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Born to Amerdine Snow of Upper Lake Rancheria and Robert Jackson of Pinoleville,
on February 26, 1957 in Lakeport California.
April is a descendant of the Pomo and Cun Cow Tribes of California.
She is a third generation basket maker and craftswoman (verified from available records in addition to family oral tradition). She is the great granddaughter of Jenny Jackson (whose work can be found at the Hudson Museum in Ukiah) and granddaughter to Molly Jackson. Both were Master Basket Weavers. If you talk to April of her grandmother Molly, she will relate to you her memories of being a young girl watching her grandmother gather the reeds and then transform them into works of art through weaving by hand.
In the spring of 2000, an automobile accident provided the opportunity for April to devote herself full time to the making of traditional Indian crafts from her Pomo Culture. She began with ceremonial dancing regalia, ribbon shirts, moccasins and other craft items eventually leading to the study of traditional basket making. April's grandmother had prophesied that April would someday take on the making of traditional baskets.
Under the name A. J.'s Sewing Room, April produces numerous traditional items, which she has made available to Pomo people throughout Lake, Mendocino, and Sonoma Counties. She has taken orders for Indian-themed pillows, blankets, and baskets along with an array of craft items for gifts and ceremonial occasions. Her pillows and blankets are crafted specifically from Native prints, making each of them different and unique. Because of her willingness to take on new ideas and challenges April has recently learned to make such items as Indian dolls and choker necklaces. It is her belief that everyone has something to teach us if we are willing and open to learn. All her traditional baskets are made from Native plant materials, the same materials gathered by her grandmothers generations ago.
April became an active member of the California Indian Basket Weavers Association (CIBA) in 2002. A regular at these gatherings, she is always learning and teaching new skills and techniques. She feels extremely fortunate and grateful to be working with such accomplished basket weavers as Karen Whipple (Round Valley Tribe) from Covalo, California; and Master Basket Weaver Ennis Peck (Mountain Maidu) from Greenville, California. She has also attended numerous workshops by Cultural Demonstrator and master Basket Weaver Julia Parker (Kashia Pomo) at Yosemite National Park. These personal and professional relationships have further enriched April's love and respect for her cultural traditions and basketry.
April was a student and teacher at the
Lake County Tribal Health Consortium in 2001
learning and sharing her basketry skills with tribal members from around the Lake County area. After about a year's time April began a basketry class at her home.
She was awarded a grant from the Native Culture Fund in 2003 to help start her basket class. The class has met weekly with five to seven students in attendance. For the past five years April has been contracted to provide Arts and Native Craft Therapy for Indian Youth at Robinson Rancheria. She is also a regular vendor at many of the local tribes Indian Day and Big Time Celebrations. She has also served as Head Women Dancer for the Gathering of People Suscol Intertribal Powwow for the past three years (2004-2006). This yearly event is held at the Veterans Home in Yountville California honoring Native peoples who have served in the armed forces defending our country. Several of April's grandchildren and her daughter have also participated.
The Native Culture Fund sponsored a Spring 2006 Conference for those who had received grants . April was invited as a presenter to share her project “Weaving a New Generation". At that gathering, April was able to share publicly how she utilizes Native crafts and basketry in her work as a spiritual advisor specializing in alcohol and drug recovery. April battled her own drug and alcohol addiction for may years until she entered the New Dawn Treatment Program in 1990. A ninety-day program, New Dawn re-introduced April to her Native culture and traditions as the foundation of her recovery. As of July, 2007, she will celebrate 17 years of continuous sobriety. When asked about her spiritual path April will discuss how basketry, sewing, and craftwork have supported and strengthened her 12-step program. In addition to “Weaving a New Generation”, April conducts a weekly 12-Step group at the Upper Lake Rancheria meeting continuously since 2001 and is a 12-Step sponsor for Native and non-native women in recovery. Regardless of levels of attendance, April wants the hand of recovery to be there for her people.
April's most recent endeavor of 2007 is the establishment of this web site, and looking at ways to sell many of her Native works on eBay. In coordination with the Suscol Council of Napa Valley, April is part of a movement to bring back Native Culture in north central California. Her work has already been purchased throughout California, Oregon and Nevada.
April is the mother of three children, has an adopted daughter and has twelve grandchildren. Her time is spent helping to impart to them and the Indian community the values and discipline which were once the way of life of her people. April currently serves on several tribal committees and is a strong voice for traditional values.
She has an ultimate dream of having a place where Indian people can come to find a way of life free from drugs and alcohol and regain the ways and values of traditional Indian culture.
This dream is called Spiritual Rivers.