Matt Lanz is a native Minnesotan who has made the beautiful Black Hills in South Dakota his home. Matt is passionate about life and his energy is spent between his artwork in the studio and endless fun activities with his three boys, their horses and their dog.

 

Matt is a prolific and multi faceted artist, sculptor, painter, wood carver. He specializes in Native American and Western themes. He has deep knowledge of Native American culture and traditions which translate into his art (he was adopted into the Dakota Tribe at the age of 18 and given the name Wicahpi Ska Hoksila --White Star Boy). He has also worked as a make-up artist, costume/ set designer and consultant for movies with Native American themes.

 

Matt works year round in his studio outside Hot Springs, SD, mostly on commissioned pieces, but he always has art work available for interested art collectors.

 

If you are interested in contacting him, he prefers regular mail (He's not a big fan of computers but he does get all his e-mails through his assistant, via the address linked to this flickr account.) His regular mailing address is: 27927 Cascade Springs Rd, Hot Springs, SD 57747.

 

Or give him a call to discuss his artwork: (605) 899-1275.

 

Shop: www.custommade.com/by/whitestarstudio/

 

www.etsy.com/shop/MattLanzArtStudio

 

Movie screen Ad:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nSco6vt9Mc&feature=share&amp...

 

Matt Lanz's Resumé below:

 

Matt Lanz

27927 Cascade Springs Rd, Hot Springs, SD 57747

Phone: (605) 899-1275, e-mail: matt_lanz@yahoo.com

Portfolio photo gallery: www.flickr.com/photos/mattlanz/collections/

December 2012

   

My philosophy of creating art is to portray the Old West in hidden moments. I seek to preserve the subject’s individualism and authenticity. In most historical photographs of Native Americans, the subjects are stiff, stoic and posed for the camera. I want to show the “behind the scenes” aspects of cowboy and Indian life – where the cowboy holds his daughter’s hand after the rodeo, when the Lakota warrior laughs with full war paint on, or when the tired pioneer wife cradles a kitten. These scenes bring the subject to life in an unguarded moment, where the appeal is universal and accessible for everyone, whether you are an art expert or a gang-member.

 

My ideas for sculptures and paintings are abundant; inspiration is all around me. For over a decade I lived on the Blackfeet Reservation in Montana, the Rosebud Sioux Reservation in South Dakota, the Navajo Reservation in Arizona, and the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. I currently live and create my artwork in the Black Hills in South Dakota.

 

When looking at my work, people get a glimpse into an authentic moment from a different culture –and they feel connected by the familiarity. It might be the cast of a shadow, the curve of the lip, or the feeling of the sunlight. I strive to convey a connection that bridges time.

 

I have created custom pieces and sold to art collectors many oils, acrylics, acrylic on buffalo and other animal hides, metal work, teepee lamps, steel-cut & raw-hide chandeliers and bronze sculptures. My themes include Indians, pioneers, cowboys and wildlife. I became more involved with three-dimensional sculpture in 1996 in order to better depict the proud heritage, traditional life and spirituality of the original Americans and the Western way of life. My current project, the last one of 2012, is a commission of over 20 acrylic-on-board panels for a collector in Valentine, NE. These portraits will complete a series of cowboy and Indian portraits forming a large mural started in 2010.

 

My availability to work on my art has been limited for sixteen years by my being a stay-at-home father, which has included my supervising the children’s homeschooling and extracurricular activities. For the same number of years I have fit into the fragmented schedule of my stay-at-home parenting and homeschooling other non artwork but readily remunerated activities like custom landscaping and grounds design, moving assistance, pet and home sitting, etc. Therefore, the artwork experience you’ll read about below reflects my part-time status as an artist.

 

EDUCATION

 

Self-Taught artist. I have not had any formal training through Art School. However, I was an apprentice bronze sculptor to two professional bronze artists.

   

WORK EXPERIENCE

Highlights

2012 Young’s Western Wear, Valentine, NE. Commissioned mural artist. Continued mural formed of multiple individual portraits. 110’ x 3’, depicting Indian and cowboy portraits.

 

2011 Private collector in MN. Commissioned artist carver for cabinet panels measuring 3’ x 4’. Wood carving ,“The fight”, depicting South Dakota wildlife.

 

2011 Private collector in NE. Commissioned artist carver for cabinet panels measuring 5’ x 2 ½’ depicting cave dwellings in Canyon de Chelly, AZ.

 

2011 Rapid City Regional Airport, Rapid City, SD. Commissioned artist. Life-size bronze “Siouxper Boy” measuring 12’4” tall, depicting a Sioux boy on top of a globe holding a suitcase, a traditional Sioux dance bustle, moccasins and a model airplane. Outdoor piece, public art. Work completed in 2012. Installed in Summer 2012.

 

Independent work, Maquette-size version of “Siouxper Boy” bronze in a 30-piece limited edition.

 

2011 Private collector in Gallup, NM. Commissioned artist. Bronze sculpture depicting a young female rodeo competitor and her horse interacting with calf.

 

2010 Private collector (Bar None Hat Company) in NE. Commissioned artist for carved-wood sign, 3’ x 5’, and Western painting depicting cattle branding.

 

2010 Private collector in PA. Commissioned artist. Commissioned buffalo-hide painting, 7 ½’ x 8 ½’, and elk-hide pictograph depicting a battle scene. Western style large chandelier/ ceiling light fixture made out of leather, rawhide, and steel cut-outs for a luxurious cedar cabin-style home.

 

2010 Young’s Western Wear, Valentine, NE. Commissioned Mural Artist. Collection of portraits to form a mural measuring in total 230’ wide x 3’ feet tall. Western style portraits of cowboys and Indians as well as family members.

 

2009 Fort Defiance Indian Health Service Hospital, Fort Defiance, AZ. Commissioned Artist. Carved wooden door for traditional Navajo Hogan used by staff members and patients. Outdoor piece, public art.

 

2009 McCrossan Boys Ranch, Sioux Falls, SD. Commissioned artist. Commissioned sculpture “Helping Hands” cast in pewter, 25 pieces of an open-ended edition to gift to the Ranch sponsors.

 

2008 Fort Defiance Indian Health Service Hospital. Fort Defiance, AZ. Commissioned Artist. Steel cut-out art sign for the hospital which shows contemporary and traditional Navajo generations interacting in a harmonious way. Outdoor piece, public art.

 

2005-2007 Hiatus from commissioned artwork to focus 100% on moving to AZ, child rearing and homeschooling.

 

2004 Rosebud, SD Bronze Artist. Independent work “MazaSha, Sioux Chief Red Iron” bronze. 1st piece of the limited edition sold to fine art gallery and trading post Richardson’s Trading Post in Gallup, NM.

 

2003 Spearfish, SD. Bronze Artist. Independent work, “My Buffalo Pony” bronze sculpture. 1st piece sold to art collector in California. 2nd piece to a collector in Minnesota.

 

2002 Glacier County Historical Society Museum, Cut Bank, MT. Commissioned Artist. Commissioned to construct display model to show the typical Plains Indian way of life prior to Lewis and Clarke era. The display model included a six-foot buffalo-hide tipi, backrests, cooking utensils and all accessories one would have seen in a typical Indian tipi.

 

2002 Glacier County Historical Society Museum, Cut Bank, MT. Bronze Artist. Museum purchased a piece of the sculpture “The Guardian”, Indian fire-fighter bronze for their permanent display.

 

2001 Glacier County Historical Society Museum, Cut Bank, MT. Commissioned Artist. Commissioned to paint traditional Plains tipi and liner for exhibit.

 

1999 Deadwood Art Council School, Deadwood, SD. Taught traditional art techniques for a one-week course.

 

1998 Spearfish, SD. Worked alongside another sculptor to provide scale-up work for Peggy Detmer’s original bronze “Buffalo Jump” –buffalo and riders scaled up to ¾ larger-than-life-size for Kevin Costner’s Dunbar Resort in Deadwood, SD –outdoor, public art.

 

1997 Flathead Tribe. Ronan, MT. Sold one piece of the sculpture “The Guardian” depicting an Indian firefighter.

 

1997 Blackfeet Tribe. Browning, MT. Sold seven pieces of the sculpture “The guardian” depicting an Indian firefighter.

 

1997 Sand Creek, WY. Commissioned artist. Built large chandelier/ ceiling-light fixture using buffalo hide, steel-cut, raw-hide, canvas, buffalo horn and bead work. Indian themed, 6’ high buffalo-hide painting and two deer-hide paintings.

 

1996-1998 Private collector. Spearfish Canyon, SD. Commissioned artist/ designer. Converted a 1920’s garage into a Western style guest cabin. Custom designed and created large teepee to be installed on the collector’s property grounds. Custom grounds design and in charge of high maintenance landscaping for three years. Hired to transfer/ install teepee in new property in Washington State.

 

1996 Spearfish, SD. Bronze Artist. Independent work, bronze bust “Hunter”. First original bronze sculpture as an independent artist.

 

1996 Tony Chytka’s Studio, Spearfish, SD. Apprentice to Tony Chytka, well-acclaimed artist. Worked on every phase and aspect of foundry work –waxes, molds, pouring bronze and bronze welding.

 

1995 Ted Turner’s TNT Crazy Horse, filmed in Hot Springs, SD. First Makeup-Artist and Sketch-Artist, (name seen in film credits).

 

1993 Adams Memorial Museum in Deadwood, SD. Art Instructor. Instructed classrooms as resident artist in a Western Museum setting.

 

1993 Ted Turner’s TNT Lakota Woman, filmed in Hot Springs, SD. Makeup Artist, Historical Sketch Artist and movie extra.

 

1992 Cottonwood Lodge, Spearfish, SD. Commissioned artist. Created Western-style chandelier/ ceiling-light fixture and large custom teepee lamps/ wall sconces for guest rooms.

 

1992 Wild West Winner’s Casino, Deadwood, SD. Commissioned Artist, constructed four large chandeliers/ ceiling light fixtures, fourteen wall sconces and other artwork for the casino. All pieces created out of hand-cut aluminum in an 1880’s cavalry motif.