Nationality
American, White Earth Nation of Ojibwe
Preview
Date of Work
2022
Medium
Acrylic on canvas
Signature
Bottom right
Height
26"
Width
48"
Depth
1.5
Collection/Provenance
Contemporary Indigenous Art Collections: Student Government Collection
Status
On Display
Location
Memorial Union Gallery
Artist Bio
Kent Estey is a contemporary Anishinaabe artist and an enrolled member of the White Earth Nation of Ojibwe in Northwestern Minnesota who is known for his bold and bright use of colors in his art. Kent’s lineage includes many self-taught artists where black-ash basketry, beading, birch-bark, and fiber artistry were everyday occurrences in his home. Kent’s preferred art form is acrylic, oil, and ink painting. Most often, the subject matter of his paintings is about land, sky, and water. His use of vibrant colors, reflecting his feelings and emotions, captivates the viewer as he captures the beauty of his surroundings. “I paint what I see every day,” says Kent. “It’s all I know and what I know best, so my paintings are about this piece of land, this sky, the colors and feelings as I walk through my gardens.”
Kent’s work has been exhibited in Minneapolis, Saint Paul, Bemidji, Grand Rapids, Wahpeton, North Dakota, Duluth, and other regional exhibitions and galleries in Minnesota. Kent was recently awarded a Minnesota State Arts Board Creative Support for Individuals grant, a financial gift from the Waterers Organization, and the Region 2 Arts Council Artist Fellowship for 2023-2024. Kent has been an educator for most of his life, living and working in Naytahwaush, Minnesota.
Additional Information
A non-representational scene with broad brushstrokes in rich colors of purple, pink, blue, and metallic gold. Estey uses his lyrical brushstrokes to mimic the wind, hence the title, Noondin, which translates to It is Windy.
Condition
Excellent