Wyoming Arts Council Announces Folk Art Mentoring Grant Recipients

The Wyoming Arts Council is pleased to announce the five recipients of the fiscal year 2023 Folk & Traditional Arts Mentoring Project Grants. The recipients are: 

• Anita Thatcher teaching Franki Scott, both of Dubois, the art of Wool Saddle Pad Making.
• Darrell Lonebear, Sr (Northern Arapaho), teaching Darrell Lonebear, Jr (Northern Arapaho), both of Fort Washakie, the art of Ceremonial Rawhide Rattle Making. 
• Eric Hannig (Navajo) teaching Adonis Sheeley, both of Wheatland, the art of Leatherwork.
• Jasmine Pickner Bell (Crow Creek Dakota Sioux), teaching Aloysia Bell (Northern Arapaho/Crow Creek Dakota Sioux), both of Riverton, the art of Hoop Dancing.
• Marcus Dewey (Northern Arapaho), of Arapahoe, teaching Veronica Miller (Northern Arapaho), of Riverton, the art of Fully Beaded Cradleboard Making. 

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, 2022 - June 30, 2023. The grant amount is $3,000. 

“Folk and traditional arts are typically learned through informal processes such as observation, imitation, and one-on-one apprenticeships” said Josh Chrysler of the Wyoming Arts Council.  “The Folk Art Mentoring Project Grant is designed to create opportunities for those informal, grassroots learning experiences where these art forms are best learned and maintained by the communities from which they come.”  

Applications are made jointly between master and apprentice, and reviewed by a panel of experts. This year, the panelists included Audra Draper (Master Bladesmith, previous mentor artist); Crystal C’Bearing (Deputy Director, Northern Arapaho Tribal Historic Preservation Office); Thomas Grant Richardson (Director of Center for Washington Cultural Traditions); 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 Caption:

Anita Thatcher: Anita Thatcher, of Dubois, with her wool saddle pads.