2024-580-E-Arts Commission-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Public School Foundation-Visiting Native American Artist-Arts project grant 2024-25

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Artist Description Senora Lynch (https://aim-nc.com/senora-lynch) is a Native American potter and a member of the Haliwa-Saponi tribe. She is nationally known for her unique style of extraordinarily detailed hand carved pottery. Lynch builds her pots using the traditional coiling method, while decorating her work with Native American symbols and motifs of her childhood in the homeland of her people, “the meadows” of Hollister, NC. Senora became interested in making pottery at age fourteen after having been previously shown ancient pottery shards and assisting with a pottery class for her Haliwa- Saponi tribal elders. She also weaved chair bottoms alongside her mother and grandfather, learned to do beadwork, and started making American Indian regalia. Years later, her passion transformed into a business that she named “Living Traditions” because the designs on her pottery are full of living traditional stories and beliefs of her people. The designs come through the Night Sky and are revealed to her in her dreams. She uses many American Indian symbols and motifs found in the natural environment, including bowls, turtles, lizards, maidens, smudge bowls, wedding vases, bears, which work in unison to convey the story being told on that piece of pottery. Senora’s pottery has evolved to include different shapes, including bowls, turtles, lizards, maidens, smudge bowls, wedding vases, bears, and plaques, among others. Senora is listed in the North Carolina Artist Directory, with which she has served as an artist in residency for over 20 years. Senora has work in permanent collections of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian and at the N.C. Museum of History. Senora was the recipient of the N.C. Folk Heritage Award in 2007 and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the River People Music and Culture Fest in 2013, both for her work in promoting and preserving the culture of the Haliwa- Saponi people. Most recently, Senora’s strong designs have made it onto the walkway and seating of the University of NC at Chapel Hill’s campus. Are you hiring multicultural artists with the requested funds from this grant? Yes For each multicultural artist you intend to hire, please list their name, race, and how much you plan to pay them. Senora Lynch-Native American fee + travel expenses-$800 How will the project/program be publicized and promoted to reach intended participants? Students will learn about the visiting artist from their Art Teacher. She will prepare the students with a pre-visit lesson that will introduce them to Native American pottery, pottery techniques, and the use of pottery across various cultures. She will also do post-visit activities with the students to assess their learning and build on their knowledge and skills. Docusign Envelope ID: B969B243-C8CC-4CE4-9E86-6638FE763A4B