Meet the Artists of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians
Kathy Ward “My interest in art began with painting and has expanded to other forms. When the tribe began offering different craft classes, I learned copper tooling, shell carving, basket weaving and leather work. Copper tooling is my favorite. I am Poarch Creek Indian, and my art shows my love of my heritage, so I’m carrying the legacy of my ancestors to make them proud of who I am and where I came from.”
Margaret Baggett “I began weaving baskets in 2009. In 2011, I became the traditional arts demonstrator for the Poarch Band of Creek Indians. I work with commercial binder cane, a replica of rivercane, and use rivercane when it’s available to make creek baskets. To make honeysuckle baskets, I use commercial round reed, a replica of honeysuckle. I teach classes on variations of traditional baskets.”
Ray Patrick “I retired from nursing after 40 years and took up pottering seven years ago. I enjoy doing pottery because every item you make is different from the one before, and there are endless possibilities. My type of pottery is hand building, and stoneware clay is my medium. I prefer stoneware because you can use it for cooking. Just about everything you can do on a wheel, you can do by hand. I have an idea in my head of what I want to do, and I get my clay and materials and just start putting it together.”
Cornelia Miller “I began my patchwork journey about 12 years ago. My sister taught me patchwork and bought me my first sewing machine. After making patchwork for a couple of years and taking classes, I began making patchwork skirts and traditional clothing. Additional types of art that I enjoy making are quilts, baskets, pottery, and painting. I also teach sewing classes for the Cultural Department during the summer to children from kindergarten to high school. In addition, I teach adult sewing classes.”
Stephen Potts “I’m a member of the Poarch Creek Pow Wow Club, and my regalia is a style for Men’s Southern Straight, a warriors’ dance that originated in Oklahoma. I began dancing in 2018 after attending Pow Wow practice as an observer. I fell in love with the sound of the drums and beauty of the dances. I was a teacher in Georgia for 23 years before returning to Alabama to work for the Poarch.”
Sherell Hendrickson “I am a Certified Native American Artist. After sewing for over 50 years, I came in contact with patchwork about 12 years ago in a Traditional Arts class sponsored by the Cultural Department, and I fell in love with it. I have had my regalia displayed in our museum and museums in Daytona Beach, Naples, and Montgomery. My other areas of artistry are shell carving, copper tooling, beading, basketry, leather, gourds, pottery, twinning, and finger weaving.”
Melvin Manning, Jr. “I have been shell carving and copper tooling for eight years. I exclusively design my pieces with traditional imagery and designs. I have spoken with historians and researched the traditions behind this art medium. Throughout the years, I have been grateful to place in different art competitions and this year won best of show in the Poarch Band of Creek Indians Art Show.”
Joey Selzer “Guided by the Creek prayer, let us prepare a better future for ourselves and for generations young, elder, and yet to come. May we recognize and appreciate the blessings we have today.”
Cotton Street Gallery Artists
Birmingham artist Possum Doss works in a variety of mediums and loves to crochet. His whimsical hats and bags are wearable sculptures. You can find Possum’s children’s book, Animals Alphabet Soup, at the gallery
Julie Maeseele was born and raised in Belgium, moved to Alabama with her family in 2014, and won the Birmingham Fashion Week Emerging Designer Competition in 2016. Julie uses recycled materials and surplus textiles to create unique fine-tailored garments. Her fashion is a mix of old and new – traditional techniques with a contemporary attitude. Find Julie online at juliemaeseele.com.
Originally from Colorado, textile artist Stacy Sheehan-Wilson now practices her art in Fairhope, Alabama. She tells stories through upcycling clothing, found objects, and photos into pillows and quilts and especially loves cotton.
Laurie Freeman re-creates beautiful scenes from nature in intricate and colorful multidimensional pieces of embroidered fine art.
Based in Birmingham, Alabama, Celest Amparo Pfau finds inspiration and sources her materials in natural spaces. Her botanical monoprints involve the careful arrangement of ethically harvested plan matter and oil-based inks. Each print is created on a manually operated etching press. Find Celeste online at amparocreativehouse.com.
Lillis Taylor is one half of the father-daughter collaboration known as Tré Lilli. Lillis sews stunning clothes, home furnishings, and accessories from textiles she designs using imagery from Trés Taylor’s art. Find Lillis online at lillistaylor.com.
Based in Birmingham, Alabama, Tamara Harper studied classical piano and taught music lessons for years, but her true love is fine hand embroidery. Inspired by her grandmother and mother’s needlework, she learned to cross stitch and craft as a child. Her work has been featured in Country Living, Martha Stewart Weddings, and Birmingham Magazine. Visit her shop, Smallwoods Studios, online at smallwoods-studios.com.
Based in Birmingham, Alabama, Michelle Reynolds creates nature-inspired art from recycled textiles. Through her story quilts, she weaves together lessons in sustainability and appreciation for the natural world. Michelle started out by making slipcovers and now creates wall hangings, throws, handbags, and other crafty thingamajigs. Find Michelle online at textilesandtext.com
Véronique Vanblaere, aka Véro, a Belgian artist living in Alabama, “vérolutionizes” clothing, draws incessantly, and perks up restaurant menus with her offbeat illustrations. Véro’s extravagant hats and luminaries take part in art installations, and her fabulous upcycled clothes adorn the most fashion-forward art connoisseurs. Find Véro online at verothetravelingartist.com.