Far and away, the high point of my 2014 Indian Market experience was my discovery of The Cape, a textile so spectacular, it requires capitalization.
As my mom was visiting the booth of Sheldon Harvey, a Navajo painter and sculptor, I wandered off on my own to peruse the offerings at nearby stalls. From across the street, I spotted a black garment hanging in the back of a shaded tent. Upon closer inspection, I saw that it was a black feathered cape that looked like something from Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan.
The cape’s creator, Cherokee artist Lisa Rutherford, was kind enough to let me try it on, and to explain a little about the labor intensive process of dying, tying and sewing required to fabricate her one-of-a-kind pieces. While I marveled at the lightness and warmth of the cape (which fit perfectly and felt like it was made for me), a crowd started to gather to admire the way the hand dyed goose feathers reflected the sunlight. This garment, made in the time honored Cherokee tradition, could just as easily be imagined on a runway in New York or Paris, and is essentially a couture piece that calls to mind the drama of Alexander McQueen or Rodarte.
Artist Lisa Rutherford wears another of her handmade capes.
“I began making 18th century Cherokee clothing and wanted a cape after I saw the Eastern Band Cherokees wearing them in North Carolina. They are made on a hand-tied net base, using the simple netting knot used for fishing nets. The net is contoured, so it’s a little tricky learning to fit them to size. I make them the historic way, but I sometimes add ribbon or other feathers and embellishment to make them more modern. They are now worn with historic clothing, traditional clothing, and even on the runway and contemporary fashion.”
Lisa is an award winning artist based in Tahlequah, OK, and a member of the Cherokee Nation. While her mastery of the art of making feathers capes was clearly evident to me, I’ve since learned that she works in a wide variety of mediums that relate back to her passion for 18th and early 19th century Cherokee art and history: hand-coiled pottery, southeast appliqué beadwork, twined bags and textiles, and making historic clothing. She continues to pursue her interests and hone her skills; recently, she studied textiles, featherwork, and beadwork and early Cherokee clothing at the National Museum of the American Indian.
The same cape pictured above with a hand twined skirt, a technique that dates back 9,000 years.
Now a couple of months later, I checked in with Lisa, and she has informed me that the cape is on its way to a fashion show in Tulsa, OK to take part in a fundraiser for the Living Arts called “Champagne & Chocolate,” which sounds appropriately decadent for a garment so sumptuous and rich. I can only hope that whoever takes it home appreciates both the sartorial brilliance and the cultural significance of this handmade Native American artistic treasure.
(Author’s Note: In February, Lisa emailed me to share some great news: the cape has been selected for purchase by the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Indian for their collection! This is a very prestigious honor, and we couldn’t be happier for Lisa.)