“The Tree of Life”

A new exhibit entitled “Tree of Life” South Dakota Woodworking Traditions, began at the Dacotah Prairie Museum and remained open until May 9th, 2008. The exhibit was on display in the Lamont Gallery on 2nd floor and was opened to the public during regular Museum hours: Tuesday -Friday, 9-5 and Saturday-Sunday, 1-4pm.

Wood is an amazingly versatile material - readily available, easily workable with simple tools, and able to take many forms. From tools to toys, furniture to flutes, objects made of wood have been created by the people of the plains for generations. Despite the relative lack of trees, South Dakota is rich in traditional crafts and arts made from wood.

Whittling, carving and other woodworking techniques often grow out of rural communities and ways of life that are close to nature and physical activity. As trees are rooted in the earth, so are these traditions rooted in the tribes, ethnic groups, families and communities of South Dakota. They live on because of the efforts of the dedicated artists and craftspeople who preserve them in the work of their hands.

This exhibit represented some of the most talented artisans from the state who have agreed to take apprentices for a period of two years to teach them their art. Bryan Akipa, a member of the Sisseton-Wahpeton tribe, is dedicated to making and playing fine Dakota wooden flutes. He has been instructing Michael He Crow, of Rapid City, in the fine points of the craft. Francis Country, also a tribal member, carves traditional horse dance sticks featured in the exhibit. Greg Halsa learned the art of making Scandinavian bentwood boxes from his own father.

LeRoy Graber, is carrying on the willow basketry tradition of his German-Russian family by teaching his son, Kim, in the area around Freeman, SD. Ted Hofer, a retired dairy farmer from Bridgewater and Dick Peterson, a retired pastor from Sioux Falls, now devote themselves full-time to furniture making and figure and wildlife carving respectively. Don Green (Rapid City), Ken Marso (Spearfish), and Mel Eisanbraun (Sturgis) specialize in walking sticks and canes formed from diamond willow. Arne Bortnem of Sioux Falls employs traditional Norwegian acanthus leaf designs in a variety of beautiful objects for everyday use, from clocks to dishes to toys. Art Jansen carves canes, spoons and intricate chains of wooden links.

Visitors to the Museum enjoyed some outstanding woodworking craftsmanship carrying fine traditions from South Dakota’s past into the future!

The “Tree of Life” was a project of the South Dakota Arts Council/South Dakota Department of Tourism and State Development and the South Dakota Art Museum, in cooperation with the South Dakotans for the Arts. This project was supported in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.

For information on other past exhibits in the Lamont Gallery, please click here.