This listing is for a beautiful, vintage matching pair of mid-century Native American silkscreen prints by the highly influential Cheyenne artist Archie Blackowl (1911–1992). These vibrant serigraphs beautifully capture traditional Southern Plains ceremonial dancers in highly detailed, stylized regalia against a rich background.

 

·       Artist: Archie Blackowl (Cheyenne name: Mis-tamo-to-va / Flying Hawk)

·       Subject: Cheyenne ceremonial dancers / stylized Powwow dancers

·       Medium: Vintage silkscreen / serigraph prints

·       Movement: Southern Plains Flatstyle

·       Framing: Professionally double-matted and housed in matching vintage solid wood frames

·       Condition: Good vintage condition with crisp graphics and bright colors. One spot appears in one of the pictures on the right upper part. Also, one of the frames are slightly loose in the upper right corner. Please review the photos carefully for exact frame and matting details.

 

About the Artist

 

Archie Blackowl (1911–1992), known by his traditional Cheyenne name Mis-tamo-to-va ("Flying Hawk"), was an exceptionally influential Cheyenne painter, teacher, and muralist. He is celebrated as a major figure in mid-20th-century Native American art and a master of the Southern Plains Flatstyle movement.

Background & Artistic Style

·       Heritage & Inspiration: Born in Weatherford, Oklahoma, Blackowl was a descendant of the celebrated Cheyenne war chief Roman Nose. He became captivated by art at a young age after watching tribal elders paint traditional skin tipis.

·       Southern Plains Flatstyle: Encouraged by famed Potawatomi artist Woody Crumbo, Blackowl developed a refined "Flatstyle" technique. This approach relies on vibrant, smooth fields of color, precise line work, and an absence of background elements to pull full focus onto the figures.

·       Cultural Preservation: His work dedicatedly and accurately documents the sacred traditions he personally witnessed throughout his life, including Cheyenne ceremonial dancers, the Sun Dance, and tribal family life.

Diverse Career & Major Murals

·       Walt Disney & Industry: Beyond fine art, Blackowl held a unique professional trajectory. He worked for Walt Disney Studios, taught art, served as a government muralist, and worked as an industrial painter for the aircraft industry.

·       Public Murals: Under the New Deal programs, he painted prominent frescos and murals in public spaces. His large-scale public art can be found at the Kiowa Hospital and the Riverside Indian School.

·       Honors & Museum Collections

In 1990, he was officially honored as a "Living Legend" for his absolute devotion to traditional Plains Indian painting styles. His timeless fine art pieces are preserved in prestigious permanent museum collections across the United States, including:

·       The Heard Museum (Phoenix, AZ)

·       The Philbrook Museum of Art (Tulsa, OK)

·       The Oklahoma City Museum of Art

·       The Joslyn Art Museum (Omaha, NE)