By Meghan E. Gattignolo
Accomplished artist Lisa Gleim earned space for her current exhibit at The Customs House Museum & Cultural Center three years ago. Gleim’s work won the vote for favorite artist during the American Women Artists Exhibition People Choice Award in 2021. Her solo exhibition Lisa Gleim: Keepers of the Animals is inspired by the traditions of indigenous North American groups, particularly of the Cherokee. These gorgeous animals painted in pastels and oils can be found in the Orgain and Bruner Galleries until the end of 2024.
Walks Like a Bear. Pastel. Courtesy of Lisa Gleim.
Bear
In many Native American traditions, bears are seen as otherworldly. Because they choose to hibernate within the mysterious darkness of caves during winter, bears can walk between worlds with ease. Despite their supernatural bravery, bears can seem human-like at times, and many indigenous cultures feel a certain kindred understanding with bears.
On Gleim’s website, she highlights some of the stories that inspired her to choose the animals she features in this exhibit. According to the artists’ site, black bears in Cherokee lore are descended from the Cherokee people. They became bears after deciding to live among the animals instead of with other people. Gleim’s work Walks Like a Man depicts a black bear with sympathetic eyes and qualities that seem more human than wild animal.
Lisa Gleim: KEEPERS OF THE ANIMALS exhibition. Photo by Myranda Harrison
Owl
Like the bear, owls also have a special connection to the Underworld. Owls hunt at night, so they belong to the world of darkness. To see an owl during the day is unnatural, so is considered a foreboding omen to the Cherokee.
Owls are well-respected animals, though, as they were one of the few animals able to stay awake during the creation of the world. Sometimes, owls may carry important messages, but they can only be understood by certain people, like medicine men. The knowledge the owl keeps is unattainable to the average person. Gleim’s title Ghost of the Night sums up the impression the owl has on Native American legends.
The Spirit of Little Deer. Pastel. Lisa Gleim.
Deer
The Spirit of Little Deer is one of the most gorgeous pieces in Gleim’s exhibit. A proud deer looks into a blue sunrise as light exquisitely outlines his tremendous antlers.
On her website, Gleim chose to highlight the physical importance of deer to the Cherokee. Deer have taught the Cherokee people to respect and live alongside nature, and because of that no part of the deer is wasted when hunted. Deer meat, hide, and even the antlers were put to good use by indigenous populations of the Southeast. In Cherokee myth, the deer won his horns in a contest against the rabbit. The rabbit cheated, and so the deer earned his horns by being the more honorable of the two creatures.
Gigage-Unidoa, The Great Protector. Pastel. Lisa Gleim.
Red Wolf
Gleim has a knack for creating images of animals that, though I wouldn’t want to meet one in real life, capture the softness of the animal and make them appear almost approachable. Gigage-Unidoa, The Great Protector is a great example of making an animal seem like you can just reach out and pat it on the head. The serene red wolf in this piece appears to be waiting for the viewer, almost beckoning in fact.
Though fierce predators, wolves are considered protectors in Cherokee culture. They work to keep the ecosystem in balance. The name in Cherokee for the wolf means “Red Grandfather,” so that hints at the kinship the Cherokee feel with this creature.
The red wolf is one of the most endangered wolf species in the world. They are only found in North America, and some are taking action to help protect them. Recently, Cherokee Nation spearheaded the production of a short documentary about the red wolf’s cultural significance, as well as documenting the efforts being made to bring them back from the brink of extinction. Now that the Red Grandfather needs a protector, he has one in the Cherokee people.
Don’t miss Lisa Gleim: Keepers of the Animals available to view until January 1, 2025 in Orgain and Bruner Galleries, only at The Customs House Museum & Cultural Center.
Resources:
https://www.lisagleimfineart.com/copy-of-wildlife?lightbox=dataItem-m2jpgc0110
https://www.gutenberg.org/files/45634/45634-h/45634-h.htm#s26
Watch the documentary here:
Meghan E. Gattignolo is a freelance writer and longtime Clarksville, TN resident. She loves to obsess about historical subjects and annoy her family daily with unsolicited random facts. Meghan holds a History B.A. from Austin Peay State University and lives in town with her husband and two children.