Cherokee artist to be featured at Coffeyville Gathering on April 18-19, 2008 

Mike Dart is an award winning Cherokee artist specializing in the art of contemporary Cherokee Double Wall Basketry.  His baskets have placed in several shows throughout northeastern Oklahoma including the First Annual Cherokee National Holiday Art Show in Tahlequah, Okla., The Art Under the Oaks Art Show at the Five Tribes Museum in Muskogee, Okla. and most recently he placed in the 2007 Trail of Tears Art Show and Sale at the Cherokee Heritage Center in Tahlequah, Okla. which is one of the largest Native American art shows in the Midwest.  His art is quickly becoming recognized and appreciated by many collectors and institutions within the Native American art circle. 

Dart learned the art of Basketry from master Cherokee weaver, Shawna Morton-Cain who was designated a Master Craftswoman Living Treasure of the Cherokee Nation in 2006 for her knowledge and skill in the art of Cherokee basketry.  However he says that his interest in basketry began during childhood when he would watch his grandmother, the late Pauline Dart weave baskets and build woven furniture. 

"I guess my interest in basketry started when I was a little boy.  My paternal grandmother used to weave baskets and even built woven furniture out of Willow and other natural materials that were native to the land around where she lived.   She never actually taught me how to do it, but I can remember sitting and watching as she would bend, twist and pull the materials into shapes you wouldn't think was possible, all without breaking it,” said Dart.  “I remember especially when she would make her furniture; she had those willow branches rolled up soaking in a very large container of water.  I know now, it was the water that kept it from breaking.   But I have to give Shawna Cain credit as my official teacher because she is the first one who actually showed me how to weave when I was a teenager." 
 

Mike specializes in the contemporary round reed Cherokee double wall basket.  His art is considered contemporary because he uses contemporary materials such as commercially manufactured rattan reed and RIT fabric dyes.  However over the past year he has been researching and studying traditional basketry of the Southeastern Woodlands tribes, of which the Cherokee are considered to be a part of.   He has started experimenting with traditional materials such as honeysuckle, buckbrush and river cane, and has started practicing making natural dyes out of bloodroot and walnut.  But he says that even if he does obtain master knowledge in these skills, he will always continue to weave with contemporary materials. 

"I am a modern contemporary person.  I have some traditional values, such as my spiritual beliefs and practices, and the fact that I believe that elders and children should be treated with the utmost of respect, but I am definitely not what people would consider a traditional person.  I definitely march to my own beat and pride myself in the fact that I am different than most people around me.  It's what makes me unique.  And I want my art to always be unique, and to be distinctly recognizable if it was to be placed in a side by side line up with similar art by other artists,” said Dart. “Contemporary materials allow me to be more creative and artistic than traditional materials do.  I do not feel comfortable dying honeysuckle with RIT dye.  To me, it is like insulting the natural materials by doing this.  And there are certain colors I like to use that you cannot achieve with natural materials, at least not to my knowledge.   However with that being said,  I do want to continue practicing with traditional materials,  so that I can pass on the traditional methods  for future generations of Cherokee people.  It is extremely important that those of us who have this knowledge teach it." 

Even though there are still several Cherokee weavers left among the Oklahoma Cherokees, Dart says that he still feels like the art of basketry is endangered.  When asked why he feels this way, he has this to say: 

"Most of the weavers who actively weave are over the age of 50.  There are probably many people younger who know how to weave, but don't really actively pursue it as an art.  In fact, sitting here thinking, there are only three active weavers besides myself that are under the age of 50.  If we don't get younger people interested in this art, it might seriously be in danger of extinction as early as 20 years from now." 

Within the past year, Dart has taught approximately 20 Cherokee youth between the ages of 10 and 20 to weave the Cherokee double wall basket in the way he was taught by Shawna Cain.  He hopes that some of these kids, if not most of them will one day take a real interest, and pursue it as an art. 

When asked about the gender role of Cherokee basket weaving, Dart said, "I get asked that at least once a week it seems.  As I said, I march to my own beat and have always been different than everyone else.   It is true that traditionally, it was the women of our Nation who wove baskets.  But with progress, the roles of Cherokee men and women changed drastically, and they are no longer the same as they were 300 years ago.  This is evident in many ways.  Traditionally, it was the women of our tribe who pretty much ruled the roost.  The homes and children belonged solely to the women, and the men pretty much had to do what they said when it came to that.  You would really be surprised if you knew how many Cherokee men there are who weave nowadays, and weave actively.  I am pleased that more have started coming forward and entering their work in the shows within the past couple of years.  I like to think my influence and what little success I have had, might possibly have had something to do with that, but I will never know for sure." 

Dart's baskets can be purchased regularly in the Cherokee Heritage Center Gift Shop in Tahlequah, Okla. or directly from him.  Price ranges are from $5.00 to $1,000.00 or higher depending on the size, shape and the time it takes him to make it, as well as the types of materials he uses.  A medium sized basket would generally run $50.00 to $150.00.  You may find Dart and his baskets at the Annual Coffeyville Gathering scheduled at Coffeyville Community College on April 18-19, 2008.