‘The passion you get in touch with’: Museum at Warm Springs opens 30th annual Tribal Member and Youth Exhibit
(Update: Adding video, comments from Warm Springs Museum curator, artists)
WARM SPRINGS, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Museum at Warm Springs “30th Annual Warm Springs Tribal Member and Youth Exhibit” is currently on view.
The exhibit is the signature program celebrating the museum's 30th anniversary. The exhibit's displays of art include work from 20 adults and 5 youth in multiple categories.
"I just want a piece of me to go with my great grandchildren, not just a photo," Jaycelene Brisbois, an artist with work on display at the museum, told us. "They'll remember me by the hard work I put into this stuff."
Brisbois created a beaded regalia called "Elkaholic's Wife" that's on display in the "changing" gallery.
"The design was passed down in my family, and the elk is to commemorate -- me and my husband both hunt, on and off the reservation. So we do a lot of hunting and hiking, and elk are just a beautiful animal. So I thought to design that into my bead work."
The exhibition was originally scheduled to close on Saturday, January 13, 2024, but has been extended through Saturday, March 2, 2024, due to a museum closure during the installation of a new Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system from Monday, December 18, 2023, through Thursday, January 31, 2024.
Staff will be working throughout the closure, but the public will not be allowed into the building at this time due to safety and health considerations.
"From my understanding, they are just going to upgrade the HVAC system, and that's by replacing some of the pumps," Angela Smith, exhibit curator at the Warm Springs museum, told NewsChannel 21.
We asked Smith her thoughts on the current exhibit: "Well, easily my favorite is the tribal member artwork that comes in. I really enjoy the traditional artwork, but I do like a lot of the contemporary artwork."
Marjorie Kalama Gabriel created a side-purse made of beads and leather, called "Big Brother."
"And then it comes to me, all of a sudden just like that, the passion that you get in touch with -- I don't know what it is," she explained. "I don't know what it is, but you get in touch with that feeling of ... grace, I guess."
Gabriel continued, "My great-grandfather was blind, and I wanted him to feel the different designs. And that's why the beads are different at times, so he can feel the design too."
The “30th Annual Warm Springs Tribal Member and Youth Exhibit” will resume its showing when The Museum reopens to the public on Friday, February 1 and will be on view through Saturday, March 2, 2024.
The exhibit — the final signature program celebrating The Museum’s 30th anniversary (1993-2023) — showcases the immense talent and artistic excellence of Warm Springs adult and youth Tribal members.
The exhibit is curated by Warm Springs Museum Curator and Exhibition Coordinator Angela Anne Smith (Warm Springs, Yakama, Nez Perce and Diné). Selected artworks are available for sale, with a 20% commission going toward The Museum.
This year’s judge is Jewell Minnick, a proud member of the Lummi Nation in Washington and is married into the Warm Springs Tribe. She worked as a collections assistant in the early years of The Museum at Warm Springs.
Judge’s Choice Awards
Traditional Category:
Artist: Delcie Scott
Title: “The Cougar with Green Eyes” (submitted by Deborah Jackson, necklace owner)
Medium: Beaded Medallion Necklace
(Not for sale)
Contemporary Category:
Artist: Charlene Moody-Dimmick
Title: “Self-Reflection”
Medium: Pencil and Marker
(For sale: $750)
Honorable Mentions
Artist: Marjorie Kalama
Title: ”Big Brother”
Medium: Side purse made of beads and leather
(Not for sale)
Artist: BK Courtney
Title: “Midnight Messenger”
Medium: Wearable Art: fiber, beads, shell buttons
(For sale: $800)
Artist: Tiffany Shaw
Title: “Grass Dancer”
Medium: Mixed Media
(Price: Donation to The Museum at Warm Springs)
Artist: Jaycelene Brisbois
Title: “Elka-holic’s Wife”
Medium: Beaded Regalia
(Not for sale)
Upcoming Museum Closures
Friday, Nov. 10 — Veterans Day
Thursday, Nov. 23 and Friday, Nov. 24 — Thanksgiving Holiday and Warm Springs Tribal Holiday
Monday, Dec. 18, 2023 – Thursday, Jan. 31, 2024 — Museum Closed for Installation of a New HVAC System
Become a Museum Member
There are several levels of annual Museum Membership, which begin at $25 for elders and students. All Members receive these benefits: free admission for one year, 10% discount in the Museum Gift Shop and special invitations to exhibits and programs. Join by visiting https://museumatwarmsprings.org/ and click “Join” to see Membership levels and online payment information. Or send a check to: The Museum at Warm Springs, P.O. Box 909, Warm Springs, OR 97761 (Attn: Membership).
About The Museum at Warm Springs
The Museum at Warm Springs opened its doors to the public on March 14, 1993 and has been celebrating its 30th anniversary throughout 2023 with special exhibits, public programs and events. Built to Smithsonian Institution professional standards, The Museum’s mission is to preserve, advance and share the traditions, cultural and artistic heritage of The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, Oregon. Regular Museum hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 5 p.m. The Museum is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. Admission: Museum Members (free), Adults ($7), Senior Citizens over 60 ($6), Students 13-18 with student body card ($4.50), Children 5-12 ($3.50) and Children 4 and younger (free). The Museum is located at 2189 Highway 26 in Warm Springs. Phone: (541) 553-3331. For more information, visit https://www.museumatwarmsprings.org/.
