Kay WalkingStick (Cherokee), Venere Alpina, 1997, oil on canvas (left), steel mesh over acrylic, saponified wax, and plastic stones (right), Minneapolis Institute of Art, The David and Margaret Christenson Endowment for Art Acquisition, 2018.46a,b. Photo: Minneapolis Institute of Art. © Kay WalkingStick ’97
Artist’s Language
ᎾᎯᏳᎢ ᎡᏙᎵᏙᎲ ᎾᎿ ᎢᏔᎵ, Kay WalkingStick ᎤᏬᏢᏅᎯ ᏈᎾᏏ ᎡᎵᏈᏂ (ᎠᏆᏆᏂ ᏈᎾᏏ). ᎾᏍᎩᏃ ᎢᏔᎵᎠᏃ ᎡᎵᏈᏍ ᎢᏳᏃ ᎤᏓᎵᎦᎵᏍᏔᏅᎢ, ᏙᏓᎸ ᏚᏑᏫᏍᏒ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎤᏍᎪᎸ ᏧᏬᏗᎨᎢ, ᎤᏬᏚᎯ ᎢᏤᎢᏳᏍᏗ, ᎠᎴ ᎤᏩᎾᏒ ᏗᎩᎦᎨ ᎢᏳᏍᏗ ᎾᏍᎩ ᏚᏬᏢᏔᏅᎩ ᎣᏓᎸᎢ ᏄᏍᏗᏓᏅᎢ ᎥᏍᎩᏃ ᏧᏠᏯ ᏓᏟᏴᏈᏛᏍᏛ ᎠᎴ ᎾᏍᎩ ᏚᏓᏴᎳᏛ ᎠᎨᏩ ᎠᏰᎸᎢ. ᎾᏍᎩᏃ ᎠᎦᏘᏏᏗᏢ, ᎤᏐᏅ ᏳᏍᏗ ᎠᎴ ᎤᏯᏍᎦᏟ-ᎠᏑᏫᏓ “ᏔᎷᎩᏍᎩ” ᎠᏯᏔᎾᎸ ᎧᏁᏍᏙᏗ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎠᎦᏛᎴᏒ ᎠᏟᎢᎵᏒᎢ ᎠᎴ ᎡᏍᎦ ᏂᎦᎵᏍᏗᏍᎬᎢ. ᎾᏍᎩᏃ ᎠᏰᏟ ᎾᎿ ᎯᎠ ᎠᏯᏔᎾᎸ, WalkingStick ᎠᏰᏝᎸ ᎤᏬᏢᏅᎯ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎤᎵᏍᎪᎸᏔᏅ ᎠᏂᎪᎵᏰᏍᎩ ᎤᏂᎪᏩᏛᏗ ᎭᏫᏂᏗᏢ ᎦᏙᎢ. ᎾᏍᎩᏃ ᎣᏌᏂ ᎠᎴ ᏅᏯ ᎭᏫᎾ ᎠᏎᎯᎯ ᎾᏍᎩ ᏧᎬᏩᎶᏗ ᏓᏍᏆᏂᎪᏛ ᎦᏢᎢ ᎭᏫᎾᏗᏢ ᎡᎶᎯ ᏄᎵᏍᏔᏅᎩ ᎠᎴ ᎦᏚᎢ ᎾᎦᏴᎵᏴᎢ.
English
While traveling in Italy, Kay WalkingStick created Venere Alpina (Alpine Venus). Inspired by the Italian Alps, she painted mountains in warm browns, luscious greens, and soft pinks to create a mountainscape that mimics the folds and nuances of the female body. On the right, a rough and rust-colored “steel” panel suggests deterioration and the passage of time. In the center of this panel, WalkingStick created a slit to allow the viewer to see under the surface. The gems and rocks inside refer to the treasures that lie beneath the earth’s weathered and aged surface.