Wyoming Arts Council Announces Folk Art Mentoring Grant Recipients

The Wyoming Arts Council is pleased to announce the 13 recipients of the fiscal year 2022 Folk & Traditional Arts Mentoring Project Grants. The recipients are: 

• Vicki Engavo (Eastern Shoshone) teaching Becky Bercier (Turtle Mountain Chippewa), both of Fort Washakie, the art of Eagle Feather Fan Making. 
• Rich Singer (Crow), of Fort Washakie, teaching Winslow Friday (Northern Arapaho), of Lander, the art of Big Horn Ram’s Horn Bow Making.
• Gloria Runs Close to Lodge-Goggles (Oglala Lakota), of Ethete, teaching Jenn Runs Close to Lodge (Oglala Lakota), of Fort Washakie, the art of Traditional Plains Indian Women’s Dress Making
• Steve Mecum, of Crowheart, teaching Misty Corlett, of Riverton, the art of Western Saddlemaking. 
• Rose Pecos-SunRhodes (Jemez Pueblo) teaching Jayce OldCoyote (Jemez Pueblo/Northern Arapaho/Crow), both of Fort Washakie, the art of Traditional Jemez Pueblo Pottery.
• Ernie Marsh, of Lovell, teaching Amy Erickson, of Evanston, the art of Bit and Spur Making.
• Charles Dewey (Northern Arapaho), of Arapahoe, teaching Lynelle Shakespeare (Northern Arapaho), of Riverton, the art of Lazy-stitch Style Beadwork.
• David Osmundsen teaching Lauren Phillips, both of Buffalo, the art of Traditional Blacksmithing.
• John Blair, of Greybull, teaching Matt Avery, of Rozet, the art of Western Saddlemaking. 
• Renee' Enos-Reed (Eastern Shoshone) teaching DaleRae Green (Eastern Shoshone), both of Fort Washakie, the art of Elk Teeth Trade-Cloth Dress Making. 
• Loree Sanchez, of Cheyenne, teaching Estela Torres Guernsey, of Gillette,  Mariachi Music.
• Robert Poff teaching Marta Maulik, both of Riverton, the art of Leather Carving.
• Adam DesRosiers, of Petersburg, Alaska teaching Kevin Willey of Sheridan, the art ofBladesmithing and Damascus Steel. 

These 13 mentoring pairs represent the Wyoming Arts Council’s greatest investment to date in the Folk Art Mentoring Program. In a typical fiscal year, the Wyoming Arts Council awards up to four grants. Additional granting was made possible this year by American Rescue Plan funds, allocated to the Wyoming Arts Council by the National Endowment for the Arts. 

Folk Art Mentoring Grants are designed to support the continuation of Wyoming’s folk and traditional arts through the process of in-person, hands-on instruction. A master artist works with a dedicated apprentice from their community to mentor over the course of the project in order to advance the skills of the apprentice in their traditional art form. Projects will run from July 1, 2021 - June 30, 2022. The grant amount is $3,000. 

Applications are made jointly between master and apprentice, and reviewed by a panel of experts. This year, the panelists included Kaitlyn Berle (Folk & Traditional Arts Coordinator, Wisconsin Arts Board); Crystal C’Bearing (Deputy Director, Northern Arapaho Tribal Historic Preservation Office); Maria Lisa Eastman (Cowboy Poet and Director of Rainhorse Equine Assisted Services); and Andrea Graham (Folklife Specialist, American Studies, University of Wyoming)

For more information contact Josh Chrysler at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 307-256-2010, or visit the grants tab at wyomingartscouncil.org.

Photo Captions:

Ernie Marsh: Double Heart Spurs made by Ernie Marsh of Lovell, Wyoming.

Charles Dewey: Beaded Moccasins made by Charles Dewey (Northern Arapaho) of Arapahoe, Wyoming.

Rose SunRodes: Pueblo Storyteller made by Rose Pecos-SunRhodes (Jemez Pueblo) of Fort Washakie, Wyoming.

Steve Mecum: Saddle made by Steve Mecum of Crowheart, Wyoming.

Renee’ Enos-Reed: Elk Teeth Trade-Cloth Dress being made by Renee’ Enos-Reed (Eastern Shoshone) of Fort Washakie, Wyoming.