Art, Community and Place: Reflections on the biggest project of my life

By Cameron Decker

“This presentation will explore the topics of art, community, and place through personal narrative and reflection. My community public art projects were transformative, not only for myself as an artist, but for the spaces they occupy, and hopefully for the audience they were intended for. I will share my perceived successes and failures and how I plan to continue this work into the future. “

About the Artist:

Cameron Decker is a proud member of the Diné (Navajo) Nation. He is a Salish descendant. He is the former chair and faculty of the Fine Arts department at Salish Kootenai College where he has taught courses in studio arts, art history and portfolio since 2011. Cameron received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art History at the University of New Mexico. He received his Master of Fine Arts in Integrated Arts in Education at the University of Montana. He is a painter, printmaker, and ceramic artist. He takes pride in educating people about art and bringing people together for meaningful art experiences. His wife is a member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai tribes and is one of the few fluent speakers remaining and is teaching Cameron how to speak Salish. Together they are raising their four young children to be creative, cultural, and fluent Salish speakers.