"When the Grass Dances"

Project Framework:

Posters have been an iconic part of The Calgary Stampede since the beginning. For almost a decade, the poster has been the creation of a local youth artist through the youth poster competition. This year I had the unique opportunity to tell Tyrone Sitting Eagle's story and push myself as a painter and storyteller.

Tyrone is the 2024 Champion Junior Men’s Grass Dancer of Siksika Nation.

The painting honours both the vibrancy of powwow traditions and the intergenerational connections that continue to connect families and communities to the Stampede.

My Decisions:

_The core goal was to capture a 'moving' image and create the illusion of continuous rhythm. The dance style, moving regalia, and enrapturing sound of drums all informed the way I painted.

_For Tyrone, it's about generational art and storytelling that's keeping a beloved social culture, community and history known and together.

This dance will be passed down as an offering to Tyrone's sons, just as it was passed down from his grandfather to his father, and then down to him. It all comes down to the lessons of growth and the practice of sharing culture that Tyrone learned throughout his dancing career.

He now continues to this day to dance proudly, hoping others in the community “…pick it up and keep it going, and learn that it's very fun to do.” - Tyrone