Join Valentina LaPier for a virtual discussion about the inspiration and experience that have brought her to this point.
When: Wednesday, April 8, 2026 at Noon
Where: Online
Cost: Free
Register Here for the online event: https://form.jotform.com/252436280155050
Upon registration, a meeting link will be sent to you.
About the Artist:
Valentina LaPier is a master painter and a prominent voice in contemporary Indigenous art, with a career spanning nearly four decades. Born in Browning, Montana, Valentina is an enrolled member of the Blackfeet Nation and a descendant of the Little Shell Tribe. Her work is a rhythmic bridge between the ancient and the modern, rooted in 38 years of dedicated study of traditional Blackfeet and Cree patterns.
Valentina’s signature style involves a meticulous accumulation of historical research and abstract design. She draws inspiration from the "aged and muted" beauty of petroglyphs, lodge designs, and utilitarian objects, viewing these symbols as living reflections of our own lifespans. By blending acrylics, water-soluble oils, and collage with a disciplined, minimalist palette of five to seven colors, she creates "simplistic forms" that carry immense spiritual and historical weight.
For Valentina, the act of painting is a "peaceful place"—a meditative process where she proves that everything created by her ancestors was, and still is, of profound purpose and beauty. Beyond her studio, she is a dedicated educator, sharing the traditional art of the Par Flech and painting with the next generation through workshops in schools.
A lifelong advocate for Indigenous visibility, Valentina’s work has been featured in major exhibitions at the Northwest Montana History Museum and the Hockaday Museum of Art. She has also served as a prestigious Artist-in-Residence for Glacier National Park, where she uses her art as a vehicle for education and reconciliation. Her paintings are not only aesthetic treasures but are also deeply purposeful, frequently used to raise national awareness for critical social issues like the MMIP (Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples) crisis.
Indigenous Art, Indigenous Minds is a project of Open AIR’s Indigenous Initiatives Committee, established to elevate Indigenous Leadership and creative practices in Montana and beyond. All presentations are available onOpen AIR’s YouTube Channel.
The Indigenous Art, Indigenous Minds Speaker Series is a project of Open AIR’s Indigenous Initiatives Committee, established to elevate Indigenous Leadership and creative practices in Montana and beyond. All presentations are available on Open AIR’s YouTube Channel.