The Museum of the American Indian, on the site of a former Coast Miwok settlement in Novato, is exhibiting work that brings Indigenous storytelling to the fore through distinct artistic practices rooted in family, community and lived relationships with the land.
Elissa Simons explores native portraiture through analog photography and plant-based photo processing. Simons draws on family artistry reflected in motifs connected to her relatives.
Beneath her portraits are native plant specimens. More than natural references, they reflect the chemistry of the photo development process. The plants are reminders of the enduring relationships between Coast Miwok people and the environment.
The exhibit includes a motif painted on the wall that was inspired by a handwoven basket made by Simons’ great-great-grandmother, Rosalie Charles.
Jackie Fawn’s graphic illustrations focus on Indigenous resiliency and land preservation. Her work is known for its portraits of warrior women protecting the land and people from colonial forces.
Fawn also embeds parenthood in her work, describing it as a permanent reminder and motivation for leaving a brighter future for the next generations to inherit.
Alicia Retes highlights how Indigenous knowledge can move through cultural materials and education. Raised in San Diego and spending summers in Mexico, she developed a strong connection with Indigenous traditions of Sonora and the natural world.
A certified interpretive naturalist, she teaches about climate change and ecosystem disruption across the region from Baja to California. Retes also shares Indigenous stories through original songs and handmade cornhusk puppets.
Together, these works underscore how art can carry culture forward through technique, family memory and community purpose. The gallery will continue that focus with a new exhibit opening July 16 featuring Navajo doctors who were on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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