We were lucky to catch up with Rose Red Elk recently and have shared our conversation below.
Rose, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?
I’m a fortunate to be able to earn a living from my artistic mediums. I am a writer, performer, and create fine art dream catchers. During my young formative years, I loved movies and music. I was naturally gifted in music, never gave it much thought. I thought everyone could listen then play the song on a piano. I also excelled in reading and writing. Although I fantasized of being a star, I never thought I would be one.
I have three degrees and was a single mom most of my young adult life. I knew education was the key to more income. I didn’t pursue the arts until spiritual intervention took place. I was 40 years old when I received the messages from an Asian medicine woman, Lee. She had visions of my true path. I’m glad I listened.
The very first part of my artistic endeavors was performing as a Native American Storyteller, singer song writer throughout Bryan, College Station, TX. I co-founded the Native American Student Association. The performance seemed to be a natural evolution as I told the old traditional stories, inspired to write songs about the stories. It wasn’t until I graduated from Texas A&M and moved to Colorado, my true path unfolded.
It was a year later I received the messages from Lee, the psychic. I knew nothing about the recording industry, no contacts, and not knowing how to begin…I moved forward, trusting my instincts. They were a little rusty.
The short story is, after nearly two years, I had to begin completely over, scratching the old material to start new. Through friends I found other musicians, who led me to my producer and sound engineer, Doug Haywood. Doug was a professional rock and roller from LA. (formally original band member with a musician icon-Jackson Browne.) He took my project, and later wanted to be my producer. It took 6 years from 97 to 2003 before I completed the first album, “Keepers of the Earth.” Keepers won a Native American Music Award and I was on my way.
I would not do anything differently to have sped up the process. Art takes time, so does the experience from learning from our mistakes. The know-how of recording and writing my stories, was like real-life college. I didn’t know anything, yet willing to learn. It was painful but worth the time. I was fortunate to be surrounded by friends and family that kept urging me on. The hardships of honing my skills, bad gigs, not much pay made me better and helped my confidence as an artist. I’m still learning.
If there was one thing I would do differently… not leave the day job too soon.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
My people have been on this land since the beginning. I come from a rich history of Lakota and Nakota people, better known as the Sioux and Assiniboine. We have a culture filled with stories and history of our existence. My mother, Assiniboine, was a jazz singer as well as my grandfather who was a sax player. My father, Sioux, was a country singer. I would say, music is in my genetics.
I grew up between my reservation and East Texas throughout my life. Always an artist of some kind, my love for movies, music and storytelling was keen in my life. I use to dream of being a singer and play the guitar but never thought I would do so professionally. It wasn’t until I was much older and was led to Colorado after graduating from Texas A&M University.
It was in Louisiville, Co just outside of Boulder, I was open to and received Devine intervention through psychic vision. The vision was not my own. It was one of a 96 year old elder from Korea. The year was 1996. I left corporate in 1997 to pursue the arts. It was 2004 and 2005 before I had my first big break. I haven’t looked back after 23 years, except to wonder how it will all endure.
I won the Spoken Word category for my first of four albums “Keepers of the Earth”- a combination of oral storytelling and contemporary easy listening songs themed after the stories. In 2005, I was able to leave the day job and tour after finding an agent from Wisconsin.
Since this 2005, I have performed for the United States Treasury Dept, toured through he State Department, Malta, Turkey, and Pakistan as well as throughout the United States.
It has been my honor to share the traditional stories and educate my audiences. Since the beginning of my career I have developed many facets of my work. I do workshops, stress management, as well as beginning dream catcher class and storytelling. I for the most part, consider myself a writer. I love fiction with a twist of truth. I have fun and when you do what you love, you never work a day in your life.
I will continue to educate, entertain, and enlighten my audiences of all ages and colors.
: Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
My goal is the reach the mainstream sectors. Native Americans in mainstream are rare. Although, times are quickly changing, we think of mainstream, we only think of rap artist, pop or rock, actors in movies and television. It is through these mediums our society is shaped. It can be good or not.
Native American artist who act, write, create paintings, sing, and model are finally getting the proper respect within the mainstream culture. It hasn’t always been the case. When I received spiritual vision of my path, I knew it was true. I reflect on the audiences I have story told over the years as well as lectured on our culture. I could feel their spirits and knew they were listening.
Though my art mediums as writer, musician and oral storyteller, my creative journey has been a wonderful adventure. My mission to educate the public, both Native and non-Native, entertain as well as enlighten. My goal is to give them something to think about they had not before thought of. My goal is to share our ancient culture.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
As a oral Native American Storyteller and musican as well as writer, my most rewarding aspect of what I do is to touch someone in the audience with a feeling of connectedness and gratefulness. When I share the stories, I can see and feel their energy and know they are listening.
Sometimes after a show, I will have someone come up and talk to me, expressing their gratitude for what I do. Other times, it may be years, a teacher or a student will approach me and thank me for the stories and how I have made a difference in their lives. This often happens when I need to hear their feelings the most. At times, it is difficult for an artist like myself to know if my art has done it job, ‘sharing and keeping the culture alive.”
Contact Info:
- Website: www.redfeathewoman.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/roseredelk/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rose.redelk/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rose-red-elk-aka-red-feather-woman-bb02964/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiLQA9xLHvcYefZLwVLPz1A/about
Image Credits
head shot- Sonya Shannon-Photography