Artist Statement
Statement by Tyrese Bright Flower Gould Jacinto
As a master artist of the ancient Nanticoke Lenape Nation, my work is a living expression of our culture, a testament to thousands of years of tradition passed down through generations. My art is not just a craft but a continuation of a lineage that connects us to our ancestors, Mother Earth, and the circle of life itself.
The materials I use, leather, wood, gourds, cornhusks, seeds, pine needles, and clay, are not arbitrary. They are gifts from Mother Earth, imbued with the spirit of our ancestors, who lived, created, and thrived in this land long before Europeans arrived. Every piece I create is "usable art," an essential part of our way of life. An intricately carved wooden spoon is a work of beauty and a tool used in daily sustenance. A leather pouch adorned with seeds and beads holds the sacred and practical alike. A clay or pine needle bowl, formed with care, returns to the earth after its purpose is fulfilled, completing the circle of creation and renewal.
For us, art is not separate from life; it is life. It is spiritual, functional, and temporary, as are all things in nature. This understanding of impermanence, coupled with reverence for our materials, distinguishes our art from the static and immortalized forms often valued in Western traditions. Yet, the temporality of our creations does not diminish their worth. Instead, it elevates them, as each piece holds the dust of our ancestors and carries forward the wisdom of countless generations.
My journey as an artist began in childhood, shaped by the guidance of elders. At the age of 7, I crafted my first corn husk doll. By 10, I made my first porcupine necklace, and at 11, I sewed my first leather pouch and carved my first wooden spoon with a pen knife gifted to me. At 13, I wove my first pine needle basket. In my twenties, I began working with gourds, using seeds passed down from my grandmother's collection. These seeds, saved and cultivated, embody the continuity of our traditions and the resilience of our people.
Today, as an elder, I witness these traditions thriving within my community. At our gatherings, I see younger generations embracing the knowledge that was once passed to me, ensuring the continuation of our culture. This transmission of art and wisdom is the foundation of our existence. It is how we honor our ancestors, sustain our identity, and assert our sovereignty as the Nanticoke Lenape Nation.
My art reflects a heritage that predates European colonization. This heritage cannot be measured by Western standards of "mastery." Instead, it is validated by our people's enduring presence and traditions. We are the authority on our art, culture, and existence. Our art has survived and evolved through millennia, rooted in this land and intertwined with its natural rhythms.
To dismiss Indigenous art as "unknown" or "unproven" is to deny the authenticity and resilience of a people who have flourished despite erasure. My work is not merely folk art; it is a declaration of identity, a testament to endurance, and a celebration of the sacred bond between humanity and the earth.
As an artist of the Nanticoke Lenape Nation, I create honor for our past and secure our future. My art is an invitation to understand that life is art and that the spirit of a people cannot be erased.
As an artist and educator, I have dedicated my life to preserving and sharing the art forms of the Nanticoke Lenape Nation while fostering cross-cultural understanding and appreciation. My teaching spans decades and has reached audiences of all ages and backgrounds. Through residencies, workshops, exhibitions, and media, I have worked to ensure that our traditions endure and inspire both Native and non-Native communities.
My work has been exhibited in esteemed venues such as Gallery 50 in Bridgeton, the Perkins Center for the Arts in Sewell, and the Stockton University Art Gallery, where my art has been celebrated for its intricate craftsmanship and cultural depth. These exhibitions have drawn attention from major media outlets, including numerous news articles in print and television, showcasing the vitality and significance of Indigenous art in today's world. As a teaching artist, I've also had the privilege of leading residencies at institutions such as Wheaton Arts and Stockton College, where I mentor emerging artists and teach traditional art forms like gourd carving, corn husk doll-making, and pine needle basketry.
Beyond formal settings, I regularly share my knowledge through community events, workshops, and online platforms. My YouTube instructional videos reach a global audience, offering step-by-step guidance on traditional Lenape crafts and demonstrating our art forms' practical and spiritual elements. I have also authored 19 books of stories, each weaving together the history, culture, and lessons of the Nanticoke Lenape Nation, ensuring that our oral traditions find new life in written form.
My teaching philosophy is rooted in inclusion and accessibility. While I am deeply committed to passing these traditions to my Native community, I also teach others to honor the beauty and significance of Indigenous art. My events, as highlighted on my website, span countless workshops, community gatherings, and educational presentations. These efforts reflect my belief that art is a bridge, a way to connect people to the land, one another, and the shared human experience.
Through these diverse platforms, I not only preserve the sacred traditions of my ancestors but also create opportunities for dialogue and understanding, ensuring that the art and wisdom of the Nanticoke Lenape Nation remain a vibrant part of the cultural fabric of New Jersey and beyond.
At the heart of everything I create and teach is the understanding that all life moves in a circle. The gifts of Mother Earth, such as leather, wood, seeds, clay, and pine needles, are not just resources but sacred elements of this eternal cycle. When shaped by human hands, these materials become vessels of beauty and function, imbued with the spirit of our ancestors. Once their purpose is fulfilled, they return to the earth, breaking down to become part of the soil, part of the dust, ready to nurture new growth.
This circle is not only a symbol but a truth guiding my art, teaching, and life. As we honor the gifts we receive from the earth, we prepare them to become gifts for future generations, new seeds, new materials, and new stories. In this way, our traditions are not static; they live, breathe, and evolve, grounded in the unbroken connection between past, present, and future. My deepest hope is that through my work, the circle continues and that those who learn from me will carry forward these gifts, ensuring the resilience of our culture and the enduring beauty of our art.
As a master artist of the ancient Nanticoke Lenape Nation, my work is a living expression of our culture, a testament to thousands of years of tradition passed down through generations. My art is not just a craft but a continuation of a lineage that connects us to our ancestors, Mother Earth, and the circle of life itself.
The materials I use, leather, wood, gourds, cornhusks, seeds, pine needles, and clay, are not arbitrary. They are gifts from Mother Earth, imbued with the spirit of our ancestors, who lived, created, and thrived in this land long before Europeans arrived. Every piece I create is "usable art," an essential part of our way of life. An intricately carved wooden spoon is a work of beauty and a tool used in daily sustenance. A leather pouch adorned with seeds and beads holds the sacred and practical alike. A clay or pine needle bowl, formed with care, returns to the earth after its purpose is fulfilled, completing the circle of creation and renewal.
For us, art is not separate from life; it is life. It is spiritual, functional, and temporary, as are all things in nature. This understanding of impermanence, coupled with reverence for our materials, distinguishes our art from the static and immortalized forms often valued in Western traditions. Yet, the temporality of our creations does not diminish their worth. Instead, it elevates them, as each piece holds the dust of our ancestors and carries forward the wisdom of countless generations.
My journey as an artist began in childhood, shaped by the guidance of elders. At the age of 7, I crafted my first corn husk doll. By 10, I made my first porcupine necklace, and at 11, I sewed my first leather pouch and carved my first wooden spoon with a pen knife gifted to me. At 13, I wove my first pine needle basket. In my twenties, I began working with gourds, using seeds passed down from my grandmother's collection. These seeds, saved and cultivated, embody the continuity of our traditions and the resilience of our people.
Today, as an elder, I witness these traditions thriving within my community. At our gatherings, I see younger generations embracing the knowledge that was once passed to me, ensuring the continuation of our culture. This transmission of art and wisdom is the foundation of our existence. It is how we honor our ancestors, sustain our identity, and assert our sovereignty as the Nanticoke Lenape Nation.
My art reflects a heritage that predates European colonization. This heritage cannot be measured by Western standards of "mastery." Instead, it is validated by our people's enduring presence and traditions. We are the authority on our art, culture, and existence. Our art has survived and evolved through millennia, rooted in this land and intertwined with its natural rhythms.
To dismiss Indigenous art as "unknown" or "unproven" is to deny the authenticity and resilience of a people who have flourished despite erasure. My work is not merely folk art; it is a declaration of identity, a testament to endurance, and a celebration of the sacred bond between humanity and the earth.
As an artist of the Nanticoke Lenape Nation, I create honor for our past and secure our future. My art is an invitation to understand that life is art and that the spirit of a people cannot be erased.
As an artist and educator, I have dedicated my life to preserving and sharing the art forms of the Nanticoke Lenape Nation while fostering cross-cultural understanding and appreciation. My teaching spans decades and has reached audiences of all ages and backgrounds. Through residencies, workshops, exhibitions, and media, I have worked to ensure that our traditions endure and inspire both Native and non-Native communities.
My work has been exhibited in esteemed venues such as Gallery 50 in Bridgeton, the Perkins Center for the Arts in Sewell, and the Stockton University Art Gallery, where my art has been celebrated for its intricate craftsmanship and cultural depth. These exhibitions have drawn attention from major media outlets, including numerous news articles in print and television, showcasing the vitality and significance of Indigenous art in today's world. As a teaching artist, I've also had the privilege of leading residencies at institutions such as Wheaton Arts and Stockton College, where I mentor emerging artists and teach traditional art forms like gourd carving, corn husk doll-making, and pine needle basketry.
Beyond formal settings, I regularly share my knowledge through community events, workshops, and online platforms. My YouTube instructional videos reach a global audience, offering step-by-step guidance on traditional Lenape crafts and demonstrating our art forms' practical and spiritual elements. I have also authored 19 books of stories, each weaving together the history, culture, and lessons of the Nanticoke Lenape Nation, ensuring that our oral traditions find new life in written form.
My teaching philosophy is rooted in inclusion and accessibility. While I am deeply committed to passing these traditions to my Native community, I also teach others to honor the beauty and significance of Indigenous art. My events, as highlighted on my website, span countless workshops, community gatherings, and educational presentations. These efforts reflect my belief that art is a bridge, a way to connect people to the land, one another, and the shared human experience.
Through these diverse platforms, I not only preserve the sacred traditions of my ancestors but also create opportunities for dialogue and understanding, ensuring that the art and wisdom of the Nanticoke Lenape Nation remain a vibrant part of the cultural fabric of New Jersey and beyond.
At the heart of everything I create and teach is the understanding that all life moves in a circle. The gifts of Mother Earth, such as leather, wood, seeds, clay, and pine needles, are not just resources but sacred elements of this eternal cycle. When shaped by human hands, these materials become vessels of beauty and function, imbued with the spirit of our ancestors. Once their purpose is fulfilled, they return to the earth, breaking down to become part of the soil, part of the dust, ready to nurture new growth.
This circle is not only a symbol but a truth guiding my art, teaching, and life. As we honor the gifts we receive from the earth, we prepare them to become gifts for future generations, new seeds, new materials, and new stories. In this way, our traditions are not static; they live, breathe, and evolve, grounded in the unbroken connection between past, present, and future. My deepest hope is that through my work, the circle continues and that those who learn from me will carry forward these gifts, ensuring the resilience of our culture and the enduring beauty of our art.
Research
The art of crafting gourds into vessels and decorative objects is deeply rooted in Indigenous traditions across North America, including among the Lenape people of New Jersey. Early references to gourd art can be found in The Uses of Gourds by North American Indians (Ethnobotanical Contributions, 1899), highlighting how Indigenous artisans hollowed, carved, and painted gourds for utilitarian and ceremonial purposes. This art form emphasizes function adorned with beauty, a hallmark of Indigenous creativity. Similarly, crafting pine needle baskets and jewelry reflects a sustainable practice rooted in using natural materials. In Basket-Making Traditions of the Eastern Woodland Tribes (Smithsonian Contributions, 1911), the use of pine needles, coupled with sinew or plant fibers, illustrates the dexterity and artistry of these items, which often served both practical storage and aesthetic roles. For medicine bags, leather pouches, and turtle shell bags, the book Sacred Objects of Native Americans (1919) details how these items were imbued with cultural and spiritual significance. Medicine bags, for instance, held sacred herbs and objects meant to protect or heal their bearers. At the same time, scallop shells and turtle shells symbolize specific ties to nature and the spirit world.
These objects, created by Indigenous artisans of New Jersey, challenge conventional Western definitions of "art" by integrating beauty into functionality. The anthropological study Folk Art vs. Functional Craft: Indigenous Perspectives (1932) notes that these creations were not seen as separate from daily life but as extensions of cultural values and practical needs. This difference underscores how external labeling as "art" often ignores the Indigenous context, reducing useful, beautiful objects to mere aesthetics while missing their deeper constructional meaning.
These objects, created by Indigenous artisans of New Jersey, challenge conventional Western definitions of "art" by integrating beauty into functionality. The anthropological study Folk Art vs. Functional Craft: Indigenous Perspectives (1932) notes that these creations were not seen as separate from daily life but as extensions of cultural values and practical needs. This difference underscores how external labeling as "art" often ignores the Indigenous context, reducing useful, beautiful objects to mere aesthetics while missing their deeper constructional meaning.
Gourd and "No-Face" Doll Art
My gourd art series, "Seeds of My Ancestors," meditates on the symbiotic relationship between land, identity, and sustainability. Each piece in this collection begins with a seed, a symbol of life, continuity, and ancestral knowledge passed down through generations. The journey from seed to gourd reflects our deep connection to the land, a connection that nurtures and sustains us as we encourage and sustain it in return.
In creating these works, I honor the ancient traditions of the Cohanzick Lenape people, preserving and passing on this knowledge to ensure it thrives for the next seven generations. Each gourd, shaped by the land and my hands, embodies the wisdom and resilience of my ancestors. The various uses of each piece represent our collective identity, rooted in a shared history and cultural memory, yet open to interpretation by those who encounter it.
This art resonates with the themes of land, identity, and sustainability by emphasizing the interdependence between these elements. Our identity as Lenape is inseparable from the land that sustains us, and in creating these works, I hope to inspire a deeper understanding of the need for sustainable practices that honor both the earth and the traditions that have shaped us. Through this art, I seek to bridge the past and the present, ensuring that the wisdom of our ancestors continues to guide us toward a sustainable future.
The "No Face Ancestor" art helps me keep this tradition alive. However, it also provides me a unique opportunity to explore my artistic ideas about translating its message into my artwork. I create something different without losing its importance to me, my people, and everyone who communicates with it. There are many ways to create no-face dolls.
This art is a long tradition among the Lenape taught to me by my mother. Whenever we create our likeness of any living creature, past or present, we never put a face on it. We do not believe it is our place to make any likeness of any face or creature. Only the creator has the privilege of doing so.
In creating these works, I honor the ancient traditions of the Cohanzick Lenape people, preserving and passing on this knowledge to ensure it thrives for the next seven generations. Each gourd, shaped by the land and my hands, embodies the wisdom and resilience of my ancestors. The various uses of each piece represent our collective identity, rooted in a shared history and cultural memory, yet open to interpretation by those who encounter it.
This art resonates with the themes of land, identity, and sustainability by emphasizing the interdependence between these elements. Our identity as Lenape is inseparable from the land that sustains us, and in creating these works, I hope to inspire a deeper understanding of the need for sustainable practices that honor both the earth and the traditions that have shaped us. Through this art, I seek to bridge the past and the present, ensuring that the wisdom of our ancestors continues to guide us toward a sustainable future.
The "No Face Ancestor" art helps me keep this tradition alive. However, it also provides me a unique opportunity to explore my artistic ideas about translating its message into my artwork. I create something different without losing its importance to me, my people, and everyone who communicates with it. There are many ways to create no-face dolls.
This art is a long tradition among the Lenape taught to me by my mother. Whenever we create our likeness of any living creature, past or present, we never put a face on it. We do not believe it is our place to make any likeness of any face or creature. Only the creator has the privilege of doing so.
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Photo taken at Stockton Art Gallery - Exhibition July - November 2024
Pine Needle Art
My pine needle art is a traditional craft passed down through generations of Indigenous communities, including mine, by many mentors. This unique art form uses needles from various species of pine trees to create intricate and beautiful designs.
Pine needle art originated with the northeastern woodland people in many states. It is practiced by our communities throughout the country, and the craft is prevalent in the northeast among the Algonquin people.
For us, pine needle art is a form of creative expression, a way to connect with the natural world and preserve traditional knowledge. Gathering and preparing the pine needles and other materials used in the art is often a communal activity involving storytelling, song, and prayer.
The needles are carefully selected and sorted by size and color, then cleaned and soaked to make them more pliable. We weave the needles with the other materials, using bone or beads to create intricate patterns and designs.
It is better to engage in pine needle art with an understanding of its cultural importance; we can approach the art form with tremendous respect and appreciation. This includes learning about the cultural meanings and significance behind each element of the art form and acknowledging and honoring the Indigenous communities from which the art form originated.
The pine tree is much more than a source of material for crafts like pine needle art. It is deeply intertwined with our cultural heritage and identity and is part of our DNA. This connection between the pine tree and Indigenous people can be traced back through generations of ancestors who have lived in the same geographic area as the tree. The tree and the land it grows have been vital to Indigenous communities' ways of life for centuries, providing food, medicine, and materials for items and other cultural practices.
The water the pine tree relies on to grow also plays a significant role in this connection. Water is a sacred element in many Indigenous cultures and is seen as a life-giving force that connects all living things. The water nourishing the pine tree is part of a more extensive system connecting Indigenous communities to the land and our ancestors.
When Indigenous peoples use the needles from the pine tree in items like pine needle art, it is a way of honoring our ancestors and connecting with our cultural heritage. The needles themselves represent the DNA of our ancestors, carrying the cultural knowledge and traditions of past generations into the present.
For these reasons, the pine tree and its needles are sacred to us as Indigenous peoples. Using needles in items like pine needle art is not just a creative expression but a way of maintaining a deep connection to the land, water, and ancestors that are a part of our cultural DNA.
Pine needle art originated with the northeastern woodland people in many states. It is practiced by our communities throughout the country, and the craft is prevalent in the northeast among the Algonquin people.
For us, pine needle art is a form of creative expression, a way to connect with the natural world and preserve traditional knowledge. Gathering and preparing the pine needles and other materials used in the art is often a communal activity involving storytelling, song, and prayer.
The needles are carefully selected and sorted by size and color, then cleaned and soaked to make them more pliable. We weave the needles with the other materials, using bone or beads to create intricate patterns and designs.
It is better to engage in pine needle art with an understanding of its cultural importance; we can approach the art form with tremendous respect and appreciation. This includes learning about the cultural meanings and significance behind each element of the art form and acknowledging and honoring the Indigenous communities from which the art form originated.
The pine tree is much more than a source of material for crafts like pine needle art. It is deeply intertwined with our cultural heritage and identity and is part of our DNA. This connection between the pine tree and Indigenous people can be traced back through generations of ancestors who have lived in the same geographic area as the tree. The tree and the land it grows have been vital to Indigenous communities' ways of life for centuries, providing food, medicine, and materials for items and other cultural practices.
The water the pine tree relies on to grow also plays a significant role in this connection. Water is a sacred element in many Indigenous cultures and is seen as a life-giving force that connects all living things. The water nourishing the pine tree is part of a more extensive system connecting Indigenous communities to the land and our ancestors.
When Indigenous peoples use the needles from the pine tree in items like pine needle art, it is a way of honoring our ancestors and connecting with our cultural heritage. The needles themselves represent the DNA of our ancestors, carrying the cultural knowledge and traditions of past generations into the present.
For these reasons, the pine tree and its needles are sacred to us as Indigenous peoples. Using needles in items like pine needle art is not just a creative expression but a way of maintaining a deep connection to the land, water, and ancestors that are a part of our cultural DNA.
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Medicine Bags
A Medicine Bag is a traditional Lenape vessel which contains various items such as many kinds of herbs, stones and other items used for healing and remembrance. It is also used to maintain personal harmony with the physical and spiritual realms. Some might have a small medicine bag to start, but as added life experiences and added objects, over the years in time, often will need to replace the bag with a larger one.
As something that holds necessary items, the medicine bag also has some significant meaning of its own. Things that are added would include items related to a spiritual journey like stones, sweet grass, sage, bones items, hair or fur, dried flowers, roots, leaves or feathers, etc. Each of the items has a special significance in the life of the owner of the bag and is usually added during a major event for remembrance. The contents of the bag are considered sacred and good medicine for that person alone. It can be traditional items or anything else important to the one who carries it. When one receives a bag as a gift, the bag may have an item of good will from the giver.
There are many styles of medicine bags and no two are alike or have like reasons. There are two very basic ways of constructing the Lenape medicine bag, one made into soft pouches, made of tanned animal hides (usually deerskin) and one made of stiff untanned rawhide. These particular medicine bags are made of soft doe skin and are a special order and each one is different with a personality of its own. I was taught by my parents at the age 11 when I made my first pouch which is the first photo.
As something that holds necessary items, the medicine bag also has some significant meaning of its own. Things that are added would include items related to a spiritual journey like stones, sweet grass, sage, bones items, hair or fur, dried flowers, roots, leaves or feathers, etc. Each of the items has a special significance in the life of the owner of the bag and is usually added during a major event for remembrance. The contents of the bag are considered sacred and good medicine for that person alone. It can be traditional items or anything else important to the one who carries it. When one receives a bag as a gift, the bag may have an item of good will from the giver.
There are many styles of medicine bags and no two are alike or have like reasons. There are two very basic ways of constructing the Lenape medicine bag, one made into soft pouches, made of tanned animal hides (usually deerskin) and one made of stiff untanned rawhide. These particular medicine bags are made of soft doe skin and are a special order and each one is different with a personality of its own. I was taught by my parents at the age 11 when I made my first pouch which is the first photo.
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