W. Richard West Sr. facts for kids

Walter Richard West Sr. (1912–1996) was a talented artist and teacher from the Southern Cheyenne tribe. He was known for his paintings and sculptures. For many years, he led the Art Department at Bacone College and also taught at Haskell Indian Nations University. Walter West was a member of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes.

Early Life and Learning

Walter West was born on September 8, 1912, in a tipi (a traditional tent) near the Darlington Agency in Oklahoma. His Cheyenne name was Wapah Nahyah, which means "Lightfooted Runner." His father was Lightfoot West, and his mother was Rena Flying Coyote.

West went to school at the Concho Indian Boarding School. He then attended Haskell Institute in Lawrence, Kansas, graduating in 1935. At that time, Haskell was a high school. One of his first art teachers was Carl Sweezy, a Southern Arapaho painter.

From 1936 to 1938, West studied at Bacone College in Muskogee, Oklahoma. He earned an associate's degree there. At Bacone, he learned from the famous artist Acee Blue Eagle. His classmates included other future artists like Terry Saul and Oscar Howe. When he was young, West also played football and worked in oil fields.

West continued his education at the University of Oklahoma (OU), where he earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1941. He later returned to OU and earned a Master of Fine Arts degree in 1950. While at OU, he studied with Oscar Jacobson, who also taught the famous Kiowa Six artists. West felt that Jacobson's support helped him deal with the unfair treatment he sometimes faced in Norman.

In 1941 and 1942, West lived in Phoenix, Arizona. There, he learned how to paint large wall murals from artist Olle Nordmark. He also took more classes at Northeastern State University, University of Tulsa, and Redlands College.

Family Life

In 1940, Walter West married Maribelle McCrea. They had two sons, W. Richard West Jr. and James Lee West. Later, in 1970, he married his second wife, Rene Wagoner.

Teaching and Influence

West started his teaching career in 1941 at the Phoenix Indian School. He mostly taught Navajo students there. In 1942, during World War II, he joined the United States Navy and served until 1946. After the war, he returned to teaching at the Phoenix Indian School.

In 1947, he began teaching at Bacone College in Muskogee, Oklahoma. He became the head of the art department and taught there until 1970. From 1970 to 1977, West taught art at Haskell Indian Junior College in Kansas. He inspired many Native American artists who became successful, including Joan Hill, Enoch Kelly Haney, Johnny Tiger Jr., Sharron Ahtone Harjo, Marlene Riding In-Mameah, and Virginia Stroud.

From 1979 to 1980, West was a special professor at Bacone College, called a professor emeritus.

His Artworks

Dick West was very skilled at a style of painting called "flat-style." This style often uses flat shapes and lines, similar to traditional Plains hide paintings. His flat-style works often showed scenes from Cheyenne culture and history, reflecting his traditional upbringing.

West also created a unique series of oil paintings called Indian Christ. These paintings showed stories from the New Testament (part of the Bible) with Native American figures in the Southern Plains. Through this series, West wanted to show that the message of Jesus is for everyone.

Even though he is best known for flat-style, West also painted abstract and modern works. He used different materials like oil, watercolor, tempera, and gouache. He also drew pictures for four books and made sculptures from wood and metal.

Awards and Recognition

In 1941, West was asked to paint a mural for the U.S. Post Office in Okemah, Oklahoma. He won two major awards from the Philbrook Museum of Art. In 1964, he received the Waite Phillips Outstanding Indian Artist Award from the same museum.

Two universities gave him honorary doctorates: Eastern Baptist College in 1962 and Baker University in 1976. From 1979 to 1980, West served on the Indian Arts and Crafts Board, which helps support Native American artists.

Where to See His Art

You can find Dick West's artwork in many public art collections, including:

Later Years

Dick West passed away on May 3, 1996.

His Own Words

Here's something Dick West said in 1955 about Native American art: [T]he Indian artist must be allowed freedom to absorb influences outside of his own art forms and see the promise of a new lane of expression that should keep the Indian's art the art form termed 'native Indian painting,' and I give my student every opportunity to execute it... I have always felt that the term abstraction has been a part of the Indian's artistic thinking longer than most European contemporary influences and perhaps in a [truer] form..."