The Arts Council of Big Sky is pleased to present In that Still Moment: DG House from June 18 to August 3 in the BASE Art Gallery. In That Still Moment will include 20 new paintings by Indigenous artist, DG House, capturing the wonder and majesty of the Yellowstone/Teton ecosystem in her signature, energized style.
As a member of the Alabama Cherokee NE tribe, House pays homage to Indigenous people of the past and present through images of wildlife and references to Indigenous patterns and people. House's colorful renderings portray her reverence for the animals and denizens of Yellowstone and Teton Parks. Her depictions of Rocky Mountain wildlife and First Peoples are warm, welcoming, and charming. By applying multiple layers of water-based oil, acrylics, pastels, and colored pencils, House imbues her characters with rich personality.
DG House knows the animal tenets of the Yellowstone ecosystem well: beginning with freelance photography in Yellowstone in 1981, House has been documenting the park system for over 41 years. She has had the honor of being a Yellowstone Concession Aires Artist-in-Residence in Yellowstone Park for the past 17 years, and part of the Guest American Indian Artist Program for Grand Teton National Parks for 27 years. House has accrued a wealth of local geologic and biological knowledge from rangers whom she has worked alongside year after year. Because of this, to gaze upon her works goes beyond art appreciation. To see House's work is to experience a historical and environmental account of this vast, yet intricate ecosystem.
Each of House's paintings come from a specific, real-life event that she has experienced over her tenure in the parks. According to House, "After twenty-seven years as a painter, I’ve never run out of ideas. Each piece I create is based on a real-life encounter with perhaps a grizzly walking on a trail, a wolf hunting in a valley, or a moose feeding in the river. Whatever the interaction, each painting is a story." Perhaps it is the authenticity of these encounters that inspires the duality of her depictions: though her palette is vivid, and her subjects are approachable, there is a daunting power and keen awareness in the expressions of the characters. The simple strokes and shapes that form the eyes of a rabbit, buffalo, or horse evoke the sense that these animals are gazing back at the viewer from their canvas cage. House’s portfolio is a reminder of the complexity and fragility of the local environment, and the local histories, that must be preserved and protected.
According to House, "As an Indigenous creative, I’ve made it my job to produce art that represents the wildlife and people who don’t often have a voice in our society. I spend a large part of my time with wildlife in the wildlands. Inspiration is everywhere in my world."
Concerning the indigenous elements of House's designs, the perimeters of House’s paintings are lined with her trademark geometric borders that honor her Indigenous ancestors. The patterns are reminiscent of the designs used on Native American par flèche (traditional rawhide pouches used for storage and transporting items). In addition, House's color palette is based on the Earthen paints created by the First Peoples of the Northern Rocky Mountains from local soils, flora, and other resources.
Contemporary Native American Artist DG House is an enrolled member of the Cherokee Tribe of NE Alabama and has helped develop the Indian Education for All curriculum. Her work has been exhibited in the Holter Museum of Art, the Missoula Museum of Art, the Yellowstone Art Museum, the CM Russell Museum; and the Phippen Museum of Art in Prescott, AZ; the Heard Museum in Phoenix, AZ; the Eiteljorg Museum of Indians and Western Art in Indianapolis, IN; the John Clymer Museum in Ellensburg, WA; the Western Art Museum in Kerrville, Texas; and the Indian Market at the Autry National Center in Los Angeles, CA. House’s work is in permanent collections worldwide including Grand Teton National Park, Devils Tower Monument, and in the collections of musicians Sir Elton John, Sir Paul McCartney, and Michael McDonald.
House is represented by LeeAnn Ramey Gallery in Bozeman, MT; the Eiteljorg Museum Gift Shop, Indianapolis, IN; Yellowstone Gift Shops, Yellowstone National Park, WY; and Glacier Gift Shops, Glacier National Park, MT.
