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Artists for the Drum
Gloria Harrison graduated from Florence High School and received her BA in vocal performance from Dakota Wesleyan University in Mitchell, SD. Retired in May, 2003, Gloria taught in Rapid City for 28 years, 1969-1970 at Meadowbrook Elementary School, 1970-1974 at West Junior High School, and 1980-2003 choral music grades 6-8 at Dakota Middle School. She was Artistic Director of the Rapid City Children's Chorus since it’s beginning in the summer of 1986 thru 2004. She now serves on the RCCC board as Director of Education and Development.
Mrs. Harrison's professionalism is evidenced by her dedication to young people. She was the Rapid City Area School District Teacher of the Year and a candidate for South Dakota Teacher of the Year in 1989. Ms. Brandt is recognized for her excellence in teaching by being selected for Who's Who Among America's Teachers in 1989, 1996, 1998, and 2004. She has also been selected for Who’s Who in American Education, 2006 and Who’s Who in American Women for 2006.
She developed and directed the South Dakota Ambassador of Excellence choral group who performed for the 8th World Conference for the Talented and Gifted in Sydney, Australia in 1989.
Under Mrs. Harrison's direction, the Rapid City Children's Chorus has had audition tapes selected for SD-ACDA, SD-MEA, North Central ACDA, North Central MEA and the 1993 National ACDA Convention. The chorus performed and participated in America Sings! Inc. in Washington, DC, in 1989. The choir participated in the Pacific Rim Children's Chorus Festival under the direction of Henry Leck in July, 2002. The Rapid City Children's Chorus performed in Carnegie Hall in 1996, 1999, and November, 2003 and appeared on the Today Show in 1996 and 1999.
Gloria Harrison has served as Junior High/Middle School Repertiore and Standards Chair for SD-ACDA, Hospitality Co-chair for the 1994 North Central ACDA Convention in Rapid City, and was co-chair of the 1995 summer Conference of SD-ACDA in Brookings. She organized the first South Dakota Junior Honor Choir for grades 7-9 in Pierre at the SD-ACDA Mid-Winter convention in January, 1993. She is the recipient of the first SD-ACDA Encore Award for her contribution to Choral Music. She received the Dakota Wesleyan University Alumni Association Outstanding Educator Award in 1997. Mrs. Harrison is a 1998-1999 graduate of the Technology in Teaching and Learning Academy and a DTL (Distance Teaching and Learning) 2000 graduate. She has written several grants for music technology and presented for TIE (Technology in Education). She is a member of OAKE (Organization of American Kodaly Educators) and ACDA (American Choral Director's Association). She received Level I certification for World Music Drumming with Will Schmid in June, 2000, and Level II certification for World Music Drumming in June, 2001. She was presented an Award of Excellence from the South Dakota Association for Middle Level Education on April 6, 2001 for implementing the World Music Drumming Curriculum at Dakota Middle School. She was presented the “Distinguished Service to Music” award from SDMEA (South Dakota Music Educators Association) in November, 2003. On January 21, 2005, South Dakota ACDA presented Mrs. Harrison the Lifetime Achievement Award for her contribution in choral music in South Dakota.
Gloria and her husband, Loren, live southwest of Rapid City, and enjoy gardening in their greenhouse and working in their woodshop.
April Seekins - Artist
April Seekins is a native Montana artist that enjoys painting watercolors and rawhide drums. As a youth she was recognized as a budding artist in grade school, high school and college. She raised three daughters and now enjoys their families and grandchildren. Her husband worked with the Forest Service so she and her family lived in and experienced the mountains of Montana, Idaho, Colorado, South Dakota, Washington and Oregon. April had the unique opportunity to observe abundant wildlife and unique bird populations in their natural settings.
She had a lifetime career in Diagnostic Imaging, where she specialized in Ultrasound. Her art skills were used extensively in teaching anatomy and ultrasound to the medical community and her students. She was called on to graphically illustrate several complex court cases in the field of ultrasound.
Since 2005 she has assisted her sister-in-law, Gloria Harrison, in designing and fabricating drum bags and drum hats. Gloria and April’s brother Loren attended the 2006 Buffalo Roundup and Art Festival in Custer State Park in South Dakota. Gloria discovered that almost everything with a buffalo on it was a popular item. Gloria asked April to paint a buffalo on the buffalo drums that she and Loren had made. April thought it would be fun to try. This was the beginning of an enjoyable new endeavor that combined April’s artistic skills and desires with Loren and Gloria’s handcrafted drums.
April’s choice of paint for the rawhide is permanent leather dye and ink because they become one with the drumhead. Each drum has its own tone, color, texture, natural leather markings, and scraping marks. She learned that each drum has its own distinctive touch, feel and way of accepting the dye. She gently touches and looks at each drum for a long time until she visualizes and feels the image each drum will gradually produce.
April’s unique painting technique and watercolor style create an original work of art like no other.
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