DENVER — Danielle SeeWalker woke up Thursday morning thinking she still had a spot as Vail's artist in residency this June. After a phone call with Town Manager Kathleen Halloran, she learned she was no longer invited.
"I'm disappointed with the disrespect and the way they communicated it with me," SeeWalker said. "I didn't even get to talk to them about my perspective — it was very disrespectful and unprofessional."
SeeWalker is a Lakota artist who focuses on work that helps tell stories about the Native community. She said the work that seemed to concern the Art in Public Places board was a piece she did a few months ago.
"It’s been on my mind to do a piece on the parallels of Native American genocide and what’s happening in Gaza," SeeWalker said, explaining the piece was for a gallery show. "The night of the opening, someone came into the gallery at opening time and bought the piece and left before anyone saw it — it's definitely touching a lot of people."
She posted the painting a couple of times on social media. She said she had prints made and donated the money to the UN Crisis Relief Fund.
"It's something that’s resonated with a lot of people and I think that’s what special about it," SeeWalker said.
Vail's Art in Public Places told 9NEWS that after "multiple complaints" from concerned community members, they put a pause on the program. They released a statement Thursday afternoon, and said that "Danielle SeeWalker was the artist being considered for the summer residency. While the Town of Vail embraces her messaging and artwork surrounding Native Americans, in recent weeks her art and her public messaging has focused on the Israel/Gaza crisis."
SeeWalker said that not only was she considered, she had the job. She said she made site visits and met board members. 9NEWS has emails between SeeWalker and Molly Eppard, the Art in Public Places coordinator, that discuss the placement of a mural she would paint, exhibition space, and timing for a symposium where SeeWalker would present.
"It's super disappointing that that’s the narrative they’re taking at this point because I was absolutely neck deep in the plans and all the community engagement that the residency was going to bring," SeeWalker said.
One email from Eppard read, in part, "I wanted to share the attached images with approximate measurements for the mural site. The Board is very enthusiastic to proceed with securing the last two weeks of June for you to create a mural. We would provide lodging for 3 (you and your sons) during that period along with an agreed upon stipend/fee for the mural commission with additional programs!
I have just had a wonderful conversation with the Vail Symposium which is a fantastic non-profit in our community. They are very interested in collaborating as well during those last two weeks of June for additional programming and community outreach!"
Art in Public Places said SeeWalker never submitted a proposal for the mural, so no contract was sent — and that SeeWalker was "invited to present to the AIPP Board on May 6, and she did not." SeeWalker said she never received an invite.
"AIPP’s mission is to create a diverse and meaningful public art experience in Vail, but to not use public funds to support any position on a polarizing geopolitical issue," said Vail's Art in Public Places statement.
The statement also said that "The Town of Vail's Art in Public Places is not moving forward with its summer Artist in Residency and related programs. The decision was made after concerns arose around the potential politicizing of the public art program."
Town manager Russell Forrest told 9NEWS that since they did not get a proposal, they did not know what SeeWalker would paint. SeeWalker told 9NEWS that she had no plans on making her talks and mural political.
"It does affect me as an artist and working mother, but really for me it’s bigger than that — I feel like they’re not embracing a Native American artist, a woman of color, and that trickles down to future generations," SeeWalker said. "That was really exciting for me to be able to be representative of the Native community in a good way — and that just isn’t going to happen."
She is scheduled to give a talk titled "Still Here: Redirecting the Native American Narrative" on June 19 at the Vail Symposium. That event has not been canceled.
More reporting by Anne Herbst:
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