Paul High Horse with his piece "Rise and Grind" at the Journey Museum in Rapid City, South Dakota. Photo from Facebook
Paul High Horse work to debut at Journey
By Brandon Ecoffey
LCT Editor RAPID CITY—The Journey Museum in Rapid City is playing host to a young emerging Lakota artist. As part of the U.S. Department of Interior’s Arts and Crafts Board the art of Paul High Horse went on display the weekend of July 10. “The opportunity to exhibit my work at The Journey Museum is really amazing. I'm extremely thankful, appreciative, and honored to have the opportunity to share my work. This exhibition has been in the works for almost a year. I owe a big thank you to Connor Mcmahon for inviting me to get in touch with him so we could make this exhibition a reality,” said High Horse. The exhibition will hit the ground running as opening reception for High Horse’s work will take place this Friday from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. The exhibit itself will run through September 18. High Horse, attended Red Cloud High School prior to attending Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, where he completed both a Bachelor of Arts in Visual Communications and a Master of Education degree. The son of Bryant High Horse and Sara Margery Horse, Paul hopes that his unique blend of traditional and modern art can help inspire others. “As an educator and artist I share the gifts that I've been blessed with, and I do my best to not only help others discover their own gifts and talents, but to share them with the world once they're discovered. Setting short-term and long-term goals is imperative to my success. However, my biggest goal is to be an inspiration and positive role model. I've had some wonderful teachers, mentors, and helpful people on my journey. The least I can do is pay it forward and help someone else find direction. I've worked really hard to get where I am today, and I pray the Creator will continue to bless me and guide me on my journey,” he said. Despite being talented Paul had not focused on his art until 2008. According to a release from the Journey Museum his work “uses a variety of media in his work including acrylics, archival inks, and watercolors. Many of his pieces are executed on wooden panels, but he also uses canvas and paper as media for his artwork. His art incorporates a modern approach to the rich historical context of the Lakota people.” Describing his own work, Paul, says that his work blends the rich historical traditions of Lakota people with some of the modern day challenges that they face. “This current body of work has multiple layers. The pieces are constructed in such a way that they honor the past and those that came before us, acknowledge the present and some of our current struggles, and give a nod to the unwritten future. Each of the paintings is based on the sun and the energy that it provides. The colors that I've used are based on the four seasons, which is my way of showing respect for Mother Nature. The exhibition as a whole is intended to inspire viewers to take advantage of the opportunity they've been given on Mother Earth, regardless of any roadblocks, obstacles, or hardships they may encounter. Life is short and very precious, and there's an endless amount of knowledge to be obtained, discovered, and shared.” Prices for the artwork in the exhibition can be obtained by contacting The Journey Museum Store at (605) 394-2201. To purchase artwork after the exhibit closes, please contact Paul High Horse by email at phighhorse@gmail.com. (Contact Brandon Ecoffey at editor@lakotacountrytimes.com) Find the award-winning Lakota Country Times on the Internet, Facebook and Twitter.
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