In the 1970s Native American, First Nations, Indigenous peoples were portrayed in a romanticized light -dare I say, “Indian on horseback with wind in his hair.” Here in the northern plains, artists like Oscar Howe and Bobby Penn shook the foundations of what art produced by Native artists can look like. Leading the way for Arthur Amiotte to create complex collages and Robert Freeman’s impeccable etchings. 

By natural progression, Native artists continued to push the boundaries covering topics from cultural stories to activism, exploring new mediums and technology. Marlena Myles, a self taught artist, creates amazing vector art (Adobe Illustrator) portraits of creation relatives. Dwayne Wilcox, renowned Ledger Artist, rethinks ledger drawings as a sculptural material creating top hats and headdresses. 

As Native Peoples, we adapt to change.
As art changes, the makers, artists, creatives will continue to adapt.