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Native American Artist Brings Heritage To Light

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 3, 2008

The inspiration for Joyce Bugaiski's artwork comes from her Cherokee heritage.

Bugaiski is a tribal member of the Southeastern Cherokee Council and the Black Wolf Warrior Society, whose members know her by her tribal name, Spirit Wind.

The award-winning Lakeland artist is a member of The Brandon League of Fine Art, Arts on the Park, the Lakeland Art Guild, the East Hillsborough Art Guild and the Bartow Art Guild. She has been selected as a featured artist for the Cherokee Heritage Calendar for the past three years.

The piece chosen for the 2009 calendar is a striking portrayal of mother and child titled "Tsa La Gi Madonna," which means "Cherokee Madonna" in the artist's native language.

She began her career with the encouragement of fellow Brandon League artist Luis Zamora, who frequently displays work with her in shows. Together they present spiritual and metaphysical viewpoints in bold and brilliant color.

Zamora handed Bugaiski her first colored pencils and suggested she take some classes. She had seen a colored pencil demonstration by Tampa artist Mark Menendez, so she decided to take her first classes with him in 2000 after she suffered a stroke.

"I believed that using my fingers and my concentration would be good therapy, and it was. His teaching changed my life," she said.

Her first competition was the 2001 Florida Strawberry Festival amateur artist contest. She entered a drawing titled "In Memory Of," dedicated to her deceased son, Wayne Bugaiski, whose tribal name was "Wings on Feet."

"The drawing was for my son's memory and became a healing drawing for me," she said.

Bugaiski can skillfully portray any subject matter, but she has chosen to concentrate on facets of her native heritage.

"I like fine, fine detail. I use a magnifying visor, and I get every little bit of costume beading and design with the control that can only be achieved by using layer upon layer of colored pencil," she said.

"Exacting replication of traditional clothing or symbolism are all requirements for any work selected for the Cherokee Heritage Calendar, and I can't imagine being able to do that in any other medium," she said.

Bugaiski's work is on permanent display at the Keetowah Society in Barryville, New York, and can be viewed at www.myspace.com/jbugaart. Write to JBugaArt@aol.com for calendar information.

Around The Arts

•Brandon League of Fine Arts member Susan Weilbacher will hold a holiday art open house from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Dec. 13 at 712 Citrus Wood Lane, Valrico. For directions, call (813) 689-0329.

•The Brandon League of Fine Arts, as part of the newly formed Hillsborough County Visual Arts Alliance, will hold a membership show with 50 paintings in the Carrollwood Cultural Center's theatre room, 4537 Lowell Road., Carrollwood. Center business hours are from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. The exhibit will open Friday and run through Dec. 22. For center information, go to www.carrollwoodcenter.org or call (813) 269-1310.

•Theater and the arts are in the spotlight at Center Place Fine Arts and Civic Association, 619 Vondeerburg Drive, Brandon, throughout December. "The Natives are Loose" show by Florida artists has been held over and will continue through Dec. 30. "The Gift of the Magi" will be performed for adults and children in grade six and older at 7 p.m. Friday. Tickets are $10 for Center Place members, $12 for nonmembers. The play will also be performed as a dinner theater show Saturday . A social hour and dinner starts at 6:30 p.m., and the performance starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $35 per person. For information, go to www.center placebrandon.com or call (813) 685-8888.

Cheryl Kuck is a media member of the Greater Brandon Arts Council. She can be reached at wkuck@tampabay.rr.com.

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