Artwork copyright George Flett. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission.

Plateau Traditions, 2003

George Flett
(American | Spokane, born 1946, died 2013)

Location: Eastern Washington University, Cheney

ABOUT THE ARTWORK

Plateau Traditions by George Flett draws from the ledger art form to show family and community life for Eastern Washington University's Indian Education Center. Flett is recognized nationally for his paintings showing the history and culture of the Spokane Tribe.

This artwork was acquired for the State Art Collection in partnership with Eastern Washington University.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Spokane Tribe member and artist George Flett (1946-2013) was known for his ledger art. He also worked in sculpture, beadworking, and silversmithing. Flett's ledger art consisted of mixed media paintings on ruled paper that tell stories of Spokane legends, history, and cultural events. "Ledger art" is a Native American art form named after the accounting ledger pages that were a common source of paper for Plains Indians artworks during the late 1800s. Flett was also very involved in reviving the prairie chicken dance in the 1990s, after it had nearly died out. Prairie chicken dancers were often the subject of his paintings.

Flett earned degrees from the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico, in 1966 and from the University of Colorado in 1968. He served in the U.S. Army from 1968 to 1970. He was also a rodeo champion bull rider.