WEBVTT

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Greetings!

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I am Ruthe Blalock

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Jones and I am an Indian Arts and Crafts Board Commissioner.

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As a Shawnee-Delaware-Peoria artist and educator, I strive to honor and

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preserve Indian culture

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and the history and traditions of our families and tribes.

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My work depicting Indians and customary dress and activities

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is on the shoulders of those early artists

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who created flat paintings that grew out of the ledger style popularized by the Kiowa

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5.

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It is important to me to pay respect to those who came before us,

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and to help launch new generations of Indian artists and artisans

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and to say that we are still here.

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For over 30 years I served as the Director of the Art Department at Bacone College in Muscogee,

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Oklahoma,

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which was the oldest continuing Indian art education program in the country.

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At Bacone I encouraged students to build upon their talents and self-expression

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to excel in carrying on the rich cultural heritage and traditions of their tribes. The

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beauty,

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quality, and collectability of authentic Indian art

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and craftwork makes each piece a unique reflection of our heritage.

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From traditional German silver jewelry to cutting edge contemporary fashion,

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it is important

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that buyers not only appreciate

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authentic Indian art but also be aware that it competes daily with fraudulent Indian artwork in the

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worldwide marketplace. Counterfeit art is disrespectful.

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The growing sale of the fraudulent Indian product is adversely impacting our

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Indian economies, and our cultural and artistic heritage.

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To combat fraudulent

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Indian art, the Board educates the buying public about the importance and value of

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authentic Indian art through a variety of avenues, including

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changing exhibitions of upcoming artists in our

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three museums

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and additionally it provides

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consumer education brochures and

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market and media contacts as well as intellectual property rights protection and marketing

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workshops for Indian artists, artisans and businesses.

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Niyaawe!

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Thank you!