Creator Record
Metadata
Name |
Smith, Darlene |
Notes |
Darlene L. Smith Mohawk Nation Turtle Clan Darlene was born in 1936. She was first introduced to pottery by her sister-in- law Elda Smith of Six Nations in 1965. Elda had begun researching traditional Haudenosaunee pottery patterns inspired by broken archaeological ceramics found near her home on the Reserve. Elda's vision sparked what was to become a lengthy and multi-faceted process of reclamation of this lost art form. Once Darlene had mastered the skills to produce her own traditionally-inspired pottery, she exhibited at the All-American Indian Expo in Los Angeles and opened the Mohawk Pottery Shop. In April 1965 she was featured in Popular Ceramics magazine. Upon her retirement in 1969 Darlene relocated to Six Nations Reserve and joined the Mohawk Pottery Workshop/Kanyengeh Pottery group, signing her work with two feathers and her initials. In 1975, she opened and operated a shop, Iroquois Pottery, out of her home. Although traditional in appearance, Darlene's work is produced with contemporary methods. She employs a commercial white clay and a potters wheel. The unfired greenware is then coated with a brown slip made popular by her nephew Steve Smith and incised to reveal the white clay ground beneath. She strives for slender delicacy in these decorative lines. Her pots commonly feature geometric patterns, trade silver designs, clan symbols, birds, flowers, or the Tree of Peace. Darlene's forms include vases, bowls, teapots, creamer and sugar sets, and hurricane lamps. She also produces a very popular line of miniature pots, varying in size from ½ - 2 inches in height. Darlene has participated in the Six Nations Indian Pageant (1969 -1978); Six Nations Fall Festival (1972 - 1973), and other local events. She marketed her work through the Maracle Mohawk Centre (Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory, Ontario, CN); Agawa Indian Craft Shop (Sioux St. Marie, MI); Native American Center for the Living Arts (Niagara Falls, NY); and other outlets in Ontario, Canada. She earned 1st prize for her work from the Canadian Guild of Crafts (Quebec, CN) in 1970. Her work is in the permanent collection of the Iroquois Museum and the Royal Ontario Museum (Toronto, Ontario, CN). *Bio text cannot be used in print or web publications without IIM permission. Use for other purposes (such as research papers, presentations) should credit the IIM. |
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