Gerald Tailfeathers facts for kids

Gerald Tailfeathers (born February 14, 1925 – died April 3, 1975) was a very important Indigenous Canadian artist. He was one of the first Indigenous Canadians to become a professional painter. Gerald Tailfeathers painted the lives of the “Blood People,” also known as the Kainai people. He made his paintings look very real and used colors carefully. Many people describe his art as "romantic," "nostalgic," and "traditional." This is because much of his work was done in a style called "Studio Style."

Early Life and Art Education

Gerald Tailfeathers was born in Stand Off, Alberta. His parents were Minor Chief Sakoyena Tailfeathers and Estochomachi Bamberry. He was the second child in his family. His grandfather, Tailfeathers Around His Neck, was a scout for the North-West Mounted Police.

His Indigenous names mean “Big Walking Away” (Omuka-nista-payh'pee) and “Walking on Top” (Eets-pahp-awag-uh'ka).

When he was seven, Gerald went to St. Paul’s Anglican Residential School. His uncle, Percy Plainwoman, who painted as “Two Gun,” taught him how to paint. Gerald practiced art a lot. Later, a famous art teacher named Winold Reiss noticed his talent. This happened when Reiss was visiting Glacier National Park.

Because Reiss saw his talent, Gerald got to go to Saint Mary’s Lake Summer Art School in Glacier National Park, Montana. He studied there with Winold Reiss and Carl Linck, who were portrait painters from New York. Unlike most students, Gerald was from the Blood Reserve in Southern Alberta. He was one of only three Indigenous artists at the school. Reiss saw Gerald as a very special young talent. Gerald soon received free lessons from the school. Reiss gave him extra help, which made Gerald impress art critics from a young age.

While at Saint Mary’s Lake Summer Art School, Gerald lived with many elders. These elders told him old legends that had been passed down for many generations. He loved listening to these stories around the campfire. The legends inspired his artwork. Through these stories, he also learned a lot about his own “Blood People” and their traditions.

In the summer of 1937, Clare Sheridan bought a drawing called “Big Bull” from Gerald. He was only 12 years old at the time. She paid five dollars, and it was the first piece of art he ever sold. Sheridan said it was "the first picture he ever sold, and not likely to be his last." She also said he "was an artist, as truly as anyone can be," and "there was no teacher who touched it [his artwork]."

Gerald continued his art education at other places. He studied at the Oklahoma School of Indian Painting. He also learned from the cowboy school of painting led by Charles Russell. He attended the Banff Centre School of Fine Arts, where he was taught by Charles Comfort, Walter Phillips, and H.G. Glyde. He also learned about commercial design at the Provincial Institute of Art and Technology in Calgary. Later, he learned how to make cast-bronze sculptures with George Phippen, a respected Cowboy Artist.

Career and Contributions

In a film by Garth Roberts, Gerald Tailfeathers talked about his journey as a "young gifted Indian boy." He shared how he faced unfair treatment from the government. In 1943, after finishing his studies with honors at the Provincial Institute of Art and Technology, Gerald wanted to work in a store display department. The government tried to make him work in a warehouse instead. But John Laurie, who was the head of the Art Institute, helped Gerald get the work permit he wanted.

After learning about design at the Provincial Institute of Technology and Art, Gerald used his skills at the Hudson's Bay Company. He worked there as a commercial graphic artist. He was skilled in many art forms, including charcoals, pastels, watercolors, temperas, pen and ink, and oils. His wide range of talents allowed him to create everything from paintings to sculptures.

In 1954, Gerald designed the logo for the Indian Association of Alberta (IAA). The IAA was an important group that worked to protect the rights of Indigenous people in Alberta.

Most of Gerald's art aimed to show the lives of the Kainai people accurately. By 1957, he worked with elders and experienced artists to make sure his artwork was historically correct. He wanted his paintings of the events and traditions of the Blood People of Alberta to be true to life. In the 1950s and 1960s, his work became very popular. This was partly because the "Cowboy and Indian" theme was growing in movies, books, and media. A big moment for Gerald was when his art appeared on the cover of Western Horseman magazine in December 1958. This was the first time a Canadian artist's work had ever been on the cover of that magazine.

Early in his career, Gerald was told to change his name to sound more English. So, he signed his work “Gerald T. Fethers.” But in 1963, he started signing his own name again.

Gerald's art became known around the world. He was asked to paint for the Canada Pavilion at Expo ‘67 in Montreal. This was a special event because it was the first time Indigenous people showed their own culture at a major international show. Later, his art was displayed in many cities, including San Francisco, Charlottetown, Ann Arbor, and Calgary.

Besides his many drawings, paintings, and sculptures, Gerald also illustrated a children’s book. It was called “The White Calf” by Cliff Faulknor and was published in 1965.

Gerald Tailfeathers was elected as a Councillor for the Kainai First Nation. However, he chose to serve only one term. He made this choice because the duties took too much time away from his art. He was also chosen as one of seven First Nations Canadian artists to advise the government. They helped with making and selling Indigenous artwork and crafts. They also gave ideas for art grants and programs.

The University of Lethbridge gave Gerald Tailfeathers an honorary doctorate degree in 1974. Later that year, he married Irene Goodstriker. They had four daughters: Shery Lynn, Pamela, Heather Ann, and Laurie Lee.

In 1959, after 18 years of traveling, Gerald moved back to the Blood Reserve. He began painting with great passion there. Gerald Tailfeathers passed away suddenly on April 3, 1975, on the Kainai First Nation in Alberta. After he passed, many art shows were held to honor his memory.

Art Style and Notable Works

Art Style

People describe Gerald Tailfeathers’ art as traditional, Blackfoot style, and very accurate. He often used the "Studio Style," where the background of a painting is simple or faded. This style helps the viewer focus on the main subject. He often showed buffalo hides, traditional clothing, weapons, and hunting scenes. This helped him show a traditional past. Even though he had many skills, most of his art pieces are drawings and paintings on paper. He often painted scenes from the lives of the Kainai and Plains Indigenous peoples in the 1800s.

Artwork Examples

In his drawing The Scalp, Tailfeathers shows an Indigenous person after a battle. The victorious person stands over their opponent. They hold a bow and a piece of their opponent’s scalp. This act was a tradition that showed a war prize. Tailfeathers used darker colors in this picture to show the serious mood of the scene.

Big Bull - Gerald drew Big Bull with charcoal while at St. Mary’s Lake Summer Art School. Big Bull was a leader of the Hunkpapa Lakota people. He led efforts against the American government. The drawing shows a side view of Big Bull wearing his headdress. Long feathers come from the back, and fur is around the front of his headdress. Tailfeathers used shading and contrast. The charcoal also gave the portrait a special texture.

In Hunting Buffalo, Tailfeathers shows an Indigenous Canadian hunting wild buffalo. The hunter is on horseback, using a bow and arrow to attack several buffalo. Another buffalo is seen in the distance. He painted this in "Studio Style," also called "Flat Style," which is a traditional way of painting. In this style, the painting has a plain background, with only the grass below showing. This painting can be described as nostalgic, rustic, and traditional.

Exhibitions

• Ford McLeoc - Canadian Handcrafts Guild

Posthumous Exhibitions

• 1992 Time for Dialogue, Calgary, Alberta
• 1983 Contemporary Indian Art at Rideau Hall, Ottawa, Ontario
• 1981 Tradition and Change in Contemporary Indian Art, Edmonton

Collections

• Canadian Museum of Civilization, Hull Quebec
• Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, Ottawa, Ontario
• Galt Museum, Lethbridge, Alberta
• Glenbow Museum, Calgary, Alberta

Honors and Awards

The University of Lethbridge gave Gerald Tailfeathers an honorary doctorate degree in 1974.

See also

• Kainai Nation
• Winold Reiss industrial murals
• Glacier National Park (U.S.)
• Hudson's Bay Company
• Expo 67
• Indian Association of Alberta