Peigan returns to his art

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Self-styled artist William Big Bull of the Peigan reserve has over the last three years worked his way back to that which he loves best ? sketching drawings of Indian art.

After ten years away from the art world, Big Bull, along with other Native artists from Alberta, attended the first annual Indian Summer World Festival of Aboriginal Motion Pictures at Pincher Creek, Alberta, Oct. 8 ? 11 to display his sketches and paintings to visitors from around the world.

Big Bull was born in Brocket in 1954 and discovered how to draw from his father, Roy Big Bull.

"There are 13 of us in our family and we learned from him. I learned how to draw when my father decided to teach me," said Big Bull adding that his father used to draw for him when he was a child.

With no formal training, Big Bull developed a natural talent for art, with a traditional style that represents his peoples way of life. He feels that traditional art is a medium for communication which Native artists can use to express their beliefs.

Although Indian art is one of the surviving traditions practiced in the classroom, in the home and in the greater circles of his people, Big Bull still finds time to do contemporary artwork as well.

"I like to balance my work. When you do one style for so long, sometimes it is nice to change to something else."

Not only does Big Bull change his style but he also finds time to Kick Box. In September 1985, Big Bull won and still holds the light heavyweight title for kick boxing in the World Karate Amateur Association, something he is very proud of today. Previously Big Bull worked for the Peigan Administration at Brocket, Alberta as a research technician.

"In the last three years I have been slowly doing art again," said Big Bull while standing beside two black and white framed drawings, one of them, of a bull rider.

"Most artist do preliminary sketches. I do my work raw. When I first started this way, I was very nervous, one mistake is fatal. When I was doing the bull rider I had to be precise because I don't do a preliminary sketch first. I'm getting back into the swing of things."

Big Bull had several art shows from 1974 to 1976 including the Habitat Conference in Vancouver, and the Glenbow Foundation in 1977. He was also commissioned in 1975 by Shell Canada to do two pieces for their collection.

Two books "Annette's People" and the "Peigan Nation: A Nation in Transition" on display at the festival were illustrated by Big Bull. All the illustrations were developed by Big Bull to coincide with the book theme.

"I once did a fighting portrait of work kick boxing champ, Benny Urquidez and in a movie called "No Retreat, No Surrender" there is a two second shot of the portrait I did. Benny has my picture right in the middle of his wall inside his Do Jo training studio in Los Angeles," smiles Big Bull.

Today, Big Bull is self-employed as an artist, working out of his home at Brocket. As well as training and breeding horses, he takes an active interest in the Indian community.

The versatile nature expressed by his art can be seen in his works such as one of a Bull Elk and The Warriors Dream, that expressed a warriors lifestyle. These works now hang in the new Shell centre in Calgary. Big Bull's goal in life is to keep an open mind, be happy, be a good father to his children and to always stand up for what he believes.