Traditions: Ohio Heritage Fellows; 102; Edwin George interview, part 7 of 10

Q:

Edwin: Yea, that’s where I started off. Then when I put the little story, I sit there and think, why... well I put a bird in that like a cardinal, chickadee, and I put ‘em in there next to them I put flowers in there. Would I know the flower. That’s where the medicine is. I put a... I put ramps in there. I set it in there... just sent all kinds of stuff in the—around that there then it looks pretty good, all kinds of stuff. That... that’s where it started that, any kind of uh, plant I knew, daddy used before for medicine, I put it in there. And um, dogwood, I put it in, a dogwood flower. They say that’s for diabetic, you know, the roots and then make a tea out of it and uh, I put a flower on it. I put tulip tree for cough, and I put flower up there just in case somebody ask me. Then they fill it up, looks pretty good. That’s what I do today. Nobody .... They like it. I had one cons—cons—cons—Kent State student he’s asked me if he could do same thing. He couldn’t... she couldn’t do it. He just got smaller (laughing) he said he just gave up. And I did... that’s where it started just uh, really... they’re the one knew how I started, Louise and Tony and my wife.

Q:

Edwin: It’s uh, it’s just a story ra—rabbit and the witch. And uh, they were two together, they were buddies, (inaudible)kinda buddy or some... and uh, they hike all the time. And um, they go all over the mountain, go hiking a few miles and come back. The rabbit went home and the rab—the witch went home, mm-hm. And uh, one morning, the rabbit’s was missing. They did it for years. And year ago, the witch keep wondering what happened, he may got hurt, I’m gonna go look for him. So, he always had the rabbit. He finally went over half the (inaudible) when they saw the witch the rabbit was going over the mountain uh-huh, and then uh, he hollered at her and he told what’s wrong with you? He said, you’re a witch... he found out he’s a witch. He said I don’t like witch, I’m afraid of witch. He said from now on... and when... the witch got mad. He said from now on that they’re gonna... I’m gonna change you. You just for that one time. He said, from now on you’ll be running when you see the people. You know how rabbit runs right away, scared to death... really sc—he’s scared... he’ll fall over... rabbit scared... you—you scared hard enough, rabbit will die. You can collapse a heart, you can kill a rabbit. And um, that’s why the witch kinda put on the curse on them. That’s the way it is today, uh-huh. So, if you didn’t say nothing to the witch there’d be no running.

Q:

Edwin: It’s a... it’s a... oh...come... come (inaudible) it’s a... it’s a two turtles sitting there facing the east and they’re hugging each other and um, I put all kind design on ‘em. I didn’t put it there. People walked by, they signed the waiver, they put ‘em on a scaffold, people (inaudible). Uh, they got enough of um, people walking by and um, I sit there just right like I’m sitting right here tell them they’re doing right (inaudible) and um, that uh, that’s the way it uh, that’s why I painted that (inaudible). I still got it in my car. Friends and uh... when I... when I entered the (inaudible) of it’s me. And my—other’s my girlfriend, and I ain’t gonna tell who she is, she’s still living in Yellow Springs, and uh, we both sitting facing east. I really don’t never told except you... and uh, and uh, you see the turtles sitting a little old pouch hanging there. You use the word little purse, about that big, I put it on the turtle right there. It’s her. So if... I did it for her and me, then we made some friends, said the people like those things.

Q:

Edwin: It’s got a nap—I almost forget all that’s in there... if you’re a... if there’s a turtle in there it’s got a story. That same thing that’s where it started. And turtle went in uh, towards North. He’s now gonna come see you it describe. It took him about a year to come uh, come up there, you now how tur—slow the turtle is... you have to go through the water and mountains and the... and uh, that’s the way it was in the... if it’s a... I just gue—I’m just guessing that if a... and uh... if it’s a chickadee in there, it’s a gu—I’m just guessing... chickadee. We use a chickadee a lot. If I’m hiking in the mountain, a chickadee come along, chirp and tickle, that means somebody’s coming. And uh, I told my wife and she said why a woman and then we were going to (inaudible) clean this dome, we hiked down the hill and chickadee that came per chirpin’... somebody’s coming I tell. Few many... there’s a (inaudible) coming the trail and chickadee knew. That’s what they... I—I use. And uh, somebody’s we... me and my wife hid again, this park ranger went by. That’s what they used to do in the war. There a group of Indian then chickadee will tell on you. You have to watch out. And he gonna tell on you. You’re going... you’re going that way. So, that’s what thing that nobody ever figured out how chickadee knew somebody’s coming. If chickadee tell you early in the morning, somebody’s gonna come and see you later at night. But if it comes afternoon, somebody’s still coming. The witch coming or something... you have to watch out. You don’t know what it is. Maybe a burglar or something. I never could figure out how chickadee knew.

Q:

Edwin: Yea just keep it alive, just put it in there, but they have to learn that first though. And uh, if I put a rabbit I call it geestew, I just put it in there, then somebody couldn’t figure out what it says, or a squirrel, sheelaling... we call it shelaling squirrel, and yonah is a bird, so that’s why I put it in there. And I put... and then sometimes just put a single word it— it... that’s what... when you... just like you write a Cherokee, you have to put once luck, one at a time in those words same as if you write English, so you go to use like a write yet, but rat. So I have to put (inaudible) so I had to use those words too, put the same way too, uh-huh, that’s what... I just put any kind of word I can put it in there so people... and all kinds a... but it goes to a lot of Indian... you... you won’t find any (inaudible) so... so sometime white person come back later to ask me what that is and um, so I tell ‘em, uh-huh... what it is uh-huh... that’s all the time I get from white person whoever bought a picture. So I don’t... I do—I tell a story in the middle. I don’t tell a story of what’s on the side. I could tell ‘em but it’ll take a little longer. I wouldn’t sell my picture, so. But so much real smart... they be back by the week, say what that is on the side, then I have to tell a story... all about it.

Q:

Edwin: First, you’d be surprised what I (stammers) how much I go through... I’ll... I’ll put four coats of white first on the—on the—I put a goose—or what to they call that white stuff they put on first? And full coat of white. And when I get through, all one coat, I go again about five, six times again with a small brush. That’s why it takes so long, uh-huh. And it takes me... each person with a small brush, then once the little ones in there, it takes me so long, uh-huh, then about fifty coat, I have to really be careful they’s keep... keep from running over, uh-huh. And um, I did that one. And the family’s coming on the next day. They had a festival Kent State, I was there. And um, I spray, I seal it first, I sprayed... I still working on this evening... this late evening this festival starts in the morning, if it’s from people ever heard about it, if you (inaudible) and um, what I did was I go and seal it in the morning so the sun, seal it in the sun, let it dry. I went and got a white paint, you know...cl—sealers are clear. I took a... wh—I go like this right away, I pu—I went white paint like this on top of it, boy, I stayed up all night long... I didn’t get it back like it was but it—it looks pretty good though. It was different stuff. (inaudible) on top mm-hmm... boy...

Q:

Edwin: I usually use uh, I’ll mix the color, all kinds of color, I’m like uh-huh. If it looks good, it goes on there. You put... if it’s pink, you put pink both sides, even it up. Even it up everything... everything’s even uh-huh. You don’t want all the red on one side uh, it wouldn’t look right. Every time I put blue here, I put a blue here. Just everything’s... trying to make it perfect, uh-huh. That’s what I’ve been doing. Just a little small brush. I still not nervous yet, uh-huh, I still can do it uh, be 79 uh-huh. So...

Q:

Edwin: Yea uh-huh... yea uh-huh... put a little story in the middle. I have to. (inaudible) But what’s on the edge on the side it’s got stories too uh-huh, but I usually don’t tell it, uh- huh, unless they ask.

Q:

Edwin: Well, s—sometime I tell stories and uh, a—according to who comes, and somebody just want buy a print and go and then uh, he wants to know all about it and that’s it. And um, mostly it’s uh... I’ll make a bunch of prints I know I’ll sell ‘em and um, and I’ll be demonstrating too same time. But sometime you... you can’t demonstrate too much. There’s a people I know that want to talk, I go have to talk. Sometime I just get two or three st—few strokes uh, out of nine o’clock to five o’clock. People... they want to talk more. I just go ahead and make ‘em, us both him and happy. We just go ahead and talk and uh, I’ll have this s—s bo—my granddaughter be sitting in the stuff, uh-huh, with prints uh-huh. I usually do both. Sometime I talk and demonstrate and sell my picture... it’s... it’s... it’s a little bit rough on that and uh, but I’ll have my granddaughter that’s his first time. I’m going teach her to pl—

Q:

Edwin: No huh-huh... that, I’m gonna teach her... that’s the only one I’m gonna teach her and I’ll do it, uh-huh... paint... the ones walking around right here, she do it.

Q:

Edwin: I want to tell all of ‘em... I’m trying to train her. You know, that right there... is that the right word. So I wanted to... that’s why I’m bringing her and I do more sale and stuff. She won’t be painting. She’s gonna have to learn for herself, to get along with the people. If... at the had to be smaller than everything, uh-huh, have to be... be good to them and tell ‘em what they want know and everything, uh-huh. So, you’re not... you’re not there just to make money, you... you there to know the people too. I like to be with all my friends tomorrow when they come uh-huh... I like to talk to ‘em. Even if I don’t sell it, it helps, and they ask me... you go somewhere else, you used to sell ‘em all. I believe that uh-huh... you know uh, like he said, don’t worry about it... don’t worry about the money. I just... just to tell it... just... I s—I just... once in a while I go to church that’s why I believe what the scripture says, don’t worry about don’t—anything. That’s what I do. I can sit tomorrow, get a lot of friends talk to me, then uh, don’t worry ‘bout it. Then some others help you, go next show, some day (inaudible) you sell ‘em all. You’d be surprised that it works that way. You got to believe Him though, uh?

Q:

Edwin: Well, I was proud of it. That’s the first time I’ve got that much uh, luck at. Like I said, the first time, you know, I was just cons—when I met this lady I was con—he’s already working holidays, (inaudible) graduate can state what I have and just happen to fell in love, I guess, and I... some way her like me and um, and I just construction, cutting grass and uh, maybe cut (inaudible) one I have cut logs uh-huh... I’m—they gave me four dollars and worked the whole week. Then, everything was ok. Then uh, then I finally met this lady that uh, stay with me for seven years in Cherokee and then wants to go home. So we’re landing at Kent State. See he was an Ice Capader, he was an Ice Capader, retired ice capade. And he skated until his death, uh-huh. And uh, trying to teach but I never could learn. Then later on, that’s where he was picking up all this paper, that’s where it started from...

Q:

Edwin: I just when I get home, I used to lock the drawer... not drawer, I’m not a really drawer... just uh, looked like a see a draw something that looked like a bird. I can’t draw really looked like a bird. See people ask me if I can draw their picture. I say I can’t. Just the way it looks in the... for a print, that’s the way it looks, that’s the way I draw. That’s what I was doing. I just makes look like a deer... almost looked like a deer and looked like a dog or a cat, anything reminds me... the flower. I can’t draw a flower exactly the way it looks, uh-huh, like exactly, but they... that... that’s what people wants now, I understand. If I make a real apple picture in the middle of it, they won’t buy it. Uh... uh... you’d be surprised. It’s got to be a little like a folk art. I noticed that one time. I draw a card it took me for long time, almost just perfect, looked like it. Nobody wouldn’t buy it. He said it’s too real. I want the way you did the other one.

Q:

Edwin: They just really fell in love with it and this (inadauble) Shirley (inaudible) he’s got fifteen picture... he just love ‘em. And he said, I’m gonna open a gallery one of these days when I retire. But that’s the way it ended. The arms... arms grow. That’s the way he said it. Practice and nurse. So, he showed up herself. He just heard about it. (inaudible) was telling us don’t you go off, they don’t know who that is. This lady (inaudible) I’m going. They call up and there she is. I never seen you before. I’m going go come see you. I’m gonna get off airport... Cleveland airport and can you pick me up? Her husband said you better watch out who’s picking you up. Well, I said he was standing there with a green hat. It said Cherokee Nation, stand at the gate, that’s me. You’re pretty beautiful red nurse... red-headed nurse... beautiful... come along with suitcase. (inaudible) said, you Ed George? I said yea. Then I’ll... I’ll... I was... I was taking care of the dogs somebody wants work. I took care of dogs too. And uh, then went to California, they good friend, then they move to Charlotte and they’re... I told I don’t... I live (inaudible) out there. I thought (inaudible) he went with me. He stayed with me whole week. The nurse and practician. And she went back home and she spent, she bought me four originals from me and uh, we’ve been friends and her husband both since then. And uh, his name and her Dale Evan and uh, first that woman stayed then with me. He took all the luggage doing uh... he took a picture(inaudible) like this and everything. He was (inaudible) he was ready equipped already, the nurse.

Q:

Edwin: Yea, uh-huh... but they... they’re... I think they loved the stories. That’s what somebody picks up a story looking and they... he asked about that, you know uh-huh. I usually beat him. I just tell him there’s a story behind that read it, that’s right. So, that’s the way I sell ‘em. I don’t put big sign there to uh, story, the story... you –you can... if you look—if you’ll come over, the stories behind there. I’m not gonna tell you, if you’re gonna buy it then you turn it over later on and uh, you see the story.