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A Museum Display Of My Sister's Pottery

There is a debate about whether there was pottery here before the black kettles came to this country.

By Denise E LindquistPublished 5 months ago Updated 5 months ago 2 min read
My sister when working on her masters degree in Museum Curation and Indian Studies. Authors photo.

Today, I spoke with a person from the Weissman Gallery in Minneapolis, MN, on the University of Minnesota Campus, who is interested in having an exhibit of woodland pottery and she thought my sister Carrie may be the focus of the exhibit.

Carrie taught Woodland pottery on reservations in Minnesota to bring back Woodland pottery to the people living here. Carrie had gone to school at the American Indian Institute of Art in Santa Fe, New Mexico. It was a two-year high school and a two-year college program.

Carrie completed her four-year degree at Bemidji State University, and she graduated with honors, before attending college in Arizona for a Master's degree in American Indian studies and Museum curation. It is an honor to be asked to be a part of the exhibit, but it will be additional work for me.

I had a Zoom call this morning to show and tell what I have of Carrie's artwork, and she was especially interested in the pottery I have. I will have to donate the pieces I have for four years. The curator would like to make an appointment to visit me to see the pieces.

In addition, there are people she would like me to make introductions to her, including Carrie's daughter, Clarissa. I had a beautiful pot from Clarissa that I showed her, as well as Carrie's artwork. Pottery and other items of art.

Then, Clarissa followed in her mother's footsteps, teaching woodland pottery in addition to making her own pottery. She is very much interested in seeing how the intergenerational thing has worked with pottery.

This pot has a black, yellow, white, and red buffalo painted on it. The medicine wheel colors.

The debate over whether there was woodland pottery before the "Black kettles," continues to be debated. I know that my sister got the message to teach people woodland pottery or bring woodland pottery back to Minnesota, and that is what she did. Along with a lot of other artwork.

As it shows above, she died in September of 2010, from leukemia at age 53. I used to be sad about her dying as young as she did, until I realized she had done as much in her short life as I will do if I live to be 106, or twice her life.

I have a fundraiser in her name every year and will cooperate in any way to honor what she accomplished in this life.

Carrie was so important in her lifetime.

She came to stay with us one time

We didn't know anybody

And by the time she left, we knew everybody!

How that is possible, I don't know

She was only in 9th grade, but she could show

us all the neighbors and people in our life

and talk about how nice or not they were

Spending time with Carrie, there was no strife

Much of the time with her is a blur

I miss her all of the time and especially when

it is her birthday or holidays, and then

at fundraisers in memory of her

That is for sure!

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About the Creator

Denise E Lindquist

I am married with 7 children, 28 grands, and 13 great-grandchildren. I am a culture consultant part-time. I write A Poem a Day in February for 8 years now. I wrote 4 - 50,000 word stories in NaNoWriMo. I write on Vocal/Medium daily.

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Comments (2)

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  • Dharrsheena Raja Segarran5 months ago

    May I know what/who are the Black Kettles?

  • Sandy Gillman5 months ago

    Honouring your sister with this exhibit feels like such a fitting way to keep her spirit and work alive. 💜

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