Our hearts are heavy with the loss of artist Jim Denomie (Ojibwe) who passed away on March 1, 2022, at his home in Minnesota. Jim was an NACF National Artist fellow and renowned visual artist both nationally and internationally. His narrative and vibrant paintings brilliantly addressed issues of Native history, colonialism and politics with stinging humor and sarcasm.
I paint about these things fearlessly and honestly, and for a long time it wasn’t accepted by both mainstream and Native communities because it was too far away from traditional imagery, and being identifiably Native, but I kept persisting.”
Jim will forever be remembered for his dedication to his family and his leadership in the Native arts community. A Native arts elder in his passing, Jim was always generous in his work and he will always remain cherished by the NACF family.
