The Páni Arts Association will be honoring one of its most prestigious founding members this year during the 2007 Pawnee HomeComing. Renowned artist Marlene RidingIn Mahmeah will be our first ever honored “Featured Artist”. Marlene was born in 1933 at the family home in the Council Valley community near the Cimarron River in Pawnee County, Oklahoma. Her parents, Frank and Ethel Riding In, kept a very traditional Pawnee Indian home. They taught Marlene the old ways, the ceremonies, and the use of native plants and roots for food and medicine; all intended to instill respect and pride in being a full blood member of the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma.  

Marlene wanted to take a course in jewelry at Bacone Junior College in Muskogee, Oklahoma, but women were not allowed. Instead she did beadwork and some pottery. However, her main course of study was painting. This was a natural given Bacone’s emphasis on traditional Indian art and the fact that she received encouragement from Bacone Art Director Richard West, Cheyenne, as well as Acee Blue Eagle, Pawnee/Creek artist. Blue Eagle suggested books for her to read and showed her his collection of Pawnee pottery, designs, and apparel.

Marlene’s interest in American Indian metalwork developed when she began working at Supernaw’s Oklahoma Indian Supply store in Skiatook, Oklahoma. The proprietor, Kugee Supernaw, showed her some techniques and found that Marlene came up with designs beyond what was ever done in the store before. He relied on her designs as she learned the art of German silver metalwork. Since those days she has come into her own and won awards along the way … all the while earning a living from her art.

Marlene Riding In Mameah was the 2007 "Honored One" for the Red Earth Powwow and Art Show. This honor is bestowed on one artist per year and is recognized in the art world as a tribute to their skills and knowledge of their art form. Marlene is the only woman in the art form that she has excelled in  ... The Southern Plains Metalwork. Most of her art is designed with the Native American Church or Southern Plains dancers in mind. She is sought out by the dancers to provide them with arm bands, hair ties, scarf slides and earrings that may be an elongated style dangling in a tiered design so when the dancer wears them they would sway to their moves in the arena. Some earrings are simply round like a Concho where a stamped in design may feature buffaloes or sun ray landscapes. She makes precision designs in her sun burst lapel pins and often combines German silver with an overlay of bronze. She captures the water bird in making necklaces. This year her table was filled with many such objects and many of her buyers were those who were collecting her work. Her peers, artists who love to trade with her came by and congratulated her. One artist bought her a bouquet of fragrant pink lilies. Another peer stood in a long line and got her an Indian Taco (now that's love!). Well known artist Mike Larsen who was the 2006 Honored One presented Marlene with an original framed image. It will be her task to make a magnificent gift for the next recipient. Pa Nee Arts Association will have Marlene as this homecoming's featured artist. She was quoted as saying, "I've been coming here to Red Earth since it started,” she said. "What I enjoy is just being here among my fellow artists and visiting with them and enjoying their work.”

We will be located on the West side of the arena under the big white tent, look for the Páni Arts banner along the fence line.

The Páni Arts Association meets the first Tuesday of every month beginning with a Pot Luck supper at 6PM at the RoamChief Building on the Pawnee Reserve. Everyone is urged to bring their favorite dish and come share your thoughts in the arts with us. Check out our website at www.paniarts.org.