Arts council announces 2005 Folklife Apprenticeships

The Nevada Arts Council has awarded Folklife Apprenticeships to allow a dozen traditional artists in the state to teach their skills to apprentices.

Each award provides $1,700 for the master artists. Applicants may also ask for funding to provide tools, materials and travel costs up to $800 more.

Most of the awards involve experts in Native American crafts. The awards announced are:

• Buck Sampson of Reno will teach Eddie Reymus of Sparks how to build traditional Native American Church stack boxes.

• Iola Byers of Fallon will teach Mildred Brigham and Amelia Smith of Fallon traditional cradle board stories and how to make Shoshone willow cradleboards.

• Vinton Hawley of Wadsworth will teach Lesley Williams of Wadsworth Pyramid Paiute winnowing tray and cradleboard making.

• Linda Johnson-Comas of Sparks will teach Lynnaya Cornas and Deonn Leyva of Reno the art of Shoshone round willow coil basketry and beadwork.

• Elaine Smokey of Shurz will teach Hanna-Maria Smokey Paiute horsehair weaving for miniature baskets.

• Wesley Dick of Fallon will teach Elizabeth Works buckskin smoke tanning and how to make a traditional dress from the tanned hides.

• Twila Batt of Elko will teach Ray Batt and Carissa Stone Shoshone beadwork for moccasins and other wearable items.

• Virginia McCuin of Silver Springs will teach Audrey Schular of Carson City silver and gold casting for jewelry.

• Kulvadee Sompong of Las Vegas will teach Kochasick Phibulphanuvat and Supatra Chemprachum, both of Las Veas, traditional Thai flower arranging, fruit and vegetable carving and ceremonial cooking.

• Alfred Rogers of Yerington will teach Rosemary de Soto and Marlin Thompson Great Basin Paiute songs.

• Martha Luevanos of Las Vegas will teach Gerardo Luevanos Mexican folk dances.

• Yoko Fitzpatrick of Henderson will teach Mitsuko Peart and Kumiko Mori of Henderson Japanese koto music.