Distinctly Montana Magazine

D I S T I N C T LY M O N TA N A • W I N T E R 2 0 1 8 38 BOTH YOUR PARENTS SEEMED TO HAVE BEEN IMPORTANT INFLUENCES ON YOUR DECISION TO BECOME AN ARTIST. IN WHAT WAYS DID THEY ENCOURAGE YOU? ey were definitely encouraging in that Mother was always creating beautiful beadwork, sewing appliquéd dance shawls, and designing colorful patterns that intrigued me. My father was the chief of police,and game warden on the Crow Reservation; he was a fine musician and especially fond of Hawaiian music. He was always playing the guitar. I pursued music as well and studied violin, guitar, and ended up being a percussionist. Father loved art and we were surrounded by prints by Russell and Remington; he was also an avid reader of Western novels that had lots of cowboy illustrations that I would pore over. At that time I would draw on anything with a surface. WHAT IS A TYPICAL DAY LIKE WHEN YOU ARE WORKING? Each day would start with working on canvases from the night before and I will work on several pieces at a time. en around 2 or 3 in the afternoon, I will break and read mail, art magazines, and consult with my daughter, Sunny Sky, about our schedule coming up, deadlines etc.; any art business she takes care of. A nap might be in order. I enjoy painting at night as this is a special time of quiet and inspiration for me. WHAT WAS THE LOWEST POINT IN YOUR ARTISTIC CAREER, AND HOW DID YOU DEAL WITH IT? When my oldest daughter, Merida, passed away was the most tragic period. Luckily I had commissions to work on that carried me through a couple of years of very depressed and challeng- ing times. My art saw me through this period and now I dedi- cate all my exhibits and museum shows to her. We all suffered greatly—my daughter, son, grandson, her mother, and myself have slowly come back from this loss. Her love of art and the art world sustained us. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ARTISTIC SUBJECT TODAY AND WHAT WILL YOU BE WORKING ON IN 2018? We love horses as a family and they are paramount in my subjects for paintings. As a Plains Indian the horse was a central figure in life and my art. e horse and the symbology of hunting, moving, "War Stories Told" Acrylic on Canvas 60h x 48w

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