The Indian Arts and Crafts Board (Part 2)

The application of beadwork to contemporary objects such as tennis shoes shows the adaptability of Indian artists. Beaded tennis shoes. Victoria Firethunder (Lakota). Canvas, rubber, glass beads; 1987; Sioux Indian Museum (R.99.1.277).

Doll Carrier. Christina Mesteth (Oglala Lakota). Cotton cloth, glass beads; 1973; Sioux Indian Museum (R.73.4.4).

Moccasins. Eli Bear Shield (Oglala Lakota). Buckskin, glass beads, rawhide; 1985; Sioux Indian Museum (R.87.5.30).

Parfleche (Lakota). Rawhide, natural pigments; 1930; Sioux Indian Museum (R.1009).

Painted bison robes such as this represent one of the earliest painting traditions among the Plains Indian people. This buffalo robe carries the "sunburst" motif, a design that was only painted by men. To learn more about this object, please visit this webpage. Black Bonnet War Robe. Herman Red Elk (Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux). Buffalo hide, natural pigments; 1963; Sioux Indian Museum (R.67.4.3).

Parfleche envelopes were usually made in pairs and were often draped across a horse's body for transport. The painted designs were unique to the owner and could be used to identify the parfleche. Parfleche Envelopes (Oglala Lakota). Rawhide, natural pigments; ca. 1890; Sioux Indian Museum (R.64.40.21).

This painting on canvas is an early example of the ledger style of art. Ledger style painting. Kills Two (Sicangu Lakota). Canvas, pencil, ink; 1889; Sioux Indian Museum (R.620).

This ledger book contains depictions of various battles and scenes of daily life among the Cheyennes of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Cheyenne Ledger Book. Pencil and ink on paper; ca. 1904; Sioux Indian Museum (R.609).

As Oscar Howe (1915-1983, Yanktonai Sioux) became a more developed artist, he created his own unique style incorporating bold colors and lines that depicted movement in the subjects of his paintings. Apache Fire Dancer. Oscar Howe. Casein on illustration board; 1959; Sioux Indian Museum (R.99.6.15).

The Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux artist Herman Red Elk (1918-1986) was a student of Oscar Howe. While he often painted using modern materials in a contemporary style, he was also a contributor to the revival of the traditional art of hide painting in the 20th century. Horse Dance. Herman Red Elk. Acrylic on paper; 1964; Sioux Indian Museum (R.67.1.1).

As a student of Oscar Howe, Arthur Amiotte’s (Oglala Lakota) early work reflects the bold colors and flowing lines of his mentor. This painting is a depiction of the Lakota legend of the first man and woman and the struggles they faced. Legend of the First Man. Arthur Amiotte. Casein on watercolor paper; 1966; Sioux Indian Museum (R.68.24.9).

The artistic style of Robert Penn (1946-1999, Sicangu Lakota and Omaha) left a profound imprint on the Indian art community. His use of abstraction sought to blur the boundaries between traditionalism and modernism. Tipi. Robert Penn. Acrylic on canvas; 1969; Sioux Indian Museum (R.69.23.39).

Allan Houser's (1914-1994, Chiricahua Apache) paintings often evoke strong images of his Apache heritage. The fire dancer seen here is a central figure in Apache history and culture. Apache Fire Dancer. Allan Houser. Casein on illustration board; 1961; Southern Plains Indian Museum (A.99.6.15).

Tommy Wayne (T.C.) Cannon (1946-1978) was a progressive artist with unprecedented talent. As a student at the newly established Institute of American Indian Art in 1964, he challenged the parameters of traditional "Indian" art with a Pop Art sensibility and his use of flat and intense colors, dynamic compositions, and decorative motifs. A decorated Vietnam veteran who grew-up in the atomic era, he often deployed the mushroom cloud in his work as a symbol of war and unstoppable Western technology that threatened the beauty of Indian life and culture. Who Shot the Arrow, Who Killed the Sparrow. T.C. Cannon (Caddo and Kiowa). Acrylic on paper on canvas; 1970; Southern Plains Indian Museum (A.71.41).

One Way Ticket. Oliver Enjady (b. 1952, Mescalero Apache). Acrylic on canvas; 1998; Southern Plains Indian Museum (A.93.8).

How to Buy Authentic Navajo (Diné) Weaving is a consumer guide for buying authentic Diné textiles. It was created by the IACB in collaboration with master weaver and former IACB Chairperson Joyce Begay-Foss (Diné), and weaving scholar Dr. Kathy M’Closkey.

The brochure offers helpful information regarding the history and development of Navajo (Diné) weavings, as well as buying tips.

Alaska Native Ivory is a consumer education brochure that promotes the creative work of Alaska Native walrus ivory carvers, and highlights the inherent cultural importance, beauty, and value of these carvings.

The IACB produced the Alaska Native Ivory publication in collaboration with the Alaska State Council on the Arts, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Eskimo Walrus Commission.

The brochure also offers consumer tips on purchasing and transporting authentic Alaska Native ivory artwork, educational facts on ivory types and sources, and information on the Eskimo Walrus Commission.

The consumer protection brochure Take Home a Treasure from Indian Country: Buy Authentic Montana Indian Arts and Crafts was created in collaboration with the Montana Office of the Attorney General’s Office of Consumer Protection.

The brochure provides information on the federal Indian Arts and Crafts Act, as well as the Montana Consumer Protection Act, which prohibit the marketing of art as an Indian product if it is not Indian made.

Consumers will find helpful information regarding the purchase of authentic Indian art, including information on the Native American Made in Montana Program.

The consumer protection brochure Take Home a Treasure from Indian Country: Buy Authentic Arizona American Indian Art was created in collaboration with the Arizona Office of the Attorney General.

The brochure provides information on the federal Indian Arts and Crafts Act, as well as Arizona statutes, which prohibit the marketing of art as an Indian product if it is not Indian made.

The consumer protection brochure Take Home a Treasure from Indian Country: Buy Authentic New Mexico Indian Arts and Crafts was created in collaboration with the New Mexico Office of the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division.

The brochure provides information on the federal Indian Arts and Crafts Act, as well as the New Mexico Indian Arts and Crafts Sales Act, which prohibit the marketing of art as an Indian product if it is not Indian made.

The IACB publication Unraveling the Mystery of Turquoise contains important buying tips about one of the most popular stones used in Indian jewelry. For example, the brochure provides information on turquoise color, matrix, and density, as well as helpful photographs of turquoise samples.

For additional information on IACB publications, please visit this webpage.

For more buying tips, please consult the Federal Trade Commission and IACB publication How to Buy Genuine American Indian Arts and Crafts.

The IACB’s Source Directory of American Indian and Alaska Native Owned and Operated Arts and Crafts Businesses includes art cooperatives and tribal art enterprises; businesses and galleries privately owned and operated by individuals, designers, and artists who are enrolled members of federally recognized tribes. The Source Directory also includes nonprofit organizations, managed by enrolled members of federally recognized tribes, which develop and market art products.

Business listings are organized by State. Please visit this webpage to learn more.

What The Act Covers

The Act covers all Indian and Indian-style traditional and contemporary art produced after 1935. The Act broadly applies to the marketing of art by any person in the United States. All products must be marketed truthfully regarding the Indian heritage and tribal affiliation of the producers, so as not to mislead the consumer.

Some traditional items frequently copied by non-Indians include Indian-style jewelry, pottery, baskets, carved stone fetishes, woven rugs, kachina dolls, and clothing. It is illegal to market an art product using the name of a tribe if a member, or certified Indian artisan, of that tribe did not actually create the art work. For example, products sold using a sign claiming "Indian Jewelry" would be a violation of the Act if the jewelry was produced by someone other than a member, or certified Indian artisan, of an Indian tribe. Products advertised as "Hopi Jewelry" would be in violation of the Act if they were produced by someone who is not a member, or certified Indian artisan, of the Hopi Tribe.

For more information, please consult this IACB publication on the Act.

To file a potential Act complaint, you may contact the IACB online or call the IACB toll free number (888) ART-FAKE.