Cherokee carver to receive state Folk Heritage Award

"I was barely big enough to handle a knife, but I knew what I wanted to do, so I just whittled away," Crowe said. "I guess it's part of my heritage."

Crowe will receive the N.C. Folk Heritage Award for her achievement and contribution to the craft traditions of the state Tuesday, Sept. 12. A slide show documenting her life and work will be presented during the free 7:30 p.m. ceremony at N.C. State University's Stewart Theatre in Raleigh.

After finishing eighth grade at Cherokee Indian School, Crowe moved to Chicago and eventually completed a master of fine arts degree at the Art Institute of Chicago. She returned to Cherokee in 1953 and taught high school students for 37 years.

Although she works in other media, wood remains Crowe's favorite.

"My favorite sculpture material is still wood, for working with it creates in me a wonderful feeling of joy," she said.

Artists like Crowe "connect us to the essence of the Southern soul," said Mary Regan, executive director of the N.C. Arts Council. "We celebrate them as pioneers who teach us about the creativity of working men and women as they help us find joy in everyday life."

This year's other winners are the Rev. F.C. Barnes, traditional gospel singer; Marvin Gaster, traditional banjo player; Bobby McMillon, storyteller; M.L. Owens, potter; and James Allen Rose, model boat builder.

The state Folk Heritage Award was created in 1988 by the N.C. Arts Council to "recognize extraordinary achievement within art forms that are rooted in the traditional and ethnic cultures of the state."

The N.C. Arts Council is a division of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources. Its mission is to enrich the cultural life of the state by nurturing and supporting excellence in the arts and by providing opportunities for every North Carolinian to experience the arts. The Council has been a catalyst for the development of arts organizations and facilities throughout the state by making grants and offering technical assistance for more than 30 years. For additional information, visit their website.

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