Douglas Miles facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Douglas Miles Sr
|
|
|---|---|
Miles in 2008
|
|
| Born | December 27, 1963 Carrizo, Arizona, U.S.
|
| Nationality | San Carlos Apache-Akimel O'odham |
| Known for | Street art, skateboard art, stencil art, painting, printmaking |
| Movement | Apache art, Native pop |
Douglas Miles is a talented artist from Arizona. He is a painter, printmaker, and photographer. He is known for starting Apache Skateboards and the Apache Skate Team. He is from the White Mountain Apache, San Carlos Apache, and Akimel O'odham tribes.
Contents
Douglas Miles' Early Life
Douglas Miles was born in Carrizo, Arizona. This town is on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation. He grew up in Phoenix, Arizona. Later, he moved back to the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation.
As a kid, he loved drawing. He often drew pictures from cartoons, sci-fi stories, and comic books. He studied graphic design in Phoenix. From 1978 to 1980, he attended Bostrom Alternative High School. During this time, he started creating street art.
How Apache Skateboards Started
Douglas Miles saw his son skateboarding. He noticed how much skateboarding was like the Apache warrior tradition. Both need focus, strength, and the ability to handle pain. He looked for skateboards that showed Apache culture. When he couldn't find any, he decided to paint one himself.
He gave this special skateboard to his son. This idea grew into Apache Skateboards. The company was founded in 2002. It was one of the first skateboard companies owned by Native Americans.
The Apache Skate Team
Many Native artists work with Douglas Miles on Apache Skateboards. Some of these artists include Razelle Bennally and Douglas Miles Jr. Together, they form the Apache Skate Team.
The team travels around the country. They give skateboarding shows and hold contests. They also put on art shows. They often visit Indian reservations in the American Southwest.
Miles told Shade magazine that painting on skateboards opened new ways for his art. He said his skateboards mix old traditions with new ideas. He believes they can be both fine art and pop art. His work often focuses on Native American youth and reservation life. He wants to show "Indian people" as they are today, not just as museum pieces.
Art and Culture Blended
Douglas Miles and Apache Skateboards have found new ways to share art and skateboarding. They mix fine art, pop culture, and sports. They have helped change old ideas about Native American art. These old ideas often came from anthropology.
They also helped create an artist group called Native Agents. This group includes visual artists like Micah Wesley and Rose B. Simpson. Native Agents organize "Pop Life" events. These events combine art, music, and skateboarding. They are inspired by the "do-it-yourself" spirit of punk culture.
Apache Skateboards works on many projects. These include films, photography, and murals. They also do community projects and help plan skate parks. They design clothes and work on TV and film projects. They even give talks at youth conferences.
They made a documentary film called "Walk Like a Warrior: The Apache Skateboards Story." Douglas Miles helped direct this film.
In 2008, Apache Skateboards worked with iPath Footwear. They created a collection of sneakers, hats, and T-shirts. All these items featured Douglas Miles' unique designs.
In 2019, Miles and Apache Skateboards were in a documentary film called The Mystery of Now. In the film, Miles talks about the history of the San Carlos Apache reservation. The Mystery of Now was shown in National Geographic's short film showcase.
Notable Art Shows
Douglas Miles and Apache Skateboards have shown their art in many places. Here are some of their notable exhibits:
- 2011 Indian Ink II. Pravus Gallery. Phoenix, Arizona.
- 2010 Indian Ink I. Legends Santa Fe. Santa Fe, New Mexico.
- 2008 Apache: Douglas Miles. Officially Closed: Dead Letter Department. Los Angeles, California.
- 2005 Pop Life. Wilson College, Princeton University.
- 2005 Reservation Radical/Apache Skateboards: The Art of Douglas Miles. Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History. Santa Cruz, California.
- 2004–2007 Native Views: Influences of Modern Culture. Art Train USA. This was a traveling exhibit.
- 2004 Native Nollies: Skateboard Deck Art. Institute of American Indian Arts Museum, Santa Fe, New Mexico.
- 2003 Santa Fe Indian Market. SWAIA. He won First Place for Mixed Media.
- 2003 Heard Museum Indian Art Market. Heard Museum. Phoenix, Arizona. He won Best of Painting.
Apache Skateboards has also worked with many tribes and universities. These include the Gila River Tribe, Navajo Nation, White Mountain Apache Tribe, Brown University, and Harvard University.
Art Collections
You can find Douglas Miles' artwork in several important collections. The National Museum of the American Indian has some of his pieces. His paintings are also in private collections in France, Germany, New York, and Los Angeles.
The art of Miles and Apache Skateboards is also in the permanent collections of other museums. These include the Montclair Art Museum and the Eiteljorg Museum. There was also a temporary exhibit at the Arizona Capitol Museum in Phoenix.
