William Standing facts for kids

William Standing, also known as Fire Bear, was an important American painter and illustrator. He was born on July 27, 1904, and passed away on June 27, 1951. William Standing was a member of the Assiniboine tribe. His artwork often showed the daily lives of Native Americans in the northwestern part of the United States.

Growing Up and Education

William Standing was born on July 27, 1904. His birthplace was the Fort Peck Indian Reservation near Oswego, Montana. He was part of the Assiniboine tribe. His great-grandfather, named Wi-jún-jon, was a chief of the Assiniboine people. William's Assiniboine name, Fire Bear, was also his grandfather's name.

William first went to school on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation. Later, he attended a boarding school in Wolf Point, Montana. This school was run by Presbyterian missionaries. He then studied at the University of Oklahoma with help from Oscar Jacobson. In 1924, he graduated from Haskell Indian Nations University.

His Art Career

William Standing started his career as an interior designer in Kansas. He later moved back to Montana to become a painter. He used different materials like pens, inks, and oil paints for his art. His paintings and postcard pictures showed scenes from the American West. They especially focused on the lives of Native Americans in the Northwest United States.

Standing painted many portraits of his grandfather and great-grandfather. He also painted a portrait of Charles Curtis. Curtis was the 31st Vice President of the United States. In 1942, William Standing illustrated a book called Land of Naboka.

His artwork was shown in different places, including the Arts Club of Washington. It was also exhibited in Paris, France. An article about him in the Great Falls Tribune newspaper said he became "one of Montana's best known contemporary artists."

Family Life and Legacy

William Standing had one child with his wife, Nancy. They lived together in Poplar, Montana.

William Standing died in a car accident on June 27, 1951. The accident happened near Zortman in Phillips County. He was 46 years old. His body was taken to Malta. Today, some of his artwork is kept in museum collections. You can see his work at the Hockaday Museum of Art in Kalispell. It is also at the University of Montana's Montana Museum of Art & Culture in Missoula.