Blackfeet Culture Camp | Lodgepole Gallery and Tipi Village
Angelika Harden-Norman's Artwork
“I use digital art and paint to create a cross cultural bridge between ancient European and Native American art by blending Montana’s rich cultural heritage with my European roots. The result is an exciting mix of color, pattern & design.”
Paleolithic European art has been my stepping stone in studying traditional Blackfeet art, such as hide and tipi paintings and petroglyphs. By using ancient symbols, I honor the people who created them. In my current work, I also explore the cross-cultural experience of being German and living in Blackfeet Country artistically.
Visual art has been my artistic expression for more than thirty years. Not focused on portraying the outside world, painting has been a form of self-expression and self-discovery. In 1995, I learned about the holistic concept of traditional Native American Art, and tribal art has influenced my art.
North America made me photograph. Fascinated by its landscapes, open skies, variety of light, and Aboriginal cultures, I started photographing in 1996 after painting had been my only practiced art form for many years. Painting still influences the way I compose photographs and perceive objects in their lighting. By continuously improving my technical skills and gaining more experience, I have become attracted to the artistic possibilities that computer art and digital photo editing offer.
My latest work combines photography, digital art, and painting, drawing on Blackfeet images and Montana landscapes. By representing the beauty of ancient symbols in a modern form, I aim to convey their timeless, archetypal character. For example, I start with a par fleche and transform it into a modern European-style painting by photographing it and then creating digital collages for printing and additional painting. The computer functions as a transmitter in this process.
Native American art and culture have become the center of my life since I moved to Montana from Hamburg, Germany, in 1999. My work as a gallery & tipi-camp owner and art photographer is rooted in Native culture. In my photographic work, I aim to capture the beauty of Blackfeet Country & Culture.
My photos have been used on travel agency web pages and brochures, including National Geographic’s travel catalogue, on CD covers, in books about the Blackfeet tipis, and by museums.
