The Story Behind the Work: Out For More
JOHN ISAIAH PEPION (Blackfeet), Out For More, 2024, Ink, colored pencil, and acrylic on antique ledger paper. Size: 9 ½ x 15 ¼ in.
John Isaiah Pepion (Blackfeet) is a renowned rising star in the Native American Contemporary artist community. He is one of the nine exceptional artists presented by Contemporary Western Arts in Cody, Wyoming. Pepion is well known for his Ledger Art. He has developed a unique style that honors older indigenous art, including historic ledger art created predominantly by Plains Indians who used old ledger paper to depict tribal history and document the rapid changes in their culture from the 1860s to the 1920s.
His exceptional work caught the discerning eye of Silas von Morisse, director of the new gallery in town, Contemporary Western Arts. Silas fell in love with the West as a child growing up in Monaco. She seeks out the bridging of cultures through the artistic expressions of the American West. Pepion’s work embodies her goal of celebrating the fusion of ancient traditions and contemporary creativity in a dialogue between contemporary voices, timeless Indigenous artistry, and modern Western influences.
See this piece and more at their Holiday Open House, which is held on Saturdays from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm from late November to mid-December. Join them at 1244 Sunshine Ave in Cody.
Silas von Morisse
Director
Contemporary Western Arts
Presented there are nine exceptional artists: Frances Barth, Jane Chapin, Juliette Dumas, Jesse Fales, Wade Patton (Oglala Lakota), John Isaiah Pepion (Blackfeet), M.C. Poulsen, Gene Swallow (Oglala Lakota), and Andre von Morisse.
Contemporary Western Arts displays the art in a “house as gallery” in an informal manner to allow visitors to enjoy the collection in a friendly space.
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