THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, February 10, 1995 TAG: 9502080253
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 08B EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Marlene Ford
LENGTH: Medium: 62 lines
It's a cultural stretch to put together the sounds of a mystical Native American flute, drums and a gurgling, sputtering espresso machine.
That, however, was the setting for the second ``opening'' reception of ``Native American Art by L. Michael Cloud Butler'' at Cuppa Jo's Coffee House.
And since the little shop was packed last Sunday afternoon, it was obviously a stretch people were willing to make.
Shop co-owner Joe Strickland explained the earlier gathering at the beginning of the month had been such a success they thought a second would be even better. He also wanted to bring special attention to this first exhibit by artist Michael Butler, who lives in Virginia Beach and is by profession a contractor. By heritage he is a transplanted artist of the Ojibwe-Lac Courte Orielles clan in Wisconsin.
Between flute and drum ``sets,'' between rounds of coffee, Butler was willing to talk to guests and explain his art. The drawings and carvings include clean, classic looking prints of clan totems - bears, buffalos, turtles, a few precious examples of beadwork done by his grandmother and actual native artifacts.
``The art work I was creating all these years I've been giving away to special friends. I wasn't seeking to be a commercial artist. I didn't explore it in that way, and I liked giving it away,'' Butler began.
``Finally about three years ago, after a lot of urging from friends and others who'd seen my work, I started thinking getting out into the public. It's nice to be in the limelight, but mostly I feel I am giving pleasure to my tribal friends by doing this,'' he said.
Although interpreted in his own manner and media, the works are based on traditional Ojibwe art. All find root in Butler's youth on a Wisconsin Indian reservation, the stories of parents or the crafts of his grandparents.
The several black and white prints are modernistic looking recreations of the clan animal totems. One austere crane figure is surrounded by a black border based on typical woodlands-style beadwork. The several cut-out and matted birch bark figures, one of which is a moose silhouette, are traditionally used as patterns for beaded work. And, his three wood carvings in Douglas fir are three-dimensional expressions of the animals that represent each of the Ojibwe clans.
A small, but interesting, part of the exhibit includes two examples of beadwork by Jack Markowitz.
Performers Michael Price, flute, and Chris Silent Hawk Jones, Lewis Richardson and Markowitz, drums, will probably not be back for a third opening of this exhibit, but since it has been popular, the show is extended through February. MEMO: Cuppa Jo's is at 301 25th St. For information about hours, call
437-4436.
ILLUSTRATION: Photo by MARLENE FORD
L. Michael Cloud Butler, a contractor, is having a first exhibit of
his works at Cuppa Jo's Coffee House.
by CNB