Antelope Valley Indian Museum hosts Native American Artists

California State Park’s Antelope Valley Indian Museum State Historic Park (SHP) will celebrate Native American Heritage Month with five guest artists sharing their Native culture with museum visitors. The guest artists will have their art for sale.

Sunday, Nov. 26, will showcase Nadia Reed, a member of the Chinook Nation in Washington State. Her Pacific Northwest Coastal Native American heritage inspired paintings convey a mixture of symbolic, expressionistic imagery of dancers, waterfalls, forests, animals, fish, masks and mythical beings.

Visitors will have the opportunity to meet Michael Chas Williams, a member of the Wichita Tribe of Anadarko, Oklahoma, on Saturday, Dec. 9. He creates jewelry, dreamcatchers, and portraits of contemporary subjects and historical Native American people.

On Saturday, Dec. 16, will highlight internationally recognized gourd artist Nadiya Littlewarrior (Potawatomi/Cherokee). Nadiya founded Spirit Vessels Studio in 1993. Regarding her gourds, Nadiya says, “They are Spirit Vessels to me because The Creator makes the Gourd People and puts their spirit in them, and I get to dress them with regalia.”

The museum will feature Maria Martinez, an artist of Yaqui heritage, on Sunday, Dec. 17. Maria creates copper and sterling silver jewelry by hand.

Time and dates: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Nov. 26, and Dec. 9, 16, and 17.

Admission: $3 for adults. Children 12 and under are free.

Location: 15701 E. Ave. M, Lancaster, California. Directions: From the 14 Freeway in Lancaster, go east on Avenue K to 150th Street East. Turn right and go south for two miles to Avenue M. Turn left and go east on Avenue M for 1 mile to the museum.

Pets are not allowed. For more information, please call the museum at (661) 946-3055 (711 TTY relay service), or visit our website at avim.parks.ca.gov. Follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/AVIndianMuseum.

The Antelope Valley Indian Museum SHP exhibits over 4,000 objects created by the American Indian peoples of southern California, Arizona, and New Mexico. Visitors also enjoy the nature trail, gift shop, and picnic area.