January 18, 2024 • 10 mins
2023 Artist in Business Leadership Fellow Kalyn Faye Barnoski (Cherokee and Muscogee Creek) artist illuminates the importance of maintaining a Native perspective in spaces where it is often overshadowed. Her story is not just about the personal metamorphosis but how embracing one’s passions can ripple out to touch the lives of others. Kaywin's family roots and her innate musical prowess have been the bedrock of her journey, leading her to a place where her work as a curator of Native Art and her performances become more than just a job—they're a mission to bridge cultural divides.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
And from my perspective, especially from a
Cherokee perspective, it'sthinking about.
I need to be learning things, Ineed to be open to learning and
open to doing these things andcelebrate the gifts that Creator
has given me, celebrate thethings I'm passionate about,
because that's been instilled inme, just part of who I am.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
First People's Fund presents the Collective Spirit
Podcast.
The Collective Spirit moveseach of us to stand up and make
a difference, to pass onancestral knowledge and simply
extend a hand of generosity.
The Collective Spirit Podcastfeatures Native artists and
culture bearers who discuss thepower of Indigenous art and
(00:57):
culture.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
Hello everyone.
My name is Kaywin Faye Bernoski.
I am an artist in businessleadership fellow through First
People's Fund.
I'm a multidisciplinary artist.
I work heavily in music andsongwriting as well as visual
art, and I'm also the assistantcurator of Native Art at the
(01:24):
Wilburx Museum in Tulsa,oklahoma.
So I am enrolled CherokeeNation and I'm of Muscovy Creek
descent.
I got started pretty early on noone else in my family in the
military babbles in the arts,but they're heavily supportive
of me Daphne in the arts.
(01:45):
I taught myself how to playpiano and how to play adult
summer when I was pretty young,like six or seven, and then I
was always drawing and justwhatever creative pursuit I
could hold on to.
At the moment that's what Iwould do.
And as I got older I said Iwanted to be a doctor.
(02:06):
So I went to school for medicalmolecular biology and I
realized pretty quickly thatdidn't bring me the joy that I
was hoping that it would bringme and I realized to really help
people and support others, youalso need to be joyful about the
things that you're doing andmaking and creating.
So I moved into the art worldand my first degree is actually
(02:31):
in graphic design with a minorin Spanish and I worked in the
design field for many years andowned my own business and I
worked for Cherokee Nationbusinesses as well and then I
decided I wanted to go back toschool and I went back to get my
first masters and while I wasthere I was really interested in
(02:52):
pursuing music again and Itaught myself how to play guitar
and performing out, because Iwas really shy and didn't like
being around people.
When I was younger, I wastalking publicly and so for me
it was a chance to really learnhow to publicly engage with
others and be confident, and Iknew if I wanted to do things in
(03:17):
the world that you just need tobe able to have the skill set,
and music was the way in which Iwanted to share my story, and
performing just helped me learnhow to be in front of people in
a totally different way butstill be genuine and authentic
to the stories I thought Ineeded to tell.
So I played music.
(03:40):
I finished my degree in designand printmaking, I taught for a
couple years and then I went toUniversity of Arkansas where I
got a master of fine arts thereand continued to perform and
play music and then kept playingmusic and I worked for a few
different institutions in themeantime and it's in fellowship
(04:04):
and that's what led me to do incuratorial work.
It's been a really beautifulthing because I found my niche
playing music and I perform.
I like performing for more quiet, thoughtful audiences until I
perform at museums.
So during my day job I get tostudy art, I get to do
(04:24):
exhibitions and research andthen when I go perform music I
get to go to museums and studyexhibitions and perform and do
all the things I love.
So it's really a plus to get todo these things.
So what inspires my artwork andthe things that I want to keep
doing and as long as I live, arereally my grandparents and my
(04:49):
doodah and my leasy and thinkingabout my relationship to the
land that I grew up on and myrelationship to my family and
the stories and therelationships they shared with
these particular spaces and theknowledge that they held and
passed down in a lot of ways tomy family.
(05:10):
And I think that's what drivesme most is I just see how much
love and care for these spacesand for each other that we're
built and it really drives me tokeep making the work that I'm
making to help people buildbridges between each other and
music and visual art that's themain goal is just to help people
(05:31):
understand each other a littlebit better and be empathetic and
compassionate towards eachother and towards the landscape
and towards the cosmos, towardsour animal kin, towards all of
it.
A few challenges to get whereI'm at right now.
I think one of the moreprominent ones that I know most
(05:52):
Native people understand or havedealt with themselves in a
variety of different ways isthat trying to validate my
experiences and non-Nativespaces and I think that's
probably been the most difficultis trying to advocate for the
value of Native perspective,native ways of thinking about
the world, looking at the world,experiencing the world in
(06:13):
spaces where people don't evenunderstand what that means.
But we push through and we findcommunity and we do the best
that we can with what we have.
I think, secondarily, thethings that have been really
(06:34):
difficult is part of that whichis, or a facet of that which is.
You know I do a lot of thingsand that gets noted.
A lot is that I have a lot ofpractices and for, like the
Western world, if you're not amaster of something, if you
aren't the best at something,then what's the point of doing
(06:54):
it?
And from my perspective,especially from a Cherokee
perspective, it's thinking about.
I need to be learning things.
I need to be open to learningand open to doing these things
and celebrate the gifts that youknow Creator has given me.
Celebrate the things I'mpassionate about because that's
been instilled in me.
(07:15):
That's just part of who I am.
So practicing a multiplicity isreally important to me in
holding space for that andletting people know that these
are all just parts of a whole.
You can't understand what I'mdoing unless you understand that
I do all of these things.
So pushing that forward hasbeen difficult at times but I'm
really glad I'm trying to keepthat moving.
(07:38):
My project proposal as part ofthe Artists of Business
Leadership fellowship was calledA Garden Good Behind the Shed,
which has now the title hasshortened, which I'm glad, but
it's called Garden, which is aWee Thima and Cherokee.
But it's a full-length recordthat incorporates Cherokee
(08:00):
language and incorporates my ownstories alongside shared
stories with other Nativefriends.
It's got Native artists allthroughout it.
I have Native friends doingwrite-ups for it.
I've got Native friends doingthe music videos for it.
So it's really a hugecollaborative effort and I am so
(08:20):
appreciative to be able to havethe funding and time and
resources to do it.
And then, as we move forward,I'll do performances with
Cherokee Nation and then acrossthe US in different spaces.
But yeah, I'm just so excitedabout it, I'm ready to release
it.
So right now we're about to getour master's back and so
(08:45):
that'll be the final thing weneed and I will get them back
next week and then we'll head toPressing for Vinyl Pressing and
CD Pressing and we'll do thebig release in early 2024.
For me, I think, my legacy Ijust want it to be one of care
(09:09):
for each other and care forcommunity and just like a deep,
abiding love for one another.
That's the legacy I want toleave.
I don't really care if peopleremember me as a person, I just
want there to be a knowledge anda bridge built.
Speaker 2 (09:37):
The Collective Spirit Podcast is produced by First
Peoples Fund, whose mission isto honor and support Indigenous
artists and culture bearersthrough grant-making initiatives
, culturally rooted programming,and training and mentorship.
Learn more atFirstPeoplesFundorg.
And from my perspective, especially from a
Cherokee perspective, it'sthinking about.
I need to be learning things, Ineed to be open to learning and
open to doing these things andcelebrate the gifts that Creator
has given me, celebrate thethings I'm passionate about,
because that's been instilled inme, just part of who I am.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
First People's Fund presents the Collective Spirit
Podcast.
The Collective Spirit moveseach of us to stand up and make
a difference, to pass onancestral knowledge and simply
extend a hand of generosity.
The Collective Spirit Podcastfeatures Native artists and
culture bearers who discuss thepower of Indigenous art and
(00:57):
culture.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
Hello everyone.
My name is Kaywin Faye Bernoski.
I am an artist in businessleadership fellow through First
People's Fund.
I'm a multidisciplinary artist.
I work heavily in music andsongwriting as well as visual
art, and I'm also the assistantcurator of Native Art at the
(01:24):
Wilburx Museum in Tulsa,oklahoma.
So I am enrolled CherokeeNation and I'm of Muscovy Creek
descent.
I got started pretty early on noone else in my family in the
military babbles in the arts,but they're heavily supportive
of me Daphne in the arts.
(01:45):
I taught myself how to playpiano and how to play adult
summer when I was pretty young,like six or seven, and then I
was always drawing and justwhatever creative pursuit I
could hold on to.
At the moment that's what Iwould do.
And as I got older I said Iwanted to be a doctor.
(02:06):
So I went to school for medicalmolecular biology and I
realized pretty quickly thatdidn't bring me the joy that I
was hoping that it would bringme and I realized to really help
people and support others, youalso need to be joyful about the
things that you're doing andmaking and creating.
So I moved into the art worldand my first degree is actually
(02:31):
in graphic design with a minorin Spanish and I worked in the
design field for many years andowned my own business and I
worked for Cherokee Nationbusinesses as well and then I
decided I wanted to go back toschool and I went back to get my
first masters and while I wasthere I was really interested in
(02:52):
pursuing music again and Itaught myself how to play guitar
and performing out, because Iwas really shy and didn't like
being around people.
When I was younger, I wastalking publicly and so for me
it was a chance to really learnhow to publicly engage with
others and be confident, and Iknew if I wanted to do things in
(03:17):
the world that you just need tobe able to have the skill set,
and music was the way in which Iwanted to share my story, and
performing just helped me learnhow to be in front of people in
a totally different way butstill be genuine and authentic
to the stories I thought Ineeded to tell.
So I played music.
(03:40):
I finished my degree in designand printmaking, I taught for a
couple years and then I went toUniversity of Arkansas where I
got a master of fine arts thereand continued to perform and
play music and then kept playingmusic and I worked for a few
different institutions in themeantime and it's in fellowship
(04:04):
and that's what led me to do incuratorial work.
It's been a really beautifulthing because I found my niche
playing music and I perform.
I like performing for more quiet, thoughtful audiences until I
perform at museums.
So during my day job I get tostudy art, I get to do
(04:24):
exhibitions and research andthen when I go perform music I
get to go to museums and studyexhibitions and perform and do
all the things I love.
So it's really a plus to get todo these things.
So what inspires my artwork andthe things that I want to keep
doing and as long as I live, arereally my grandparents and my
(04:49):
doodah and my leasy and thinkingabout my relationship to the
land that I grew up on and myrelationship to my family and
the stories and therelationships they shared with
these particular spaces and theknowledge that they held and
passed down in a lot of ways tomy family.
(05:10):
And I think that's what drivesme most is I just see how much
love and care for these spacesand for each other that we're
built and it really drives me tokeep making the work that I'm
making to help people buildbridges between each other and
music and visual art that's themain goal is just to help people
(05:31):
understand each other a littlebit better and be empathetic and
compassionate towards eachother and towards the landscape
and towards the cosmos, towardsour animal kin, towards all of
it.
A few challenges to get whereI'm at right now.
I think one of the moreprominent ones that I know most
(05:52):
Native people understand or havedealt with themselves in a
variety of different ways isthat trying to validate my
experiences and non-Nativespaces and I think that's
probably been the most difficultis trying to advocate for the
value of Native perspective,native ways of thinking about
the world, looking at the world,experiencing the world in
(06:13):
spaces where people don't evenunderstand what that means.
But we push through and we findcommunity and we do the best
that we can with what we have.
I think, secondarily, thethings that have been really
(06:34):
difficult is part of that whichis, or a facet of that which is.
You know I do a lot of thingsand that gets noted.
A lot is that I have a lot ofpractices and for, like the
Western world, if you're not amaster of something, if you
aren't the best at something,then what's the point of doing
(06:54):
it?
And from my perspective,especially from a Cherokee
perspective, it's thinking about.
I need to be learning things.
I need to be open to learningand open to doing these things
and celebrate the gifts that youknow Creator has given me.
Celebrate the things I'mpassionate about because that's
been instilled in me.
(07:15):
That's just part of who I am.
So practicing a multiplicity isreally important to me in
holding space for that andletting people know that these
are all just parts of a whole.
You can't understand what I'mdoing unless you understand that
I do all of these things.
So pushing that forward hasbeen difficult at times but I'm
really glad I'm trying to keepthat moving.
(07:38):
My project proposal as part ofthe Artists of Business
Leadership fellowship was calledA Garden Good Behind the Shed,
which has now the title hasshortened, which I'm glad, but
it's called Garden, which is aWee Thima and Cherokee.
But it's a full-length recordthat incorporates Cherokee
(08:00):
language and incorporates my ownstories alongside shared
stories with other Nativefriends.
It's got Native artists allthroughout it.
I have Native friends doingwrite-ups for it.
I've got Native friends doingthe music videos for it.
So it's really a hugecollaborative effort and I am so
(08:20):
appreciative to be able to havethe funding and time and
resources to do it.
And then, as we move forward,I'll do performances with
Cherokee Nation and then acrossthe US in different spaces.
But yeah, I'm just so excitedabout it, I'm ready to release
it.
So right now we're about to getour master's back and so
(08:45):
that'll be the final thing weneed and I will get them back
next week and then we'll head toPressing for Vinyl Pressing and
CD Pressing and we'll do thebig release in early 2024.
For me, I think, my legacy Ijust want it to be one of care
(09:09):
for each other and care forcommunity and just like a deep,
abiding love for one another.
That's the legacy I want toleave.
I don't really care if peopleremember me as a person, I just
want there to be a knowledge anda bridge built.
Speaker 2 (09:37):
The Collective Spirit Podcast is produced by First
Peoples Fund, whose mission isto honor and support Indigenous
artists and culture bearersthrough grant-making initiatives
, culturally rooted programming,and training and mentorship.
Learn more atFirstPeoplesFundorg.
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