‘Thursday Night Cultural Appreciation’ at Tusweca Gallery

RAPID CITY- As you approach Tusweca Art Gallery you see Indigenous artwork through the windows. As you enter the gallery, wafts of the aroma of lavender hit your senses making you fill right at home. Everyone is welcomed to browse all of the Indigenous art that adorns the walls.

Tusweca Art Gallery, owned by Oglala Lakota artist Jo Pulliam, is located 631 Main St. downtown Mni Luzahan, Rapid City. Pulliam along with Billy Janis partnered with the owner of the building Michael Haeder to open the Gallery in June 2021.

A year before the gallery opened Pulliam was selling his art at Big Bats in Pine Ridge to locals as well as tourists. Pulliam says, “Opening the Gallery gave us an opportunity to have an area to sell our art. The pandemic was a struggle and online sales really helped.”

A friend of Pulliam, Jeff had highly recommended Jo’s art. Pulliam says, “Selling our work from a gallery really helps, we also help Reservation artists as well as Local artists with a place to sell their work. We are a grain of sand in this whole universe. I didn’t want to look back at life and say I just sat there and did nothing for my people, so I started helping other artists through the Gallery. I also offer emotional support to other artists. I believe that art is healing.”

The Tusweca Gallery features Ledger Art as well as Historic art on Antique Maps as well as art done on ledger paper and stock certificates by Pulliam.

To anyone who wants to pursue art Pulliam says, “Practice and work hard while pursuing art.”

Pulliam was always an artist growing up. In 1992 Pulliam went to art school for graphic design at the Salt Lake Community College. He did one year at the Institute of American Indian Arts in 1995.

Now on Thursdays during Summer Nights the Art Gallery will host “Thursday Night Cultural Appreciation” at five p.m. Pulliam says, “We will be hosting these free events throughout the summer and fall.”

These events will feature Pulliam’s signature ledger art as well as local Lakota artists.

This past Thursday Pulliam featured Aylah Bornette’s creations in the Gallery. Bornette is Lakota, Dakota, Navajo as well as Northern Cheyenne from Rapid City. She makes handmade soap out of half goat milk and half hemp. She created scents out of lemon, sage, lavender, sweet grass and lemon. Bornette was inspired by her grandma to start creating and selling hand soap to buy such things as school clothes and supplies.

Bornette says, “I use my money for school clothes, and when I have extra spending money I like to buy my friends decent stuff as well as take them out whenever we have a chance.”

Bornette is in sixth grade and goes to Lacreol in Dallas, Oregon, she spends the summers in Rapid City as well as Mission, SD. Her family moved to Dallas, Oregon because it was difficult for her mom to find work in Rapid City.

Bornette says, “When creating art, be careful not to bump into your art while you’re making it, don’t use dark pigments, use scents everybody likes, explore a wide variety of scents and colors. Have fun while creating your craft.”

Bornette started a year and a half ago at her grandma’s ranch. In the future Bornette doesn’t want this to just be a hobby, she wants to make soap full time as well as make body butter. 

Outside of the Gallery Pulliam also featured Tyone BigCrow drumming for his two granddaughters while they danced. Tyshal BigCrow is nine years old and she took turns with her six year old sister Sage BigCrow. Tyshal says, “I dance because it helps the spiritual.” 

Pulliam says he wants these free cultural appreciation events to happen throughout the summer and into the fall. 

 

(Contact Christopher Alexander Piña at staffwriter3@nativesunnews.today)

The post ‘Thursday Night Cultural Appreciation’ at Tusweca Gallery first appeared on Native Sun News Today.

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