Curley by John Balloue

Oil on canvas; 24” x 36”. First place Julyamish Powwow Indian Art Show 2004. Framed John Balloue is a successful Native American artist who resides in the Bay Area, California. Several of his paintings, many which demonstrate Indian themes, have been made into posters for shows including: 20th Annual American Indian Film Festival, San Francisco, Calif., 1995 and Native American Cultural Month, the Army/Air Force Exchange Service, Dallas, Texas, 1995. His artwork is a form of respect for the people he paints - his relatives, his, family, his people. Though Balloue is a member of the Western Band of Cherokees, he paints other tribes as well. Believing that art can make a political statement, Balloue often portrays socio-political issues that illustrate the Indian's complex role in past and present cultures.