Limón awarded Partners in Participation grant from Minnesota State Arts Board

The artist Douglas K. Limón of White Bear Lake, MN has been awarded a Partners in Participation grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board for teaching 4 Cradleboard Classes in collaboration with the Native American Community Clinic in Minneapolis. The artist hopes to rekindle the art of the traditional cradleboard by passing on his knowledge of constructing cradleboards to families. Each family will create their own cradleboard. The project runs from October, 2014 through June 2015.

White Bear Lake, Minnesota, March 5, 2015: Douglas K. Limón and his wife, Rachel Limón will teach four classes to patients of the Native American Community Clinic (NACC) on how to make a traditional Ojibwe cradleboard or dikinagon. Participants will learn how to construct a cradleboard as well as the history and benefits of this traditional art form.

Artistic expression is a powerful means of personal transformation, emotional and spiritual healing. This project will provide NACC clients an outlet to be creative while learning an important tradition.

NACC was established as a 501c3 in 2003 and serves approximately 4,300 individuals each year, 85% of whom are Native American. Medicaid recipients make up over 60% of their patient population and nearly 25% are underinsured. The NACC currently employs 40 staff to operate its medical, mental health and dental clinics. The medical clinic has five primary care physicians and one pediatrician. Community collaboration is another important element of NACC's organization and partnering with Limón on this project brings the community together in a healthy way. Bois Forte Urban Office will host the space for the classes as well as usage of sewing machines to participants.

The artist made his first cradleboard in 2008 when he and his wife Rachel Limón decided to raise their youngest son in a cradleboard. That cradleboard made a positive impact on his family and the community. "What I learned from the experience is that too many people in the community had little or no knowledge of how to construct a traditional Ojibwe cradleboard. This is why I decided to do The Cradleboard Project", said Limon. "I would like to dispel some of the misinformation out there about our culture. The cradleboard is safe, comforting, and healthy for our babies. And it has been for thousands of years."

The total project cost is $31,495. The major expense goes to labor to prep the 40 cradleboards 10 for each class, materials, artists time for conducting 4 classes. Limón has to raise $10,000 to complete the project. He has launched a Kickstarter campaign at http://kck.st/17tApqD to raise the additional money. He has provided some great rewards for Backers of the project. Limon has also set up a FaceBook page at https://www.facebook.com/thecradleboardproject. Fans and Kickstarter Backers can follow the progress of The Cradleboard Project on FaceBook.

NACC in partnership with artist Douglas K. Limón is a fiscal year 2014 recipient of a Partners in Participation grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board. This activity is funded, in part, by the arts and cultural heritage fund as appropriated by the Minnesota State Legislature with money from the Legacy Amendment vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008.