Turner School honored to have nationally renowned artist visit
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Diana Maloney
Shown is first and second grade students with Mr. Yellow Bird: Shown is back row: Matthew Timmons and Mrs. April Fox; Middle Row: Bailey Billmayer, Jake Brown, Bridget Reed, Landon Hickel, Wrien Wolery, Monte Yellow Bird, Abby Grabofsky, Ali Doyle, Joey Trautmann, and Landon Honey. Front Row: Marissa Hofer from the Turner Colony School, Avery Fox, Preston Egbert, Holly Grabofsky, Brady Zellmer, Colten Jorgenson, and Natalie Richman.
The Turner School recently was privileged to have the honor of having Mr. Monte Yellow Bird, aka, Black Pinto Horse visit their school. He is Arikara and Hidatsa from the Three Affiliated Tribes Reservation in North Dakota. He came to the school and spoke to all the students K-12 through the entire week. He shares a message of making good choices and words of wisdom from his elders of how to set boundaries, making a better life and other beautiful things.
Yellow Bird began his art education at an early age of 16 when he attended the Institute of American Indian Arts high school program in Santa Fe New Mexico, which allowed him the opportunity to expand his vision in Native American arts. He later furthered his art and history studies at North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND majoring in History Education with a Art minor. In 2002, he earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Minot State University, Minot, ND.
Monte is represented by galleries, museums and educational institutions both nationally and internationally. He attends prestigious Indian Art Markets such as Santa Fe Indian Market, the Heard Museum and Eiteljorg Museums and has collectors worldwide, such as the piece displayed in the permanent collection of the Volkenkunde Museum of Leiden Netherlands.
While working with the students of Turner, he guided them to new discoveries, creativity, and self exploration using the springboard of art and culture, weaving together golden threads of history, math and science and trimming it with character building and healthy choices.
Freshman Cody Welsh shows his artistic expression of his own personal history. He explains his drawings to the crowd that recently joined together at the Turner School cafeteria. The crowd was happy to hear Mr. Monte Yellow Bird explain his week long residency held at the Turner Public School. Welsh is the son of Kurt and Julie Welsh of Turner.
Mr. Yellow Bird shared his artwork and First Nation traditions, empathizing how it empowered him as a child and adult. He talked about respect to elders and preserving history as they experience and share their personal history through artistic expression. The students experienced making a winter count design and later were given the opportunity of explaining where they come from and project where they want to be in the future.
A gathering was held at the school the last day of Mr. Yellow Bird's visit encouraging parents, family and community members to come see the students' projects that they put together over the four day course. All the artwork was on display for the public's viewing. Mr. Yellow Bird presented Turner's art instructor, Mrs. April Fox, and the Turner School with a beautiful piece of art work. It was truly a wonderful and enlightening experience for all the students to have had this unique opportunity.
This project is funded in part by the Montana Arts Council, an agency of the State Government, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
