Artist stays true to his Native American roots

Published 5:22 pm Wednesday, August 18, 2010

The imagery comes to life with the rich texture of brightly applied pastels, melding a vivid look of a culture’s past with the challenges of the present to the imaginative beholder.

Staying close to his Native American roots, Jarrod Da’ carefully merges a contemporary touch with the native ways of life in his art. Through his works, the 36-year-old man of Pueblo Indian and Spanish descent contemplates the constant struggle between the ever-expanding modern and natural worlds.

Interpretive Native American fine art does more than inspire Da’. It represents a link to his past and provides an opportunity to extend his family’s artistic legacy.

“The driving influence in my life is to create interpretations of what I see as a way of celebrating the greatness and beauty all around us,” said Da’, who grew up in the Four Corners Region of the Southwest.

As a boy, he was influenced greatly by the region’s natural beauty, history and heritage as reflected in the art of ancestral Puebloan culture in New Mexico.

Da’s understanding and appreciation for nature and its many mysteries are expressed in his work, which he shares at Native American art galleries, near and far. He also shares his artistry with youngsters as a teacher at the Muckleshoot Child Development Center.

Art offers a therapeutic, hands-on, creative outlet for struggling and eager children at school.

“We try to give the kids whatever they need … tutoring, help,” Da’ explained. “Art is just another way of communicating, especially for kids who have a hard time communicating … on how they are doing and where they are at in their lives.”

A child’s artwork can reflect moods, hopes and dreams. Such was the case for a youngster who developed a creative imagination by living in secluded areas like the Rocky Mountains and the High Plains of New Mexico.

Da’ observed with fascination the artwork of his grandparents, especially his grandmother, Maria Martinez, who was world renowned for her pottery.

That legacy continued with Da’s father, Tony, a perfectionist who remains a major influence in his art today.

“I would sit in my father’s studio watching the way he translated (cultural) images into his own vision,” Da’ added.

Da’ has created his own style today by blending past imagery with contemporary features. It is an ongoing style he has developed since graduating from the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, N.M.

Many of Da’s recent works are tied to the environment and humanity’s effects on it.

“I hope people would look at that and have an appreciation for life and what’s around us,” Da’s said.

Da’s creations stem from his cultural roots.

Pueblo Indian tribes used unique imagery of animals and nature to define a relationship within their society, Da’ explained. The relationship might include an animal’s spiritual role in a ceremony, but also the role of necessity as a food source for the community.

“The images I use are derived from the Mimbres culture that was a thriving civilization located in southern New Mexico during approximately A.D. 100 through A.D. 1150,” Da’ explained. “My family has used these images as an inspiration for their own artwork for many generations.

“By using traditional geometric imagery I am trying to communicate a bonding with traditional images with a more contemporary application and direction.”

His work gradually is gaining attention. One of his pieces recently was awarded while on display at the Heard Museum in Phoenix.

Da’ intends to perfect his craft, circulate his name and gain further exposure, which translates into more sales.

“It’s a progression,” he said of his work. “The economy has been hard on artists.”

One local supporter is Betsy Custis, who mounts many of Da’s paintings from her Auburn shop, Vintage Antiques Custom Picture Framing & Auburn Coin Shop.

“His style is very different, very unique, and people are really impressed by it,” Custis said. “I’ve been fortunate to work with Jarrod. Just when I think his latest artwork is his best, he comes up with something even better.”

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ON EXHIBIT

Local artist Jarrod Da’s work is on display at the Contemporary Northwest Native Arts Exhibit at the Washington State History Museum through Sept. 19. The juried art exhibit showcases the work of contemporary Native American artists. The museum is located at 1911 Pacific Ave., Tacoma.

For more information about the exhibit, visit www.wshs.org or call 1-888-238-4373. To learn more about Da’ and his artwork, go to www.jarrodda.com.