American Folk Masters: The National Heritage FellowsAmerican Folk Masters celebrates the lives and work of nearly 150 National Heritage Fellows, named since 1982 as exemplary practitioners of traditional folk arts. Sometimes likened to Japan's Living National Treasures, the Fellows are selected each year by the Folk Arts Program of the National Endowment for the Arts for their achievements in a wide variety of visual and performing folk arts. The National Heritage Fellows come from Maine and Hawaii, from Alaska and Puerto Rico, and from most states in between. A random roll call of even a few of their names - Duff Severe, Periklis Halkias, Canray Fontenot, Alice New Holy Blue Legs - reflects America's rich ethnic diversity. And the same diversity characterizes the arts the Fellows practice, which range from blues music, pottery, tap dancing, and lace making to Lakota quillwork, Sicilian marionette theater, African-American story-telling, and Hawaiian quiltmaking. Published on the tenth anniversary of the National Heritage Fellowships, this volume was inspired by an exhibition organized by the Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe. Its fifty full-page color photographs show the compelling, beautifully crafted objects made by the visual artists among the Fellows, while its black-and-white portraits and personal quotations capture the fascinating backgrounds and personalities of these people. Steve Siporin, folklorist and Associate Professor at Utah State University, has written a lively yet thoughtful essay that considers the Fellows as inheritors, innovators, and conservers of tradition. There are contributions by Bess Lomax Hawes, Director of the Folk Arts Program of the National Endowment for the Arts (1977-92), and BarreToelken, Professor of Folklore at Utah State University. A comprehensive illustrated Directory of all the Fellows from the last ten years includes an invaluable bibliography, discography, and filmography. The first full-length study of a groundbreaking program, American Folk Masters has much to offer anyone who values our national heritage. Whether descendants of the original Native peoples or members of the newest immigrant group, we can all learn from these consummate artists who are keeping our folk traditions alive today. |
Common terms and phrases
accordion African African-American American Folklife Ancelet Appalachian Ardoin Arhoolie art form artists Arts Program audiences Balfa baskets Basque Black blues Brownie McGhee buckaroo Cajun Music carver carving Cerrito Charleston color conserve cowboy craft culture dance dancer decoy Dewey Balfa DISCOGRAPHY ethnic Fellow BIBLIOGRAPHY Festival of American fiddle fiddler FILMOGRAPHY Flower Films flute Folk Art Folklore folklorist Fontenot Georgia guitar Hawaiian Helen Cordero Hispanic Ibid Idaho immigrants innovation John Cephas klezmer learned Les Blank letter of nomination living Lomax Louisiana LP/C maker Manteo Margaret Tafoya Marjorie Mexico mins Museum musician National Heritage Fellow National Heritage Fellowships Native American NEA Folk Arts NHF files North Carolina Ohrlin Oregon performed Philip Simmons play pottery Press Pueblo quilts quoted rawhide Records rosemaling Rounder Sacred Harp Santa singer singing Siporin skills Smithsonian Institution songs Sonny Terry South Sproat story storyteller style Traditional Arts University videotape Vlach Washington weaving woodcarving