Introduction

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Edna Kelly

Welcome to the Edna M. Kelly Collection of Native American materials. The Edna M. Kelly Collection consists of ceramics, jewelry, textiles and basketry.

Edna Kelly became interested in Native American art following the death of her husband, James F. Kelly, in 1968. During the 1970s, she ran an antiques shop in Ohio, and many of the items she purchased were from families who had bought items while visiting the American Southwest in the 1920s and 1930s. During the 1990s, she increased her collection through an annual trip to the Santa Fe Indian Market. (Voices in Clay: Pueblo Pottery from the Edna M. Kelly Collection, 2001)

Edna Kelly has been involved with the Miami University Art Museum since its beginning, and her collection has been displayed in various exhibits over the years, as well as being available for study. The Miami University Art Museum is pleased to introduce the first entirely digital exhibition of the collection.

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For ease of access, indigenous groups that have work showcased in the Edna Kelly Collection have been divided by geographic region throughout the exhibit. 

Introduction