Individual Artist Project Grant

I have shown some of the earlier works in this series on a limited basis -- through displays during the First Friday Art Walk and as part of an exhibit at the Blandin Foundation in Grand Rapids -- and the response from viewers has been very positive. People respond to the bright colors and bold lines combined with recognizable cultural dances. The focus on traditional pow wow dances rendered in a contemporary style provides multiple points of connection for Native and non-Native viewers. Much like my performing work, which combines traditional dance, hip hop, flute music, and spoken word, these paintings are a way to express Indigenous culture in a way that emphasizes rich history and modern vitality. It is my hope that my work will be a source of inspiration and pride for Native audiences and will be accessible to non-Native audiences, creating an opportunity for education and raising awareness of contemporary Indigenous art and culture. The goals of this project are twofold. On the tangible side, my goal is to tour my exhibit of paintings along with high quality art prints of each piece to at least three venues. I also hope to sell prints to help earn income from my artwork while keeping the original paintings available to exhibit. Intangible goals are more difficult to measure, but are equally important to this project. I hope this project will be a solid next step in my artistic career by propelling me to new opportunities and connections in the Minnesota arts community. I also hope that work on this project will help me refine my creative style and artistic voice. Finally, it is my goal that the artwork I share through this project will resonate with viewers in both Native and non-Native communities and build connections between visual and performing arts. Over the past seven years I have developed a process for creating these paintings. I am currently in a very generative period of time with a lot of inspiration and ideas coming to me. I expect to have the paintings that are the basis of this project completed before the grant project period begins. This grant project is specific to the activities of creating fine art prints and connecting with venues to secure exhibitions. I am confident that I can complete each of these activities within the grant timeframe. I plan to work with CPL Imaging for the print production, and they have a strong reputation for professionalism and quality work in the region. My role as Outreach Coordinator at MacRostie Art Center and my experience performing across Minnesota and the country have helped me build connections with potential venues to display this work -- such as art galleries, community centers, and educational institutions. Progress toward my tangible goals can be measured and tracked by documenting exhibits and sales. I'll reflect on progress toward my creative and career goals by noting new connections made, future exhibition plans, and the new work I create during the project period. I'll work with exhibiting venues to measure community impact and the overall response to my work -- through guestbooks, one-on-one conversations at exhibit events, and feedback from gallery staff. I'll also use social media to share my work and the interactions those posts receive will help me assess how the broader community is connecting to my work.