pcfadanforth.org
Color Me Indigenous Exhibition
Contemporary art from six emerging Native American artists will be on display at Livingston Montana’s Danforth Gallery September 25 – October 21, 2015 with an artists’ reception September 25th from 4 to 8 pm. The all-indigenous show curated by Ben Pease, of the Crow and Northern Cheyenne Nations, includes vibrant work by Louis Still Smoking, John Pepion, and Lauren Monroe of the Blackfeet Nation, Dvera Tolbert of the Crow Nation and Northern Arapaho Robert Martinez who grew up on the Wind River Reservation and sculpture from metal artist Moses Yellow Robe of the Crow Nation.
Curator Pease explains, “I curated this show in the hopes of revealing the ‘sub-culture’ voice of young, emerging Native American Artists. Our connections to culture, land, and society lend to our abilities to create, which are at times under-represented. Beauty, cultural context, and personal message are all very evident, and need a stage. We are led by our need to retain our Indigenous Identities.”
Ben Pease, is studying at Montana State University with an emphasis in Studio Arts with a possible minor in Native American Studies. He says, “Throughout my life, I’ve tried to soak up as much cultural, societal, and traditional aspects of what it means to be an aboriginal from North America in the whirlwind of today. I find my definition of being Native to this land as an interpersonal physical and spiritual relationship which is connected to all surrounding entities, beings, organisms, and geological features. My work and process are currently evolving, for the more I learn, the less I know. I’ve recently crossed paths with self-appointed task of narrating the Aboriginal struggles and aesthetics through my personal interpretation. Whether my art focuses upon statements drawn from the aspect of an activist or based on cultural recording, I feel the need to educate and speak volumes. I will continue my transition from a so-called “Rez-Kid” to a culturally rich Contemporary Storyteller. It is ridiculous to say Natives must abandon the assimilated lives we’ve grown used to living. What is plausible is that we must act with solidarity to recreate our migration away from traditional techniques and customs. Charging forward wielding solidarity to combat and recompense our losses in the assimilation of our ancestors appears to be a great goal. My journey as a storyteller stands as a continuation of my contribution to our contemporary cultures, as I will pass along the knowledge I earn. I am eager.”
Lauren Monroe Jr.’s art reflects Blackfeet cultural motifs and imagery as well as his personal experience of living and growing up on the reservation. The abstract and surreal quality of his acrylic work creates a visual narrative with dream like qualities, which often leave the viewer in thought of the story behind them. Currently Lauren resides on the Blackfeet Reservation working on art fulltime and freelancing on films as art production.
John Pepion has an Associate of Arts degree in Art Marketing from the United Tribes Technical College in Bismarck, North Dakota and Bachelor of Arts degree in Museum Studies from the Institute of American Indian Arts. He’s painting with watercolors in the Plains Indian ledger style since 2005 and has developed a style applying ink and color pencils to historically significant 1800’s ledger paper. He begins each piece by illustrating ideas stemming from his personal life and cultural history and incorporates the colorful designs of the Blackfeet into his artwork. Today John is a rising contemporary ledger artist whose powerful imagery represents aspects of culture that intrigue the viewer and often tell a story.
Dvera Tolbert draws influence from her Crow culture and bases her artwork mainly around her Native American background. She also enjoys painting iconic figures and is inspired by work from artists such as Andy Warhol and Mark Paul Daren. While she likes to stick to the pop art theme, once in a while she likes to paint realistic portraits.
Robert Martinez was born in Central Wyoming amidst the Wind River Reservation and grew up part of many different cultures as his lineage is Spanish, Mexican, Scotts Irish, French Canadian and Northern Arapaho. Martinez graduated from the Rocky Mountain College of Art & Design with a Bachelor of Fine Arts specializing in Painting and Drawing and minoring in sculpture, becoming the Youngest Native American to graduate from RMCAD at that time. Brought up in the center of the reservation, Martinez’s native heritage remains a constant inspiration and source of ideas for his work. Much of his work uses the historical imagery, myths and stories of the West and Arapaho Culture to create images with vibrant color to make contemporary statement. The renaissance masters and their figurative work, contemporary fantasy illustration’s heroic images and native artists’ use of color all influence his style. Martinez sketches his ideas in pencil drawings before transferring the idea to canvas with contemporary airbrush to create a richly hued under-painting in acrylic finished with classic oil paint and techniques to reinforce the play of light and dark to finish the piece.
Louis Still Smoking is currently studying art with a minor in Native American Studies at MSU, grew up on the Blackfeet Reservation in Browning, and graduated from Flandreau Indian School in 1998. He was a stone sculptor for 11 years, co-owned an art gallery in Pierre, South Dakota, and taught art classes before deciding to further his art studies. The artist finds all mediums equally important opportunities to use art to express his view of the world. His work was featured in Native Max Magazine’s Winter 2013/2014 issue, has been displayed at numerous Montana galleries, and was featured in the 2015 MSU President’s Fine Art Series and publications.
The Danforth Gallery, Livingston oldest nonprofit arts organization, celebrates its fortieth year bringing emerging and contemporary work to the community with “Color Me Indigenous” September 25 – October 21, 2015 at September 25 – October 21, 2015 with an artists’ reception at the final 2015 artwalk Friday, September 25th from 4 to 8 pm. Learn more at pcfadanforth.org or phone 406-222-6510.
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