ABOUT SHARON & BARRY | NATIVE ARTS TRADING
I heard Sharon on the phone the other day with a client telling them about her past and her Indian heritage. I thought, why don't we say that on our web site? So here is what she said.....
"My Great Grandfather was a full blood Cherokee. You can find him on the Dawes Rolls. He married my Grandmother who had Scottish ancestry. They were moved onto the reservation in Oklahoma"........
Although Sharon is of Cherokee heritage and from Texas, she is not enrolled with the Cherokee Nation. Therefore, she cannot state that the art she produces is Native American made. Her great grandfather appears on the Dawes Rolls, but in order for her to be enrolled - she must find the missing birth certificate of her grandmother. Sharon cannot find out whether she was born on the reservation in Oklahoma or in Texas. Further to this, the funeral home where her grandmother was buried caught on fire and those records were destroyed sometime in the 50's or 60's. The search goes on!
For many folk, this does not prove to be a problem as you cannot take away someone's heritage or culture just because they do not possess a piece of paper that states that they are Native American or not.
Although Sharon is American - born in Texas, she has lived in many States and leans heavily on stories and experiences she has been told while living around Native Americans in Arizona, Wyoming, Texas and Alaska. She is proud of her Native American roots and Cherokee heritage. I am not a stranger to the US either, Although British - I lived a lot my life in Seattle. We now make our home in Scotland (by the way, it is a lot like parts of Colorado, Montana, Idaho, Washington and Alberta Canada).We live with our two dogs and three cats. Until late 2023, we also had a herd of North American Buffalo. on our small holding. Sadly, we no longer have them!
When we started Native Arts Trading some 25 years ago, we were interested in art pieces that were historically accurate and hand made, that told a story and represented all good aspects about traditional and contemporary Native American Indian art. We made a conscious decision not to get involved with the so called tourist/novelty items, but remain very faithful to Native American Indian artisans. So, we made many War Shirts, leggings, dresses, moccasins, bow case and quivers, pipe bags and many other items. However, Sharon has now decided not to make those items any longer, but to assist me on headdresses, and other items that require a little beadwork, etc.
We have worked with some very talented enrolled Native American artisans along the way like Jerry Lefthand (Navajo), Dan Bert Yazzie (Navajo / Hopi), Dow Haddaway (Shawnee), Marvin Yazzie (Navajo), Cheyenne / Arapaho, Sioux, Apache, Woodlands artists, etc., to name but a few.
BARRY
A small selection of items we have made over the years
Sharon and Barry Holton
Finella Lodge
Drumtochty
by Auchenblae, Aberdeenshire AB30 1TR
Telephone: +441561320914
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