Wendy Red star

ABOUT THE Artist

Wendy Red Star (b. 1981, Billings, MT; lives and works in Portland, OR), of the Piegan clan and from the district of Pryor, engages in a multidisciplinary artistic practice grounded in the history and cultural knowledge of the Apsáalooke (Crow) people. Raised on the Crow reservation in Montana, her work reflects her deep connection to her community, culture, and land.

In addition to numerous notable awards, Red Star is the recipient of the 2024 MacArthur Fellowship

Red Star's art recontextualizes United States history through a Crow lens, often challenging colonial narratives while elevating Crow experiences, traditions, and stories. Through photography, sculpture, video, fiber arts, and performance, Red Star’s work emphasizes the importance of Apsáalooke cultural practices and knowledge transmission, especially within her own family and community. Her rigorous research and focus on archival materials allow her to bring forward underrepresented aspects of Apsáalooke history, often intertwining wit and critical insight to challenge dominant narratives.

“This foundation is the main source for the inspiration behind all the work that I create… where I come from, the community that I’m from, the culture that I grew up in, the land that has molded my experience,” says Red Star, who sees her artistic practice as inseparable from her Apsáalooke identity. Additionally, Red Star’s work foregrounds the importance of amplifying Native women’s voices in the discourse of contemporary art.

She holds a BFA from Montana State University and an MFA from the University of California, Los Angeles.

RMCAD + PUBLIC EVENTS

Artist TALK

Projects, Process, and Crow History

Tuesday, March 17, 2026

6:00 pm | doors open at 5:30 pm
Mary Harris Auditorium
Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design
1600 Pierce Street, Denver, CO 80214

This event is free and open to the public and offered both in-person and livestream.
Free refreshments are provided in person.

Wendy Red Star’s work engages Crow history through sustained archival research and long-term project development. This talk will move through selected projects from across her career, tracing how different bodies of work are connected through research, archives, and material investigation. The presentation offers a broader view of how ideas evolve over time, how research functions as a foundation rather than a theme, and how multiple projects can remain in conversation with one another across years.

RMCAD Only Events

Student Event

Behind-the-Scenes: Sustaining an Art Practice

Wednesday, March 18, 2026
1:15 pm - 2:15 pm Mountain Time
On campus and on Zoom
The application deadline is Sunday, March 8th.

This small-group session for RMCAD students focuses on the parts of an art practice that are rarely addressed in the classroom but are essential to long-term sustainability. Drawing from real projects and lived experience, Wendy Red Star will discuss the behind-the-scenes realities of working as an artist: project budgeting, payment structures, fabrication, working with institutions and galleries, taxes, contracts, and the invisible labor that supports the visible work. The session emphasizes practical knowledge, transparency, and conversation. Students are invited to ask questions about what it actually takes to maintain an art practice over time, navigate systems of power and money, and make informed decisions as they move forward in their own careers.

STUDENT-LED Q+A SESSION

Wednesday, March 18, 2026
11:45 am - 12:45 pm
Philip J. Steele Gallery

Student-Led Q&A Sessions are casual, in-person conversations open to RMCAD students, faculty, and staff. Guided by student voices, these discussions generate valuable professional advice for all students.

Students can apply to moderate this event HERE!
The application deadline is Sunday, March 8th.