ABOUT THE ARTIST~~~
Hello. I am Angel. I am half Swedish, and half French. My grandmother(french), is believed to be Oneida Indian, of the Turtle Clan. I was born in the forests of Eastern Oregon, grew up near the coast, and in the deserts of Arizona and Nevada. I have a great respect for nature and all living things.
For the greater majority who may not understand the name "ONATAH",(pronounced:O-naw-ta), it means:"Of The Earth"; it's origin, Iroquois Indian. Since, without the gifts our Earth Mother bestows upon me, I would not be able to do the kind of art I do, I felt it was a most appropriate name for this site.
All of my work at Onatah is made from hand grown, hand harvested, hand dyed materials, with the exception of some yarns. Whenever possible, I tan my own hides, gather my own grasses, pine needles, feathers, Porcupine quills, horsehair, etc. I buy my Turquoise and Heishi directly from the Southwest Mines, Miners, Silversmith's or from Reservations in Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona , Nevada and Mexico. I buy bone, heishi, horn, claws, and a lot of my beads from Trading Posts, Hunters, Silversmiths, Indian Artists and Reputable American Suppliers. I try to dye my porcupine quills from flowers, nuts, grasses, seeds and other raw materials, but occasionally I am forced to use prepared dyes. I try to state throughout this site, where my Turquoise comes from; at least what State and the Mine, if I know. On Very Rare occasions, I do purchase Chinese Turquoise, which comes from the Hubei Mine and other mines in China; but Primarily I try to use only Genuine Turquoise Mined HERE in the United States. I guarantee all my work to be Genuine, One-Of-A Kind pieces, and as stated. Each piece purchased comes with a Certificate of Authenticity, so the customer can be assured the item purchased is guaranteed to be exactly as stated in the description.
I have traveled all my life, and living so many places, I have been integrated into many different cultures, which my art reflects. I made my first basket in 1968. I make coil, woven, pine needle, horsehair, willow, bark, fiber and grass baskets. I've been making jewelry since 1970. I have taught basketry, weaving, loom making, and many, many other crafts. I do a lot of custom work, and always look forward to new challenges. I have a degree in Fine Arts, specializing in American Indian Arts and Cultures.
I participate in many Artist Groups, Art Shows, Powwows and Festivals. To see where I might be showing my Art, go to the "WHAT'S NEW AT ONATAH" page...updated last on March 22, 2012. I also consign jewelry, or sell jewelry lots, to owners of different shops, boutiques, etc. If you are looking for something different to put in the jewelry case at your shop, feel free to contact me.
Please feel free to write anytime and ask questions, share, comment, voice opinions...or whatever. I will ALWAYS be happy to hear from YOU! Have a great time here! Thank You for sharing your time with me.
