Archie Blackowl (1911-1992)
Archie Blackowl was a Cheyenne painter from Oklahoma who played a pivotal role in mid-20th century Native American art. Blackowl is generally considered to be one of the important Oklahoma traditional painters. Blackowl's work captures the traditional Southern Plains culture and life. The paintings, generally in tempera or mixed media depict scenes of dancers or ceremonies in the Flat style of the Dorothy Dunn school or Bacone style of painting. Blackowl was best known for his stylized dancers adorned with traditional regalia and lack of background. Blackowl studied art at the University of Oklahoma, the University of Kansas, the Chicago Art Institute, the Rockefeller Art Center and the School of Fine Arts in Washington, D.C. He studied painting under muralist Olaf Nordmark. In the early 1930's he began to paint professionally with Woody Crumbo's encouragement. Througout his career, he was loyal to a traditional approach to Indian painting, portraying Cheyenne tradition and culture. His firsthand experiences allowed him to depict the Sun Dance, the scaffold burial, the Native American church traditions and Cheyenne family life.