Early Influences
Not
so very long ago, Leonard Peltier would have been the first one
to say, "I'm a long way from my peak as an artist."
Growing up with
uncles who would spend time sketching and carving, Peltier would
watch his elders in their craft and try to imitate them.
"I remember I
started carving with a knife I had found in the trash and
sharpened up. I learned to draw before I could read or write,
and it was kind of a way to communicate for me... I took art
classes in school... art was what I was good at. I began
teaching myself painting and getting into colors just before I
got arrested. After my arrest, I really didn't do anything until
about 1984 or 1985."
Evolution of an
Artist
Spending
time in "the hole," while in the federal prison at Springfield in the 1980s, Leonard
watched another prisoner working with pastels and when he got
permission to get his own set of pastels and paper, he started
working with the images and colors that he has always loved.
Inside the gray walls of the prison, locked away from the
natural beauty of Mother Earth and her changes, artists must take
their inspiration from books and magazines available to them.
"We are denied
seeing Mother Earth and enjoying her, so we use some nice
pictures for models and change them around... I like to express
the beauty of my culture to the world—the colors of powwow,
dancers, drummers, and crafts. I want to record and share
this beauty."
After his
transfer to the penitentiary at Leavenworth, Kansas, Leonard began to work with oils and
acrylics.
Peltier must
purchase supplies from the prison commissary at USP-Lewisburg,
where he is currently imprisoned, but
supplies are limited. He can order supplies through a
catalog, but that is subject to approval. He isn't limited in
the quantity he can purchase, only by funds.
The Artist's Vision
Peltier's paintings reflect the strength and
commitment in his heart for the struggle of his People to retain
a natural way of life in the face of great adversity. But painting
means so much more to Leonard.
"Painting is a
way to examine the world in ways denied me by the United States
justice system, a way to travel beyond the walls and bars of the
penitentiary. Through my paints I can be with my People—in
touch with my culture, tradition, and spirit. I can watch little
children in regalia, dancing and smiling; see my elders in
prayer; behold the intense glow in a warrior's eye. As I work
the canvas, I am a free man."
In 1986, Leonard
suffered a stroke and lost about eighty percent of his sight in
his left eye.
"My eye problems
have slowed me down considerably, but I am still very inspired."
Indeed, art
professionals marvel at the number and quality of the paintings
Peltier produces in light of this disability.
"Sharing my art
makes my heart feel good. It's a way, too, of letting people
know that I have not been conquered by the oppressor even though
I have spent so many years in these iron lodges. It's a way to
say thank you for all the people's support. It's a way of
letting them know that their prayers are strong."
Leonard donates
his paintings to his defense committee to help support efforts to win his
freedom. Leonard's paintings are collected by celebrities
and luminaries worldwide including Oliver Stone, Peter Coyote,
Jane Fonda, Val Kilmer, and Michael Apted.
Peltier
paintings also have been given as gifts and donated to help
other organizations raise funds.
View samples of Peltier's artwork.
