Fellowships 2021

I am Nez Perce/Omaha, raised on the Nez Perce Reservation, and named for my grandmother Jane Red Cloud, a Menominee from Wisconsin. She taught me to bead, knit, crochet, darn, cook, dig roots, and cut up deer meat for drying. She spoke Nez Perce so she could communicate with her Nez Perce in-laws. My introduction to cornhusk weaving came while visiting the Nez Perce National Historical Park. Several elder Nez Perce women were displaying their work and I was overwhelmed by its beauty. I wanted to learn the art, but few elders were willing to teach; even my own grandmother did not know how, so I taught myself. I learned the basics of the warp and the weft, simple designs, how to weave both round and flat bags, and how and when to gather the natural fibers. My love of American Indian weaving in a number of genres has grown over the years, continues to grow, and is something I strive to teach to others, preserve, and then pass on through my students/apprentices. I understand the vital importance of preserving this American Indian traditional and cultural art form and strive to do this through my woven and art work and teachings on a nearly daily basis.

Jenny Williams
2020