Collections by Name | Collections by Region

Michigan Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Collection

Since 1989 the Michigan Traditional Arts Program has coordinated a statewide apprenticeship program that encourages the preservation and perpetuation of traditional arts in Michigan through stipends made to mentor-apprentice teams. Mentor artists apply to the program with their selected apprentices and if selected teach their skills as well as cultural knowledge about their art forms over a period of 7 months. Each team is documented during a site visit with an interview and photo and video recordings. This program was established with support from the National Endowment for the Arts.

The collections from this program represent a wide variety of traditions practiced by mentor artists in Michigan. For example, the collection includes woven palm fronds, cedar fan carvings, Anishinaabe porcupine quill work and black ash baskets, Finnish American rag rugs, braided rugs, quilts, decorative ironwork, Ukrainian beadwork, Polish decorated eggs, and much more. The collection also includes musical recordings, archival VHS tapes, field reports, application files, interviews with artists, festival performances, and photographs.

Donors and Fieldworkers

LuAnne Kozma, Sarah Stollack, Rebecca Clark, Janet Gilmore, James Leary, Laurie Sommers, Yvonne Lockwood, Marsha MacDowell, C. Kurt Dewhurst, Molly McBride, Micah Ling, Nick Schaedig, Nic Gareiss, Victoria Virtanen Stewart, Minnie Wabanimkee

Exhibitions

"Native American Masters," Michigan Council for Arts & Cultural Affairs, Detroit, Michigan, January, 1993; Michigan State University Museum, East Lansing, Michigan, August, 1993 - February, 1994; Gerald R. Ford Museum, Grand Rapids, Michigan, March - April, 1994; Marquette Mission Park & Museum of Ojibwa Culture, St Ignace, Michigan, May, 1996 - October, 1996; Port Huron Museum, Port Huron, Michigan, August 12 - October 22, 2000; Fort Miami Heritage Society, St. Joseph, Michigan, January - May, 2002.