Nancy Joy LeMay AKA: Dark Willow Raven

My grand-father was Standing Moose. He became Chief Tamaha after the Minnesota Indian uprisings. My grand-mother was Wynona. My other grand-mother was named Apan Elku, meaning Little Elk.

My paintings are very personal. My ancestors speak through my hands. I am Dakota Mdewakanton Sioux.

I was nervous about doing this especially after my run in with a card carrying artist in the paint department of Walmart. I was looking for paint brushes and she asked me if I was an artist? I said I like to paint. She said I have a Master's degree in art and a card that says I am a professional artist. I said I don't. I just like to paint. She then asked me what do you paint? I answered her mostly Native American themes. She said that the people out here would never buy 'those' kinds of paintings because they like sea scenes and barn scenes. I went home and I didn't pick up a paint brush for three months.

What I learned from this Walmart experience is this...it's not about what I have or don't have-or what other artist have, but rather that it doesn't matter. Whatever they have is something needed to do their work-it wouldn't help me in my work even if I had it. Their magic is theirs. I don't lack it. I don't need it. It has nothing to do with my magic and my need to paint Native Americans. My need is alive and very personal, it's my magic.