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Maanii Baldon was born Mary A. Baldon august 4, 1958 in Louisville, Kentucky and is an enrolled member of the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians in Harbor Springs, Michigan. Her father is David L. Baldon Sr. who is African American and her mother is Rosemary (Shelton) Baldon who is Native American. Coming from a family of artists, Maanii was taught to make her own clothing and began creating artwork as a hobby, making quilts and going to ceramics classes. After graduating in 1976 from DuPont Manual High School, Louisville, KY she went to work in fashion design as a model, seamstress and consultant while raising her family.
Through encouragement by family and friends Maanii began to pursue a career in art. She moved to Boston, MA in 1990 and here she began an earnest effort in developing her knowledge and talents by spending time going to museums and studying works of art. Wanting to learn more about her Native American culture she moved to Brimley, MI in 1995. In 1997-1999 she attended Bay Mills Community College and received an Associate of Arts and Associate of Applied Science degree. She was awarded a full scholarship to attend the White Mountain Academy of Arts in Elliot Lake, Ontario Canada and received an Associate of Arts degree in 2000. During this time she traveled between Michigan and Canada as a representative promoting education, language and the arts for native people and spent two summers on the “pow-wow trail”.
In 2001 she moved back to Louisville, KY and continued her career in the arts and showcased her work in group shows since 1990 in Michigan, Massachusetts, Kentucky and Ontario Canada. This exhibition is her first solo exhibition to be presented in South Dakota. In 2003 she took a 10-hour course in stained glass. These pieces as she describes them are “…like storytelling. It takes on different meanings at different times in one’s life. The viewer takes from it what they need at the time. Art has always been my balance, my outlet and it has kept me grounded through good times and bad. I don’t have deep or heavy words for you about my art because I did not plan a career in art. It was just destiny.”
Prices of work for sale can be obtained from The Journey Museum Store at 1-605-394-2201. After the exhibit closes contact Maanii Baldon at 3191 South Third Street, # 5, Louisville, KY 40214; tel: 1-502-552-0374 or email: maanii58@yahoo.com.
The Sioux Indian Museum, managed by the Indian Arts and Crafts Board, U.S. Department of the Interior, is located in The Journey Museum at 222 New York Street, Rapid City, South Dakota 57701. For admission fees and hours of operation call 605-394-6923.
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