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ARTIST BIO | |
01/06/07 |
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Native Artist's Work
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FANS OF FAME!
Patrick Scott PO Box 3018 Tuba City, Az. 86045 928-283-5629 Welcome to my Web site!These are some of the philosophy this artist implement in his work, and in his daily life!!!! Hope you can benefit from these great teachings!
Artist Statement "Greetings to all my relations. My goal is to provide you with the finest ceremonial art available any where in the world. My goal is to teach people, of all nationalities, about our ways, our tradition, our culture, our values, and our beliefs as Native American, and as a Navajo. I am a member of the Native American Church, and attend my people's traditional ceremonies on a regular basis, and if you want to learn, I am here to teach you and share with you. THANK YOU!" "I would like to tell you some stuff about me! I set a goal, when I must have been about 12 years old. I come from a family of 13, which only 3 of them graduated from high school. My goal was to get a degree, a BS degree; that was the only thing I was after. My parents don't speak English, and the odds were very much against me. I did not speak much English, spoke pure Dine, all the way until I finished high school and got into college. I got away with it, but not in College. I had to learn English, both read and write it well. When I first got into college, I was asked, what would you like to major in. I had no idea what the heck these people were talking about. I did not even know that you went to school for certain things. I was a genuine Dine from the Rez. No one in my family could advise me, give me guidance, or anything like that. They were all uneducated, and was on my own. " "We (including my siblings) were the ones that herd sheep, round up cattle's; round up horse; when to branding; haul wood; haul water; chop woods; don't take no showers for weeks at a time; the sun could not even penetrate our skin, skin so thick, it is like a leather. Wore no shoe; always ran around with bare foot. Our clothes was mostly gotten for second hand, wore them until they were all torn up. Did not even have a vehicle, we use mostly a wagon, with horse on it. First time we got a vehicle was in 1972, my dad was the one that took that to work. Went to many types of traditional ceremonies, being part of them. " "We road horse bareback all the time. Our play ground was as far as the eyes could see, we roamed freely, no boundaries. We could ride the horse from morning to even, just on water, with no food! " "We were not allowed to sleep in. Our uncles tosses us out of bed if we didn't move; we had to get chores done. Got up 4 or 5 am, was chased out of the house by my uncle or my mom, to get the horse. Would walk, with my eyes closed, and at times open my eyes just to see where I was going. If we did not wake up after my mom would say, GET UP!, she would get a bucket of cold water and pour it on us! So, whether we wanted to or not, had to get up and track down the horse. This was done to us (mostly all my sibling), from an early age, which is probably around 4 or 5 years old. We had responsibilities to care out, early on in our lives." "We also grew up with a father that was absent, he was mostly at work, never really spend time with him, he was the BIG WHEEL! Don't mess with him! So, we really never had a father, he only provided finance to our family, that was it. Our mother, she was very abusive, but change later on, when we grew up more. My mother was the only one that was there for us. But, when we got to school age, she put us in Boarding School. The first time I ever went to Boarding School, I was age 6. One day, my mom and sister packed up our clothes, and told us to get in the car, we are going to Kiabeto. Then, when I got to Kiabeto, I was dropped off there. Never been away from my family; did not know anyone; never seen any of those strangers; only spoke Dine; All this was a cultural shock!!!!!!!! I cried for a whole week, and then was taken home, not to return until the next year. The next year, same thing, but this time I knew where I was going. I was checked in at school, and was never checked out of school for about a month. Got so home sick, that I ended up in the Isolation room for two weeks. Finally, I was just taken home. After a week at home, was taken back to school again, and rarely checked out of school, just because my parent's could not afford to come pick me up or something!" "I only spoke Navajo. I have never seen the town of Page,Arizon until the age of 9. I finally found out there was life out side of Whitemesa (Where I grew up), found out about Phoenix,Arizona until about 3 grade! " "Also, grew up in Boarding School. I would get checked into the boarding school, and never get checked out until Thanksgiving, then until Christmas time. Ran away from school many times, was such a bad time. Boarding school taught us to hate ourselves as Native American. We grew up in a time, when John Wayne was a hit, Indians were labeled as enemies! Our very own people, dorm aid made us eat soap, spanked us for speaking our own language!!!!!!! Teachers made us stand in the corner without our pants, because we spoke our language. Dorm aids were our only parents, yet these were the same people that punished us, because our government wanted to civilize us. Sad, but that was boarding school. They absolutely destroyed my identity!! I was so ashamed to be an Indian, be Native, be an American! That changed, until I got to Haskell Indian Jr. College. In Haskell, I was taught how precious my identity was, that is where I got my pride back!" "So, coming from a back ground like this, I got into college. When I was catching my bus to Haskell Indian Junior College, my parents gave me $20, and that was the last that I ever heard from them, or got any thing from them. While in Haskell, became independent, and sold my work to get money to support myself in college. My high school coach was the one that applied for scholarship, Mr. Bud Davis, he is the one I give credit to. Then, when in college, I change my major 7 times, and finally got what I wanted and was excited about. When I transferred to Northern Arizona University (NAU), that is when I had to sit up all night, looking up words. Reading one chapter probably took me anywhere from 3 to 5 hours for each class. Was good at math, but the reading and write, it is like I had to relearn a whole new language! I spend countless hours, looking up definition, writing down definitions on those long yellow tablets. For each chapter, usually had a list of about 2 pages for each chapter. Was so poor then too, had to conserve paper, so I wrote so small, I would fit two sentences into each line of paper. At one time, one of my professors had to provide me, or purchase paper for me. I live mostly on ramen noodles during these times. Well, finally it happened, in 1995, I graduated with a BS degree in Small Business Management! That is where I started my business as an artist. Now, it has grown, and become an internationally recognized artist!!!!!!!" "If these words do inspire you to get somewhere in life, that is my biggest wish to all those people interested in pursuing opportunities in their lives. Follow your PASSION!!!!!!!! If you love it, and make you thrilled, up beat, makes you yell with excitement, GO FOR IT!!!!!!! Learn about it, get educated on it, and put some action into what you want!!!!!"
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Patrick Scott is a Navajo (Dine) Artist. He was born in Tuba City, and raised in White Mesa. Which is located between Tonalea and Kaibeto, Arizona. He belongs to the Bitterwater clan, born for the Manygoats clan. He was born in 1966. He did not speak any English until the age of 7, when he was first introduced to the boarding school system. He herd sheep and cattle. Taking care of horses, cattle, and sheep was the life style in those days. From third grade on, he went to school at Tuba City Boarding School and graduated from Tuba City High School in 1985. Right after high school, he went on to Haskell Indian Jr. College, where he graduated with an Associates of Applied Science Degree in Welding. After that, he went on to Northern Arizona University. He graduated with a Bachelor Degree in Business Management in 1995. From 1995 to the present, he is full time artist. He started his fan work in 1981, when he was a freshman in High School. Most of his work did not go public until 1995, when he started his job as a full time artist. Up to 1995, only close relatives and family members owned his work. Now, it has spread throughout the world! Major museums like the Thomas Gilcrease Museum have permanent collections of his work. His work can also be found at the Smithsonian Museum, the Department of Interior in Washington DC, and in many other galleries throughout the Southwest. His work is collected by many private collectors, galleries, and art enthusiast through out the world. Many of his work are among Native American, who use his fans, gourd rattles, staffs sets, drumsticks, etc., in ceremonies, dances, rituals, and devotions. This brings to the art work that he does for a living. He makes ceremonial prayer and dancing feather fans for Pow-wows, devotions, and Native American Church (Peyote) Ceremonies. They are used for praying, blessing people, and fanning people with. Take for example, if a person is going through some hard times in their life; we use a fan to pray for that person. We pray to the spirits, ask them for blessings to the east, the south, the west, the north, to mother earth, and to father sky. We believe there are great spirits in these different directions and creations. We ask for blessings through the fan and the person is fanned with the feather fan from the feet to the top of the head. This has been practiced among Native American for hundreds and hundreds of years. It is also used during celebrations; in accomplishments, birthdays, special occasions, graduations, etc., we use these fans to bring good blessing to people. Many of the materials used to put these fans together are made of modern materials. The feather work is all made of goose feathers, pheasant feathers, turkey feathers, macaws feathers, parrot feathers, and occasionally duck feathers are used. The artist uses both natural and dyed feathers. Top quality bamboo sticks are used for extenders at the stem of the feathers. The fringes is made of top quality deer skin, mostly commercial tanned hides. The majority of bead work is made of size 14 seed beads, and occasionally size 13 glass cut beads used. In 1991, he produced a unique style of beadwork, the gourd stitch. He also uses the peyote stitch, brick stitch (also known as Comanche Stitch), and straight stack stitch. Every feather is washed using traditional Navajo herbs. The herbs are used for cleansing of the feathers. These herbs are passed on to us by our elders. Each feather is then streamed, flattened out, and extended with bamboo sticks. This process is very time consuming and it usually take about 2 days. The feather work comes in many different forms, depending if the fan is going to be used in the Native American Church Ceremony, for Pow-wow Dances, or for some other use among different tribes. The beadwork is usually matched up with the feather work and the thread work. Many fan maker don’t really do a good job of match up the beadwork, threadwork, and feather work. Patrick has mastered this skill very well, his color combination, and matching of colors with the feather work, the beadwork, and the threadwork is of the finest. The colors are usually determined by what purpose the fan is going to be putted together for. This is where we have to talk and get to know each others, and make special request to fulfill your desires, your needs, and your wants. Eagle feather, hawk feather, etc., are only allowed to be carried by Native Americans; you have to be 1/4th or more Native American Indian, and be federally recognized by the United States Government. For all other nationalities; parrot feathers, macaw feathers, pheasant feather, Impeyan feathers, and turkey feathers are all legal to carry, or have made into fans. All feathers are gathered from live bird throughout the United State. Most of the Native American collect their feathers from the Government (both the State and Federal); you can order them through the US Fish and Wildlife. Many of these feathers are very rare. Most birds shed or molt once a year, so many of the tails takes years to collect. When the feathers are being collected, they have to be paired up to make into fans. It take many months to find the right pairs to go into fans. The amount of tails that goes into a fan depends on the person that wants the fan. Most of the fans are odd number, specially on flat fans, this is so it could have a center tail. On occasion, it will have an even number of tails. Wing feathers are mostly used among the dancers. Most people in the Native American Church ceremonies prefer the tails.
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