Past Featured Artists

The following artists have been featured artists at realwildrice.com.

Derald Keezer 

Featured February 2014 ~ Hand Carved Walking Sticks

Derald Wayne Keezer, White Earth enrollee, son of Robert Alan Keezer and Sophie Angeline Waukazo was born in Cass Lake, MN in 1946. Raised by his mother and step-father Raymond Monroe, Derald grew up in Cass Lake until age 5 when his family moved to Minneapolis, MN. In the early 70’s he returned to Cass Lake, MN and alternately lived on the Leech Lake and White Earth Reservations before settling in his home near South Twin Lake, Naytahwaush, MN in 2011. His White Earth Reservation home site is the homestead of his father’s family in the early 1900’s.

Derald first started wood carving at age 20 when he taught himself how to make wood decoys for ice fishing. About 10 years later he started making canes from diamond willow. Now Derald enjoys creating his canes with a variety of wood he gathers in the forests surrounding his home. It can take 30 to 50 hours to complete one of his canes depending on the complexity of the wood he uses. The cane handles are made from pine tree knots. Each cane and knot is carefully stripped of bark, fine sanded and polished, creating his beautiful and unique works of art. 

Faron Blakely

Featured March 2014 ~ Paintings and Burnt Wood

As a young boy born in Park Rapids, Minnesota, Faron became accustomed to small town living. He enjoyed walks in the woods and playing with his friends. He was always aware of his surroundings and took to nature well. This is where his first ideas for his drawings became to be. His Indian name, Keewaydin, which means north wind in Ojibway, was given to him by his uncle. This name helped him identify and inspire who he is. Throughout his life he moved to different places, and then found himself in south Minneapolis living with family and friends. This is where he spent his adolescent years and most of his young adult life. He struggled through hardships and battled addiction and taught himself how to survive the rough life on the streets. Through his times of struggles Faron only became stronger. He finished high school and started a family.After realizing that Minneapolis wasn’t a place he wanted for his children, Faron and two daughters moved to Fargo, ND, bringing nothing but their clothes. Faron had to build a new life for them. He knew his art was the only way to get them started. Living in Fargo since 2000, Faron has become well known in the Fargo-Moorhead community. Not only is he referred to as an artist, but he’s also a drummer, a singer and a traditional dancer.Now walking the red road of recovery as a husband and father, Faron and his wife Lauretta are blessed to be raising their five children and building his art business. He continues to travel to powwows and art fairs getting the needed exposure. Faron is a very gifted artist. He can turn a simple image into a magnificent masterpiece. His art has traveled throughout the U.S, Canada, and the world. He is truly a person who was born to bring you Native American art at its finest.

Janet Oshkinowe

Featured April 2014 ~ Various Beadwork

Boozhoo.

Janet Oshkinowe Ind izh I ne kaaz (is my name). Shing go nak quay Ojibwe ezhi ni kaaz o yaan (is my Ojibwe name).  Gaa waa baa bi gan I kaag  Ish ko ni gan ing  ind oo ji baa (White Earth is the reservation I am from.  Makwa In doo dam (Bear is my clan).

I am an enrolled member of the White Earth Nation. I was born and lived in Minneapolis, MN most of my life.  I have four great children and 5+1 on the way beautiful grandchildren. I returned to White Earth in 2001. Although I only visited White Earth as a child, in my heart it has always been my home. My grandparents who both lived here were fluent speakers of the Ojibwe language, unfortunately I am not, but I am learning. 

The first time I was introduced to beading was in the 7^th grade. Back in the day, we had a program called Indian Upward Bound. Many of you may remember this program. The program supported Urban Native Youth in the public school system. After making my first beaded piece, I was hooked on the art. 

Although I went through many trials and tribulations through my life (as many people do), beading always seemed to bring me back to earth.  Beading helped me to relax and creating it taught me patience. My work is more contemporary, but I have made some regalia pieces.  

Anita Zurn

Featured July 2014 ~ Paintings

I was born in 1958, shortly after my grandma, Nancy Fairbanks, moved her family of six from Pine Point to Detroit Lakes. My dad is from Callaway. I have many relatives living on the White Earth reservation or nearby. I have always been very proud of my heritage. My grandma was very important to me and taught me so much about life. I loved her and my mother’s stories of their younger days in Pine Point and Ponsford. I know there’s not much there these days but to me it is a wonderful place to be.

I call it “P-town” and I enjoy so many things about the area.  Besides my family and friends are the birds, animals, water, deer, beaver, turtles, herons, ducks and all other wildlife there. It’s such a quiet and beautiful area. All these things and more inspire me to paint. Most of my paintings are of animals and birds. I believe they are a special gift from the Creator. The message I try to convey with my art is “look at these animals and see how amazingly beautiful they are!” I often paint animals that are “smiling” or mothers and their babies. My art has been called “whimsical”.

I use mostly watercolors in my paintings but have tried acrylics too. I went to college where I concentrated on Graphic Design. I was able to work as a Graphic Designer for close to 30 years. In 2003 I started painting and other than a few demonstrations, I’m pretty much self-taught. It’s fun to see the improvements in my paintings over the years. I call art my “therapy” and would be totally lost without it. I feel very blessed to have this ability and even more when my art makes someone else smile or happy.

I live in Blaine, MN and participate in many art shows around the city. I’ve been honored to win awards at art shows. I donate several paintings a year for fund raising.  I’ve also sold paintings online and my art is in countries all over the world! 

Sandra Hernandez

Featured August/September 2014 ~ Various Birch Bark Products