ARCHIVED EVENTS - Smoki Museum

Phoenix Screening! Raindance in a Storm

Afternoon Conversations at the Smoki

February 2006

Opening Weekend Celebrations - Warrior Elder: Paintings by Leonard Peltier

Winter Navajo Rug Auction

New Members Reception

December 2006

Christmas Market Members Preview Evening

November 2006

5th Annual Wine Tasting Celebration

Baje Whitethorne Presentation

October 2006

Wine Tasting Tickets on sale

Guest Artist: Annie Antone (Tohono O'odham)

Sundays at the Smoki: Yavapai-Apache Nation

Annual Member Gala: Brian Hammill & the Native Spirit Dancers

OLLI Learning Session - American Indian Art: Paintings & Illustrations

September 2006

Film Screening: Incident at Oglala

Hopi Pottery Making Workshop

Artist/Author Reception for the Opening of Telling Stories

Sundays at the Smoki: Baje Whitethorne, Sr.

Winter Navajo Rug Auction
February 10, 2007, at 1:00 P.M.
Twice the event, twice the fun! Building on the success and growth of the Museum's July Auction, this one-day event features hundreds of authentic, hand-woven Navajo weavings at amazing prices. The Auction Preview opens at 9:00 A.M. Saturday, and the Auction itself begins at 1:00 P.M., following a presentation by our Auctioneer, Bruce Burnham.

R.B. “Bruce” Burnham, owner of R.B. Burnham & Company Trading Post in Sanders, Arizona, is a fourth-generation Indian trader. Burnham specializes in Native American art auctions; and his expertise in buying, selling, and evaluating Navajo rugs has earned him the respect of area collectors and peers nationwide. He uses his knowledge to strengthen and support Navajo weavers and educate buyers. Burnham conducts approximately 15 auctions annually with the help of his wife Virginia, daughter Sheri, and fellow Indian trader Hank Blair.

Consignments will be accepted for the Auction from February 6 - 9 at the Smoki Museum, 147 N. Arizona Street in Prescott. Hours for consignments are 10:00 A.M. - 4:00 P.M.

New Members Reception
February 17, 2007, at 4:00 P.M.
A reception with tours and presentations for all new and current Smoki Museum members. Learn more about the facilites and resources available to you as a member. Staff and volunteers host this casual, fun program.

Opening Weekend Celebration: Warrior Elder
February 2-3, 2007
Opening Reception, lectures, performances and activities around the new exhibition featuring the artwork of Indian leader, Leonard Peltier. For more information about Peltier, please visit the Leonard Peltier Defense Committee website.

Celebration events feature performers and guest speakers, including Bob Robideau & Toni Zeidan, Co-Directors of LPDC; Barry Bachrach & Mike Kuzma, Attorneys for LPDC; Michael Blake, author of Dances with Wolves; Native Roots; Casper; the Havasupai Youth Group; and Michael Goodluck, Navajo flutist.

Opening Weekend Celebration: Schedule of Events

“Telling Stories” new exhibition
Opens daily, Sep. 16 – Dec. 3l, 2006
Telling Stories, the exciting upcoming exhibition at the Smoki Museum, is a fun and playful trip into the colorful world of children’s book illustration.  All of the illustrations presented in Telling Stories are the original works of art that appear in their books. 

The artwork collected for Telling Stories was selected from the work of three artists; award winning writer and illustrator Baje Whitethorne, Sr, and Caldecott book award winners, writer Byrd Baylor, and illustrator Peter Parnall.  Mr. Whitethorne presents stories that draw inspiration from his Navajo (Dine) heritage while Byrd Baylor and Peter Parnall work as a team to create stories and images that draw on similar values found within Indian culture.

Christmas Market: Members Preview
December 1, 2006, 4:00 P.M. - 6:00 P.M.
Friday evening reception and preview for Museum members only. The Museum's gift shop offers a one-night-only special sale for all Museum members: 20% off all purchases! This is a great event for your Christmas shopping. We'll have live Navajo flute music from Michael Goodluck (pictured), hot apple cider and Christmas treats, and of course, a super-stocked gift shop for your shopping pleasure.

Additionally, we'll be giving away great door prizes during this event! Four different hand-picked items from the gift shop's inventory will be given away. All in attendance at the event are eligible to win!

Christmas Indian Art Market
December 2-3, 2006, 10:00 A.M. - 4:00 P.M.
Our popular December event will feature more than a dozen unique Indian artisans, showcasing and selling their creations. Featured artists will include potters, weavers, carvers, jewelers, painters and much more.

Live Navajo flute music will be featured, and to add to the Christmas ambience, hot apple cider and treats. Navajo tacos and frybread will also be served up for the hungry shopper.

Best of all, the Museum's gift shop (The Trading Post) will offer special discounts for all shoppers. The general public will receive a 10% discount on all purchases in the gift shop, and Museum members will receive a 20% discount. Great deals abound, as the gift shop features a great variety of hand-crafted, authentic Indian artwork and crafts. Admission is free.

Supported in part by the Arizona Commission on the Arts.

5th Annual Wine Tasting Celebration
November 11, 2006, at 6:00 P.M.
Be part of the Brightest Party of the Year! Our hosts, Colibri Vineyards, will serve up four of their very best wines expertly matched with a full four-course dinner from the chefs at the Hassayampa Inn.

Our featured performer is well-known Navajo Flutist, Michael Goodluck. Michael brightens every event he participates in; his music will provide the perfect backdrop for this festive occasion. Also, we promise the best silent auction yet, with fantastic gifts including Indian art and jewelry, a Prescott Lakes golf foursome, Sundogs hockey tickets and a salon/massage gift basket.

This popular event sells out every year, so get your tickets early. Tickets are on sale now! Tickets, which are $50/each, can be purchased in the Smoki Museum gift shop, or by calling (928) 445-1230. All proceeds support the Smoki Museum, a non-profit organization.

Baje Whitethorne Presentation
November 17, 2006, 6:30 P.M.
Renowned Navajo artist and children's book author, Baje Whitethorne, Sr., will give a free public talk on Friday, November 13, at 6:30pm. He will discuss his artwork, childrens' books, and the traditions that influence his award-winning work. This presentation is open to the public and will be held at Yavapai College, Building 4, Room 102.

Supported by a generous grant from the Arizona Humanities Council.

Indian Guest Artist Series: Annie Antone
October 14-15, 2006

Popular Tohono O’odham basket weaver, Annie Antone, has been creating unusual designs and striking images in her baskets for over thirty years.  In her curious baskets, one might see an animal, musical notes depicting an actual tune, or in one of her most celebrated pieces, a tractor trailer rig.

Antone, who learned the art of weaving at the age of nineteen, may craft just about any image into a basket; sometimes at the request of a client, or simply on a whim.  She won her first awards at the Gallup Ceremonial in 1985 and the O’odham Tash Rodeo and Fair in 1986.  Antone then went on to win the highly-regarded Best of Show at the 1999 Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair & Market, for a basket featuring a red snake and black birds.  She has also demonstrated at the Heard, the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, the Buffalo Bill Museum, the British Museum, and the Albuquerque Museum of Art & History. 

Annie Antone will bring her baskets to the Smoki Museum as part of the Indian Guest Artist Series.  She will display and sell her creations over the course of a weekend, and demonstrate part of her craft.

Sundays at the Smoki: Yavapai-Apache
 October 15, 2006, at 1:00 P.M.
Vincent Randall, a tribal member and cultural expert from the Yavapai-Apache Nation, will present a lecture about Yavapai-Apache culture and people. He will discuss the history of his people, but also focus on the overall culture of the Yavapai-Apache people today. He will explore some of the impact of the tribe's business endeavors, including the casino.

Admission is FREE to this event. Refreshments will be served at a reception following the presentation.

American Indian Art: Paintings & Illustrations
Every Thursday, October 26 - December 7, 2006, at 1:00 P.M.

The culture and environment of Indian art has changed dramatically over the centuries. Today’s Indian artist typically meshes traditional style and symbols with advanced technique and contemporary images. The main focus of this session will be on studying the paintings, illustrations and two-dimensional art of today’s Indian artists.

This session includes six classes spread over seven weeks (no class on Thanksgiving Day), produced by the Museum in conjunction with the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI). It is offered to Smoki Museum and OLLI members. Click here to become a member of the Smoki Museum.

The first four classes will examine the long history and current state of American Indian two-dimensional art. Specific studies will include the work of renowned artist and author, Baje Whitethorne, Sr. (Navajo), who will give a presentation within the series. Modern artists will be presented along with an introduction to Leonard Peltier and Ryan Huna Smith, artists whose works will be featured in Smoki Museum exhibitions in 2007.

The final two classes will consider cutting edge developments in paintings and compare other art forms including pottery, weavings, jewelry, carvings and others, with another Indian artist speaker to be announced. These two classes occur around the weekend of the Museum’s Christmas Indian Art Market (Dec. 2-3). We will take advantage of the opportunity to visit with the one dozen different Indian artists at the Market in order to further our discussion and learning in the classroom.

The session includes a Curator-led tour of the Museum’s new exhibition, Telling Stories, which features artwork by Baje Whitethorne, Sr. Classes are every Thursday from 1pm - 3pm, October 26 - December 7, excluding Thanksgiving Day, and are held at the Smoki Museum Pueblo.

OLLI membership is waived for Smoki Museum members in this group, who pay only the $20 group fee. Click here to visit OLLI and register for this session.

Annual Member Gala
Featuring Brian Hammill & the Native Spirit Dancers
October 21, 2006, at 4:00 P.M.

The Native Spirit Dancers were formed by Brian Hammill in 1997 as a way to share native culture and dance with various people from all across the United States as well as overseas.  The Native Spirit dancers are based out of Phoenix Arizona; however the dancers represent various nations from all across the United States and Canada.  

Brian Hammill is a member of the Ho-chunk nation from southern Wisconsin and a proud veteran of the United States Army.  He is an accomplished hoop dancer, consistently ranked among the top 10 in the world.  Brian’s performances include many intricate maneuvers creating various symbols significant in his life.  Brian is also an established recording artist having just released his 3rd album and his 3rd educational video.  He was born and raised in Benton, Wisconsin, and now resides in Phoenix, Arizona.

The Native Spirit Dancers will be performing at the Smoki Museum’s Annual Member Gala on Saturday, October 21, at 4pm.  The Gala will include the Museum’s Annual Member Meeting, great foods, the election of new members of the Board of Trustees and the unveiling of the Museum annual report.  The event is for Smoki Museum members only, free of charge.  For more information, contact us at (928) 445-1230.

Film Screening: Incident at Oglala
September 11, 2006, at 6:00 P.M.

The Smoki Museum will host a free screening of the documentary film, Incident at Oglala, to mark Leonard Peltier's 62nd birthday. The film, narrated by Robert Redford, documents the events that led to Peltier's arrest and imprisonment. Amnesty International considers Peltier to be a political prisoner. Admission to this event is FREE.

Hopi Pottery Making Workshop
September 11 - 14, 21, 28, 2006

The art of pottery making is a challenging craft that takes years to master.  Through this intensive workshop and series, participants will learn directly from master Hopi potter, Dorothy Ami.  Ami will direct four separate three-hour hands-on sessions working with and finishing raw clay, painting pots, and finally, firing the finished product.  This is a rare and rewarding opportunity to learn directly from a master Hopi potter!

To further illuminate the important role pottery has played for indigenous peoples in the Southwest, two separate classes will follow the hands-on workshop.  On September 21, noted local Archaeologist Andrew Christenson will discuss prehistoric pottery and its uses within the Prescott Culture.  On September 28, another local expert will discuss the changing role of pottery for Indian cultures in the modern world.

Download the Workshop Registration Form (Adobe Acrobat file).

Opening Events for “Telling Stories”
Sundays at the Smoki Lecture Series & Guest Artist
September 16-17, 2006
Navajo artist and children’s book author, Baje Whitethorne, Sr, will be the Museum’s Guest Artist for the opening reception of the new exhibition, Telling Stories.  Mr. Whitethorne will display his many artistic creations and be available to talk one-on-one with Museum patrons during the weekend opening. Author Byrd Baylor will also be in attendance.

On Sunday, September 17, at 1pm, Mr. Whitethorne will present our Sundays at the Smoki Lecture Series program on his children’s book, Father’s Boots.  Mr. Whitethorne will read the story, and then discuss the imagery and background behind this touching tale of the journey of three brothers.  He is the author of several children’s books and an acclaimed artist.  His paintings appear at the Heard Museum, Smithsonian Museum, and the Gallup Indian Ceremonial.  In 1998, he was named by the Arizona Library Association as an Outstanding Contributor to Children’s Literature.

Museum admission applies on Saturday.  The Lecture and Museum admission is free on Sunday.  Refreshments will be served after the Lecture program.  For more information, contact us at info@smokimuseum.org. 

The Pueblo Grande Museum in Phoenix hosts this special "Valley of the Sun" screening of the new documentary film on the history of the Smoki People, "Raindance in a Storm: Arizona's Controversial Snake Dance." This screening is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served. To learn more about the Smoki People, click here. To learn about the Pueblo Grande Museum in Phoenix, click here.

Afternoon Conversations at the Smoki
Thursdays 1:00 P.M. - 3:00 P.M., February 8 - April 27, 2007.

The Smoki Museum of American Indian Art & Culture announces its Southwest Indian Culture education series, “Afternoon Conversations at the Smoki.”  The classes occur weekly every Thursday afternoon, 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., from February 8, 2006, through the end of April.

The series goes in-depth about Southwest Indian culture, both searching the prehistoric and recent past, as well as looking at contemporary issues facing Indian tribes in Northern Arizona. 

Each class focuses on a different topic surrounding the overriding theme.  Many of the classes in the first month focus on artifacts and archaeology, examining what can be learned from ceramics, lithics (stone tools), weavings, and other items which are on display in the permanent collections at the Smoki Museum.  The focus of these sessions centers around the Prescott Culture, which existed in the Central Arizona Highlands Region. 

The series includes six sessions that focus on nearby tribes, their history, current culture and spirituality.  These sessions are taught by elders or members of the respective tribes and include Yavapai-Prescott, Hopi, Navajo, Zuni and others.  See schedule below.

Registration is required to attend the series.  There is no “class fee” for the series, however, the Museum asks participants to volunteer at the Museum as a requirement to attend.  Contact JT Tannous at the Museum, (928) 445.1230, or info@smokimuseum.org.

Class Schedule
All classes are Thursdays, 1:00 - 3:00 P.M., at Smoki Museum Pueblo

Smoki Museum
American Indian Art and Culture
147 N. Arizona St.
P.O. Box 10224
Prescott, AZ 86304-0224
928.445.1230
Email: info@smokimuseum.org