 Avery Jones, tribal member and artist, has been working on a mural on a wall at the FSST Wellness Center since May of this year. In his spare time, Avery spent a few hours a day or as time allowed and painted a mural. He was putting the final touches on the mural on August 14th.
His mural painting is the first time he has done a large scale painting. When asked what inspired him to paint the mural and the theme for it Avery said: “I haven’t really named the painting I just wanted to depict how our people (Santee) got here to Flandreau, some of them walked here. I know it was a sad and serious time for them. While painting the mural I didn’t know where to stop at times. If anything I wanted to portray the colors and emotions that must have been felt by the Santee’s that came here. At first I wanted everything to be perfect, but I ended up following how I felt and painted. It was in the fall when the Santee’s came here, they were in mourning.”
Avery added: “I hope people can look at it (mural) and be inspired to remember the history of our Santee ancestors, like the child in the picture knows he has to go somewhere so he seems to just know he has to walk ahead of everyone to get there. I want people in the tribe to know who we are. I just wished everyone here would get along with each other like the people did that originally came here.”
Avery turned 18 years old on August 14th and on August 15th, his mother Cindy Weston and Auntie Sherry Weston drove him to Santa Fe, New Mexico, where he will begin his higher education at the Santa Fe Institute of American Arts. He wants to complete four years of studies in art.
Avery said: “I want to get away and find more for me in the field of art. Flandreau will always be my home but I am looking forward to going on to new experiences and new places and areas. As far as my paintings, I somewhat like abstract and my mural painting has a little abstract in it kind of like Joanne Bird.”
Avery graduated with honors from Flandreau Indian School in May of 2008 and the Valedictorian graduate of his class. He took art classes every year in high school. He said: “the classes gave me an excuse to doodle a little.”
His other hobbies are playing the guitar, writing, listening to music, drawing and painting.
Avery is the son of Cindy Weston and Gordon Jones, Jr., the grandson of Elmer Weston and the late Vera (Heminger) Weston, and Gordon and Judy Jones, Sr. and the great grandson of the late Amos and Sophie (Wells) Weston and Harry and Bessie (Eastman) Jones.-Editor |
