This collection of paintings by acclaimed artist Frank LaPena draws upon the symbols of California Indian dances—sacred events that cannot be photographed or videotaped. Himself a Nomtipom Wintu dancer, singer, and ceremonial leader, LaPena complements his vibrant paintings with an introduction and commentary.
Concentrating on the dance traditions of the Upper Sacramento Valley and Sierra foothills, LaPena discusses how being an Indian dancer has influenced him physically, spiritually, and socially. His paintings portray ceremonial and sacred elements from all three realms, with fascinating stories infused in every image.
LaPena lectures widely on American Indian traditional and cultural issues, emphasizing California traditions, and he is a professor emeritus at California State University, Sacramento. His art has been exhibited since 1960 in twenty-two one-man and numerous group shows across the United States, Europe, Central and South America, Cuba, Australia, and New Zealand. He has been a consultant to museums across the country, including the de Young, the Oakland Museum of California, and the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Indian.
