Culture of South Dakota - Painting and Illustrating

Painting and Illustrating

The work of some of the earliest painters and artists in South Dakota can be seen in the numerous petrogyphs in many areas of the state, particularly in the Black Hills. Some of these paintings and carvings are between 3,000 and 5,000 years old. The petrogyphs may be classified as painted, incised (scratched into the stone), or pecked (chipped out of the stone). Most of the scenes either depict humans with their arms raised or animal subjects. Although most of the evidence of the culture and identity of these early artists has long since disappeared, the styles used in the petroglyphs bear numerous similarities with later cultures, even as recent as contemporary Sioux artwork.

Beginning in the 1830s several painters and illustrators began producing paintings and sketchs of the area and inhabitants around Fort Pierre. One of the first non-Indian artists in the area, George Catlin arrived in the area in 1832 and completed a number of sketches and portraits of local tribes, Indian dances, and bison hunts during the 15 days he spent at Ft. Pierre. Several years later, Swiss artist Karl Bodmer traveled up the Missouri River and for a time lived among the tribes of central South Dakota. During this period, Bodmer completed a number of highly detailed landscaps and portraits of local Indians.

Harvey Dunn grew up on a homestead near Manchester in the late 19th century. After attending college at South Dakota State University, Dunn enjoyed a successful career as an illustrator for periodicals such as Harper's and The Saturday Evening Post. While most of his career was spent as an illustrator whose work rarely recalled his rural upbringing, late in life Dunn completed a number of paintings depicting his memories of life in rural Dakota Territory. Dunn agreed to exhibit these painting, mostly depicting scenes of frontier life, at an exhibition in De Smet in 1950. The exhibition was a great success, with over 5,000 people attending it throughout the summer, and Dunn agreed to donate the works to South Dakota State. They are currently displayed at the South Dakota Art Museum on the campus of SDSU in Brookings.

Oscar Howe was born on the Crow Creek Indian Reservation and won fame for his watercolor paintings. Howe was one of the first Native American painters to produce works heavily influenced by abstraction, as opposed to ones relying on more traditional styles.

There are currently several accomplished artists from South Dakota. Terry Redlin, originally from Watertown, is a painter of rural and wildlife scenes. Many of Redlin's works are on display at the Redlin Art Center in Watertown. Dick Termes, who resides in Spearfish, is renowned for his Termespheres. They are scenes painted on a sphere that can be viewed from any angle. He credits M. C. Escher and Buckminster Fuller as having strong influences on his work.