Rich in culture and solemn in stature, art featuring Native Americans has been reproduced in many different forms, mediums, with countless interpretations. I chose to share a very colorful pop art style featuring portrait renditions of Native Americans.
Kicking Bear, Siuox
John Nieto, 2013
Rockwall, TX
Quanah Parker 2008
John Nieto, 2008
Rockwall, TX
“I paint native American themes so I can step back in time and shine some light on those people – that culture. Through my artwork, I hope to show their humanity and their dignity.” -Nieto
John Neito
Neito is a bold contemporary artist that has been exhibiting paintings since 1981 to the present and has many works in museums all over the United States. He has produced bronze sculptures, etchings, lithographs and silk- screen prints, in addition to drawings in pastel crayons and charcoal. His Native American ancestral roots are primary from New Mexico in which his family has lived for over 300 years.
I enjoy Neito’s work for the bold use of color, mixing of patterns, and his courageous blending of colors. His work is very impactful and the dark shadows creature very moving pieces.
Native American 1
Tamara Ruiz, circa 2013
Blair, Nebraska
Native American 2
Tamara Ruiz, circa 2013
Blair, Nebraska
Tamara Ruiz
Ruiz is contemporary artist out of Blair, Nebraska that primarily creates works that are collage pieces using old photographs with acrylic and oil painting collaborations, mixed media 2D and 3D projects, jewelry, and still life paintings with clear bold colors. Her work has been exhibited across the United States, in Singapore, Japan and Belgium.
I enjoy that Ruiz chose to create portraits of Native Americans on maps of tribal lands, I feel like it creates an interesting juxtaposition of the lands that they once inhabited with a bright portrait of what modern culture has transformed them into.
Mother and Child
Andy Warhol, 1986
New York, New York
Sitting Bull
Andy Warhol, 1986
New York, New York
Andy Warhol
Warhol has been a very prominent artist in the pop art movements since the 1960s with both films and printmaking, with other interests in sculpture and photography in the 1980s. Many of Warhol’s work expressed bold combinations of color upon every day items such as Campbell’s Soup cans and Coca Cola bottles, after which he began to work more with photographs of celebrities such as Marilyn Monroe and Michael Jackson.
I like the shift of Native American portraits chosen by Warhol because I enjoy the combination of photographs with non complimentary colors. The painterly touches of the two previous artists are beautiful, but I also enjoy the depth that is created in Warhol’s work as the dark shading of the photographs slightly shows through.
“John Nieto.” Nieto Fine Art, 2015. Web. 29 July 2015.
https://www.nietofineart.com/about-nieto-fine-art
“About Me, Tamara Ruiz.” Tamara Ruiz, 2014. Web. 29 July 2015.
“Andy Warhol.” Bio. A&E Television Networks, 2015. Web. 29 July 2015.
http://www.biography.com/people/andy-warhol-9523875#artistic-career
so much depends 
Very nice blog entry this week– I really enjoyed the theme that you displayed throughout the whole post.
These artists portray the Native American people in an amazing way. The rich colors and modern style, bring a refreshing edge, all the while honoring the people portrayed in the pieces. My two favorites pieces from this blog are “Native American 1” and “Native American 2” by Tamara Ruiz, although that was a very difficult choice as I found great intrigue in each piece. Not only are the color blends and mixture of patterns unique, the background is impeccable. The detail of the Native American is perfectly displayed in front of the complimenting map, adding depth and detail to the piece. Here is a great link that highlights other brilliant contemporary American Indian art pieces. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/05/contemporary-american-indian-art_n_4899069.html
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*adding this comment in hopes of finding the hyper link for my above comment. Please disregard.
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