Jamaica Old Home Days,” Salmon Hole, Jamaica, VT

Film & Radio

  • Reger, Deborah. Moccasin Tracks . Recorded . WGDR 91.1 FM
  • Schulmeisters, Lina L. “Artisan Spotlight: Linda Longtoe.” Askawobi Productions, 2012

Affiliations

Woodland Confederacy

Vermont Abenaki Artists Association

  

Jim Taylor

Enrolled Citizen of the ELNU ABENAKI TRIBE

Juried Artist since 2013
Image of Jim Taylor.
Jim Taylor – Photo courtesy of Adam Sings in the Timber

I am a Tribal Councilman and citizen of the Elnu Abenaki Tribe of Southern Vermont which recently was granted State Recognition after years of battling with both the State & Federal Governments. I also descend from the Eastern Cherokee my Fathers people who reside in Kentucky.

Artist, Eastern Quillworker, & Wampum, I have been involved with various art forms since I was a small child, with the help from my recently deceased maternal Aunt she fostered the talent the Creator blessed us both with.

I am currently employed as a Graphic Designer designing Police, Fire, Federal, & International Law Enforcement badges; for past 28 years.

I currently reside in Rhode Island with my wife Claudine and two daughters, Ashley age 22 and Jillian age 16 along with our Golden Retriever Abby. My Tribal duties in Vermont do take me away from home many weekends throughout the year which my wife is very understanding. The many reasons are is it’s what’s needed to build a better future for the next 7 generations of my people; I thank her and my 2 girls for their patience and understanding.

I have been doing Eastern style quillwork for the past 26 years along with other various native related beadwork and crafts and most recently learning how to create wampum beads from quahog & whelk shells. My quill work began when I became more involved with Living History/ Native Interpreting at French & Indian Living History events. The Abenaki played an important role as Allies with the French during that period. As I became more proficient, my quillwork became more sought after by other Living History people as well as other Native people.

My quillwork has been featured in numerous articles and magazines & books; also my work has been displayed in the Mingei International Museum of Folk Art in San Diego, CA, and currently I have an Underwater Panther bag on permanent display in the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, NY. My work has also have been in various local Art shows in RI as well.

I hope to continue doing quill work and to become more proficient in the wampum bead work as well, my hope is to pass this onto future generations of youth within my tribe along with possibly getting future grants to allow me to travel west to Washington State to share how to do quillwork and wampum making with Native Artists in the Communities there with the hope of learning some of their traditional crafts like Cedar Hat making and Cedar carving to share with my tribe Elnu and others here on the East Coast.

Future work:

I am currently trying to organize a Multi-Eastern Tribal Canoe Journey on the Connecticut River beginning at its head waters in Canada to where it spills out into Long Island Sound. This Journey will be mirrored to the same one held annually out west in Washington by the Salish Coastal peoples. My hope is that this will be a Journey to inspire our youth to make them stronger physically, mentally as well as spiritually; this will be a journey for ALL ages. We along with others here in New England hope to have a smaller version to start with by sometime next year; I urge all eastern peoples / Tribes to contact us if they are interested in being part of this hopefully Annual event. We can be reached via Facebook at Kwinitekw Canoe Journey https://www.facebook.com/groups/248209231873305/ or my Email at [email protected]

Contact

Email: [email protected]

Website: Quillwork by Swift Fox

Image of quillwork detail on bag by Jim Taylor.
Detailed quillwork on bag
Image of carved bone combs made by Jim Taylor.
Carved bone combs
Image of quilled knife sheath and bag.
Quilled knife sheath and bag
Image of wampum pendant.
Wampum Pendant

 Exhibits

2017

Alnobak: Wearing Our Heritage. Traveling Exhibit. Lake Champlain Maritime Museum.

2016

Parley and Protocol: Abenaki Diplomacy Past and Present. Fort Necessity National Battlefield, Farmington, PA.

2015

Parley and Protocol: Abenaki Diplomacy Past and Present. Lake Champlain Maritime Museum. Vergennes, VT.

2014     

  • First Light: Native American Artists from New England, The Flanagan Campus Art Gallery, RI
  • Traditional Sources, Contemporary Visions – Invitational Group Art Exhibit. Lake Champlain Maritime Museum, Vergennes, VT
  • All My Relations: Faces and Effigies from the Native World – Invitational Group Art Exhibit.  Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum, Warner, NH

2013      

Like Breathing: Native American Beading and Quillwork.  Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum,  Warner, NH

2012     

Quilled Underwater Panther Bag.  American Museum of Natural History, NYC, NY  

2000      

Arrow of the Spirit. Mingei International Museum, San Diego, CA

Publications

  • Jones, Paul R.  “Quillworkers 2: The Tradition Continues.” Muzzleloader, Nov/Dec 1999, 40
  • Dubin, Lois Sherr.  North American Indian Jewelry and Adornment: From Prehistory to Present Concise Edition, Harry N Abrams Incorporated, NYC, NY. 2003. 71

Affiliations

  • Vermont Abenaki Artists Association
  • Woodland Confederacy

Francine Poitras Jones

Enrolled Citizen of the Nulhegan Band of the Coosuk Abenaki Nation

Juried Artist since 2014
Image of Francine Poitras Jones

Francine Poitras Jones has been an artist from the time she held her first crayon. She was never satisfied with just staying within the lines; she enjoyed shading and blending colors. Francine started painting with oils at the age of 21. She took a short course in art through a program offered by the city. From there, she discovered acrylic paints and enjoys adding bark, sand, twigs, shells, and other “found” items to her paintings.

Francine is also the illustrator of two children’s books. She collaborated with Brian Chenevert to illustrate a coloring book, Abenaki Animals and most recently, they have collaborated again on the storybook  Swift Deer’s Spirit Game, which is available on Amazon.

She retired from a career in marketing and copy editing to pursue a second career substitute teaching grades K through 5. She also presents Abenaki educational programs. Her artwork is featured in Abenaki curriculum materials, exhibitions, and is used for illustrating books. As well, Francine is currently an educator for the Abenaki Arts & Education Center.

Artist Statement

Like so many other native artists, my favorite subjects are from nature, and my paintings show my passion for Mother Earth. I have drawn and painted almost as long as I can remember. Being able to express my heritage through art is a real gift from Creator.

I especially enjoy painting on wood. I like to frame my work using twigs and other items from nature, including leather. I enjoy working with leather and make pouches, fashioning them from the way the piece of leather looks and letting my imagination run wild.

Image of Doris Mayne in her regalia.
Doris Mayne in her regalia.

In addition to painting and making leather pouches, I make regalia. In 2014, I made my mother’s first regalia from her head (headband) to her toes (beaded moccasins), including her dance fan, dress, and shawl. She was 86 years old at the time and had never danced in the circle because she had never been allowed to express her identity as an Abenaki woman. She crossed over in 2021 just two days before her 94th birthday. I am so happy that she had a chance to dance in the circle and show the world who she was. It will always be one of my fondest memories.

 Contact

Email: [email protected]

Etsy Store: BlueWolfCrafts

Acrylic painting of a water scene with many shades of blues and greens.
Water is Life
Image of wave painted with pastels by Francine Poitras Jones.
Crashing Wave
Image of beaded moccasins and peaked cap made by Francine Poitras Jones
Beaded Moccasins and peaked cap
Image of beaded Possibles Bag by Francine Poitras Jones.
Beaded Possibles Bag
Image of 18th Century Abenaki Couple painted by Francine Poitras Jones.
18th Century Abenaki Couple
Image of wall hanging by Francine Poitras Jones.
Great Blue Heron wall hanging

 

Exhibits

2021

  • “Abenaki People Emerging From the Ashes”, show and sale, Two Villages Art Society: Gallery, Contoocook, NH
  • Group Show, Bennington Museum, Bennington, VT
  • Nebizun: Water is Life, Vermont Abenaki Artists Association and Lake Champlain Maritime Museum. Vergennes, VT
  • Perquiman Art League Gallery, Hertford, NC

2017-2020

  • Burlington International Airport – Abenaki Exhibit
  • Alnobak: Wearing Our Heritage. Traveling Exhibit. Lake Champlain Maritime Museum
  • Perquiman Art League Gallery, Hertford, NC

2019

  • Group show office of Bernie Sanders, Washington, DC
  • Nebizun: Water is Life, Vermont Abenaki Artists Association and Lake Champlain Maritime Museum. Vergennes, VT
  • Babaskwahomwôgan: The Spirit Game. Invitational Group Art Exhibit.  Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum, Warner, NH
  • T.W. Wood Gallery, Montpelier, VT

2016

Parley and Protocol: Abenaki Diplomacy Past and Present. Fort Necessity National Battlefield, Farmington, PA.

2015

Parley and Protocol: Abenaki Diplomacy Past and Present. Lake Champlain Maritime Museum. Vergennes, VT.

2014

All of my Relations: Faces and Effigies from the Native World –  Invitational Group Art Exhibit.  Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum, Warner, NH

2010 – 2011

Friday Night at the Arts, Petersburg Regional Art Center, Petersburg, VA

Available for Purchase

Etsy Shop: BlueWolfCrafts

Affiliations

  • Vermont Abenaki Artists Association
  • Abenaki Arts and Education Center
  • Perquimans Art League in North Carolina
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