MORNINGSTAR STUDIO
If you follow the Circle, you will never be lost.
 SPOZOWIALAKWZ (Morningstar) Jeanne Kent was named Spozowialakws (Morningstar) by an Abenaki Elder many years ago. It means: One who leads others out of the darkness into the light...a teacher. Little did she know that would become her vocation. She is descended from Abenaki, Nipissing, Montangais, and Algonquin People from the Quebec area of Canada. She is descended of Bear Clan People of the Odanak Reserve. Her father was French and Indian, her mother German. The mother of two, she is the grandmother to four. Her art work is primarily of Native American subjects or designs of the Northeast Woodland People. Her focus is those of the Wobanaki group. Her favorite mediums are gourd art, pen and ink, and pastels. Currently she is working on a series of gourd designs which provide a visual language for Abenaki history and stories. She has received both state and national awards and participated in one man shows and group shows through out CT, NY, and MA. She holds a Batchelor of Fine Arts Degree and a Master in Art Education from the University of Hartford. Additional courses were taken at Johnson College (VT), Smith College (MA), Trinity and Yale campuses (CT) and the Woodstock School of Art (NY). She taught art in public schools for twenty years encompassing levels from kindergarten to college. As teacher and artist, she has given inservices on Native crafts and history, to educators and offered courses at the University of Hartford extension courses. She served on a board for Native American Youth in CT and continues to strive to help youngsters learn about their culture. She has twice placed second in Women's Traditional Dancing and continues to teach young women the stories of the dances as well as the movements. She currently serves as an interpreter at the Institute for American Indian Studies (Washington, CT) where she has also lectured and given workshops. One of her gourd rattles is presently part of the permanent collection of the Chimney Point Museum (VT) where she has also been a guest demonstrator. "I have been drawing since I could hold a pencil, " she said. "Once I made a mark, I never stopped experimenting." Her work has been shown at the Artworks Gallery, McDaniels-Wiley Gallery, Gallows Book Store and Gallery (Trinity College), and the Bushnell Theater Gallery. She was invited to participate in an invitational group show in Boxboro (MA) at the New England Native American Institute which hosted the show: "Walking Between Two Worlds." One of her photographs was selected for the cover of the Connecticut Commission of the Arts Summer Bulletin. Her work is currently on sale at the Institute for American Indian Studies, Washington, Connecticut. "Although I am continuously walking between two worlds, I consider myself fortunate for finding a balance between cultures. My father gave me the desire to follow my spirit and dream. My mother gave me the stamina to achieve my dreams." ......Spozowialakws DISCLAIMER: Although I am of Native descent, items I make cannot be sold as Indian made (Native American made) produced, or the product of a particular Indian Tribe as defined by Articles 2.5 USC & 305 et seq of the Legislative Guidelines, because I am NOT tribally enrolled.  |
