Travels in MN

My job as Liaison for Indigenous Arts Education for the Perpich Center for Arts Education takes me on many travels Mulberry Shoulder Bags throughout the State of Minnesota. In one long weekend recently, my Animush, Muffin and I, put on more than 1,200 miles. Our journeys have included visits to the Leech Lake, White Earth, and Red Lake Indian Reservations and points in between. One of our earliest adventures was the dedication of a new sculpture in August in . . . .

Walker, MN

The Unveiling of the Sculpture This remarkable event at the Walker Area Community Center in Walker, MN was sponsored by the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, The Walker Area Chamber of Mulberry Alexa Bags Commerce and associated businesses, the Leech Lake Fishing Task Force, the Boys and Girls Club with a powwow demonstration by the Native Youth Drum Group and Native Dancers under the direction of Gary Charwood.

"On Eagle's Wings", commissioned by Ed and Donna Robinson, is the worlds' largest (12') Mulberry Women Purses sculpture made of one solid piece of black oak.

Ed Robinson heard that the walnut tree from his boyhood home had fallen in a storm. He salvaged a 6 ton piece of the treasured tree, shipped it to Minnesota, and asked Paul Albright and Mel Losh to create a piece that would represent the hope for cooperation and mutual support between the Native and non-Native people of the Walker, MN area.

The result of those efforts is this magnificent piece of art.

The artwork below the picture of Mel and Paul at the unveiling is the prototype of the final sculpture created by Mel using dyed porcupine quills and birch bark.