October 4, 2016 • Page 11 shop online at www.missourivalleyshopper.com Healing Through Art MMC To Feature Artist Mary Black Bonnet By Reilly Biel reilly.biel@yankton.net Mount Marty College (MMC) has had a wide variety of speakers present their work over the years. For Native American Day, they have found the perfect one. On Wednesday, Oct. 5, artist, photographer and writer Mary Black Bonnet will give the presentation "Woasniye: Healing Through Writing and Art" in Marian Auditorium at 6:30 p.m. The presentation will focus on using the art as a medium to heal the mind and body. MMC art professor David Kahle is glad MMC can host Black Bonnet. “We are fortunate to hear from a practicing artist who has taken an active role in promoting creativity as a wonderful, inspiring mechanism to help others survive,” he said. “Mary understands that education and sponsoring intellectual growth helps people.” Born in South Dakota, but raised by a nonNative American family out east, Black Bonnet returned to her roots in her early 20s and began attending college at Sinte Gleska University in Mission. Her writing talent quickly began to blossom when she had an essay published about her tumultuous life prior to returning to South Dakota. The work garnered her much attention and praise, though not the kind she initially wanted. “When I would do interviews, it was the one piece that would be brought up the most, which was frustrating,” she said. “I didn’t want to be remembered for that one piece with the trauma and tragedy.” At one point, Black Bonnet was told that it wasn’t the negative aspects of the essay people were focusing on but her resilience woven throughout the work. “The more readings I gave, the more I realized that piece is what helped other women and survivors,” she said. “That’s what I unintentionally wanted to do, to make people feel less alone. “I didn’t want to be viewed as a survivor or a victim,” she added. “I wanted to be known as Mary Black Bonnet the writer.” She eventually began taking classes at the University of South Dakota, where her interest in photography was guided under art professor John Banasiak. “He was amazing,” she recalled. “Photography was something I’ve always done but I wasn’t sure if it was of ‘professional’ quality. When I would develop my film and bring it to him, I wouldn’t say anything and he’d automatically know what the message was, which was very encouraging for me. You’d walk out of his class with a portfolio and people would get jobs from that.” Black Bonnet has had her photography displayed in a number of shows, one of which is the South and North Dakota Photography Portfolio currently on display at the MMC Bede Art Gallery. The exhibition was put together by Banasiak. When she moved to Nebraska for a time, Black Bonnet continued to develop her creativity through the medium of art. “Over time, I realized that there were things I needed to express that I couldn’t Courtesy Photo quite do with writing and photography,” she said. After being dissuaded from doing art as a child, she began trying it again in college. “There was no judgement and no expectation,” she said. Black Bonnet proved to be just as skilled with paint and clay as she was with writing and photography. She frequently displays her work in art shows. The display she is currently working on has already sold six pieces before being shown publicly. She revels in being a full-time artist. “When I decided to be a writer, I ate, breathed and slept writing and it’s the same with art,” she said. “It’s to a point where I can’t wait to get back to the studio and finish the pieces I have running through my mind. Whether its photography, painting, sculpting or writing, it’s like life breath for me.” All these different forms of art have helped Black Bonnet overcome trauma both old and fresh, such as a sexual assault that occurred two years ago. “It messed up my trajectory for a bit, because I could no longer function in my normal way,” she recalled. “I wasn’t able to travel to do readings or teach.” The resilience that she developed during her childhood, as well as working on art to be displayed in art shows, helped her to persevere through that dark time. “I started being more consistent with work and submitting pieces of art for shows,” she said. When she’s not working on her art, Black Bonnet travels to schools and colleges to give readings and explain the role art had in helping her cope with trauma. “I honestly believe if I hadn’t been writing or doing art, I would be dead,” she said. Kahle feels similarly to Black Bonnet on this issue. “Without it, I believe individuals quit growing spiritually,” he said. “Mary’s been doing a wonderful job of creating artwork and literature to allow individuals to vent their emotions.” For more information, visit www.maryblackbonnet.com. Sculpture: “Mixed Media Messages” made up of bovine pelvis, barbed wire, acrylic paint on canvas, orchid photo and words. Participating Businesses Are… Follow @ReillyBiel on Twitter. Change What You Eat Change How You Feel Prices Good October 4th - October 17th WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12Th Brunick Rita’s 10% OFF Purse–o–Nalities (With the exception of fuel saver items) Thinsters Pumpkin Spice Cookies FURNITURE & FLOORING 2 $ 99 Lenny & Larry’s Complete Cookies (16 grams of protein, 6 grams of fiber and vegan) 199 $ “While supplies last” Jolly Time Popcorn /4 2 $ GH Cretors Kettle Corn YANKTON WORKS 3 $ Want your REAL-TIME MESSAGE on the most visited media website in the Yankton area? 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