G. Peter Jemison (born 1945, Seneca Nation, Heron Clan)Dried Geometry
2002
colored pencil and china marker on coated paper
31 1/4 × 1 1/2 × 23 1/4 in. (79.4 × 3.8 × 59.1 cm)
The Thaw Collection of American Indian Art, Fenimore Art Museum Museum Purchase with Funds Provided by Mr. Eugene V. Thaw T0814 / Photograph by Richard Walker
Dried Geometry honors ancient Haudenosaunee gardening traditions that focus upon the three sisters: corn, squash and beans. Jemison was inspired by gardens at Ganondagan, a 17th-century Seneca village that is now an historic site. His drawing shows a trellis made from hickory for birdhouse gourds. In the foreground are corn and sunflower stalks. The mellow light of the late afternoon sun creates a dramatic geometric pattern on the snow.