Human rights group supports culture, arts
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PABLO – In an effort to bring people together, the Flathead Reservation Human Rights Coalition sponsored a community art project
“It’s the positive stuff that brings people together,” said FRHRC founder Cathy Billie.
The coalition promotes tolerance and respect by bringing people together for various projects including potluck dinners, film events, Hate Free Zone projects, a Woman’s Health Fair booth, anti-bullying workshops, essay contests and other projects.
“We need people to come together with different views and respect each other as humans,” she said.
On Sunday, Steven Paul Judd from Oklahoma was invited to Pablo to help people from all over Lake County with an art project.
“Regardless of your ability, you can help create a masterpiece,” Tracy Frank said at Two Eagle River School. She is the vice president for FRHRC.
“Every year we try and do a different project,” she said. “We invite everyone to check Facebook for more activities.”
Several groups attended the event including Upward Bound, a college preparation group, and Kicking Horse Job Corps students. Individuals also attended the event, including Andrea Stevens.
“I like painting and drawing,” she said adding that she works on art projects of all kinds in school and was happy to get started on the community art project.
Jordan Stasso and Sonney Doney opened the event with an honor song before people sat down at long tables covered in protective paper.
Each person was given a small 2-inch by 2-inch canvas. The guest artist also gave each person a paper guide, which looked like an abstract drawing. People used the guides to reproduce a design Judd made for the event. No one but Judd knew what the painting was supposed to be until it was finished.
“I want them to concentrate on the shapes,” Judd said. “Anyone can paint using this grid pattern.”
Judd travels around the country organizing community art projects. He makes his living as anan artist with projects from paintings to films. His latest film was shown in the Indigenous Film Series presented at the Entertainer Cinema in Ronan. His short film is titled “Search for the World’s Best Indian Taco.”
Several businesses made donations to support the film festival and the art project.
“We couldn’t do this without their support,” Billie said. “We are a nonprofit group so we have a lot of help each year.”
After more than 50 small squares were painted red, black and pink by people in the community, the picture was put together. People stood close by to see what the finished piece would look like
“O, I see it,” one person in the crowd said. The end result was the portrait of a Native American. The FRHRC is donating the painting to Two Eagle River School.
