The Wyatt Gallery at Hillside is honored to present a storytelling night with world renowned Native American artist Monte Yellow Bird, a member of the Arikara and Hidatsa Nation originally from Fort Berthold Reservation, in North Dakota. 

“BlackPintoHorse” is the name he was given through ceremony, and that’s how he lives his life, every action is in ceremony. 

BlackPintoHorse creates to educate and share his wisdom: “There are so many stories untold – the issues we face, the incongruities that have occurred, our history and the true heartbeat of our heritage. At its core, lies a harmonic balance between humanity and nature, which I like to showcase using color representation and symbolism.”  

His artwork stands as a perfect example of how Yellowbird has been subtly but powerfully transforming ledger art, an American Indian medium more than a century and a half old, into a means of expression perfectly attuned to observing and commenting on the world today.

“To put something on paper like this,” he says, “can help bad things lose power over us and help good things gain power in our lives. We can all develop narratives that help us understand some of the difficulties we face.”

BlackPintoHorse is a man of many talents. He has experienced life through a series of passions that have assisted to define and redefine him as a teacher, horse trainer, educator, martial artist, storyteller and visual artist. It is art that has always played a key role in bringing Monte Yellow Bird a feeling of understanding and strength in a sometimes-precarious world. 

Friday, May 6, Monte Yellow Bird BlackPintoHorse will be at The Wyatt Gallery 4-7 p.m. sharing some of the amazing stories that go along with these iconic paintings.

Information provided by The Wyatt Gallery.