ARTIST SPOTLIGHT - "Making Marks of Honor"
- CARAVAN Arts
- 24 hours ago
- 7 min read
An interview with Northern Cheyenne artist Miah Chalfant
CARAVAN's President, Paul G. Chandler, had the pleasure of interviewing contemporary artist Miah Chalfant, an enrolled member of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe, who is one of two Native American artists selected for the next CARAVAN indigenous artist residency which will take place in Egypt.
Miah Chalfant standing in front of her painted hide work titled “Pretty Shield” in her log cabin studio.
"At the heart of everything I'm creating is the same goal I've always had: to make marks that honor my people, my home, and the stories entrusted to me."
-Miah Chalfant, Northern Cheyenne artist
Miah Chalfant, also known as Heóvá’é’e (Yellow Hair Woman) is a contemporary artist, storyteller, and rancher whose work bridges the worlds of her ancestors and the modern day. An enrolled member of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe, her roots run deep in the rolling plains and Wolf Mountains of the Southeastern Montana homelands where she was raised. She studied at the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where she deepened her knowledge of traditional designs that reach as far back as ancient petroglyphs. Through her work, she carries forward these visual legacies, transforming them with contemporary color palettes and modern ideas to create a living dialogue between past and present.
Her art is as much about preservation as it is about innovation. Wishing to be known by her people as The One Who Makes Marks, using the vibrant hues and materials of today, she tells the oral histories of her people and shares her own lived experiences as a young indigenous woman. Through each mark she makes, Chalfant honors her ancestors, uplifts her community, and reimagines the possibilities of Indigenous art in the contemporary world. Her work stands as both a testament and an offering — a bridge of color, story, and spirit between generations.
For more information:
-Website: www.shewhomakesmarks.com
-Instagram:@shewhomakesmarks
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Your art reflects a creative blending of cultural influences. Can you tell us about where you grew up and how your upbringing has impacted your work? What formative influences have shaped your life as an artist?
Miah: I was raised in the heart of the Wolf Teeth Mountains on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation in southeastern Montana. My family has ranched here since the early days of the reservation, so cowboying is something I've always known. It has never felt separate from my identity as a Northern Cheyenne woman—it has always existed alongside it. On both sides of my family I come from artists, although it's only been in recent years that I've fully understood how deeply that creativity runs through my family. Looking back, I realize I was surrounded by makers, storytellers, and people who expressed themselves through their hands. That legacy has become one of the greatest gifts I've inherited. Growing up, I developed a relationship with the land that continues to shape every piece I create. The mountains, the prairie, the plants, the changing light, and the rhythm of ranch life have all become part of my artistic language. Some of my best ideas have come from the middle of my saddle.
Being from Kirby, Montana, you proudly call yourself the “Kirby cowgirl” and were once crowned the Southeastern Montana Rodeo Queen. In your work as a rancher and an artist, how does your lived experience bridge these two worlds, and how do you balance your time between ranch work and creating artwork?
Miah: People often see ranching and art as two separate lives, but I've never experienced them that way. Ranching has taught me patience, observation, resilience, and respect for the land—qualities that are just as important in my studio as they are on the land. Being the Kirby Cowgirl isn't a brand to me; it's simply where I come from. It's how my community has identified me. Ranch work keeps me connected to the seasons and reminds me that good things take time. Whether I'm stretching a buffalo hide, preparing pigments, or painting on antique ledger paper, I'm approaching each piece with the same mindset I learned growing up: work carefully, try not to rush, and respect the process. Balancing the two isn't always easy, but I wouldn't trade either one.
You have expressed a desire to be known by your people as “The One Who Makes Marks.” What does a “sacred mark” look like to you, and how do you know when a piece of ledger work or a hide painting has successfully captured a piece of your spirit?
Miah: To me, a “sacred mark” is made with intention. The desire to be known by my people this way comes from the translation of our Cheyenne word for artist. It isn't about perfection or technical skill—it's about honesty. Every mark should carry respect for the people, stories, and traditions that inspired it. When I finish a piece, I ask myself if it feels truthful. Did I honor the story? Did I create something that my ancestors and my community would recognize as being made with care? If the answer is yes, then I know I've made something meaningful. Being remembered as "The One Who Makes Marks" isn't about recognition. It's about living a life where the marks I leave—both through my artwork and within my community—have purpose.
How does the deeply sensory, elemental process of working with traditional materials like raw hide and ledger paper compare to using more contemporary mediums like canvas and digital screens? Do you favor one over the other?
Miah: Every material carries its own language. Buffalo hide asks for patience and respect. Ledger paper already contains a history before I ever make the first brushstroke. Those materials remind me that I'm entering into a partnership rather than simply creating an image. Canvas gives me freedom to experiment, while digital work allows me to solve problems and develop ideas in ways that are practical for murals, illustrations, and public projects. I don't necessarily favor one over another because each have different jobs.
You were raised on the oral histories passed down by your family and elders and you have described yourself as a storyteller who paints the stories told to you. How do you decide which material best suits a specific ancestral narrative, and does the medium change how you approach the story you want to tell?
Miah: The story usually decides before I do. Some stories belong on buffalo hide because that material carries its own traditional memory. Others feel at home on antique ledger paper because they're connected to the era of adaptation and survival after reservation life began. Sometimes a contemporary canvas is the best place for a story because it speaks directly to today's audiences. The medium becomes another voice in the storytelling. It isn't just the surface I'm painting on—it's part of the story itself.
Your worldview is grounded in the belief that “home is where the medicine is.” How does the everyday, physical landscape of Montana—the shale cliffs, the wild plains, and the plants you gather—find its way into the color palettes and textures of your art?
Miah: Everything I create begins with some aspect of home. The colors I mix come from the landscape I've known my entire life—the reds and yellows of the earth, the sage greens after rain, the deep blues before a storm, and the soft pinks that settle across the prairie at sunset. I also gather plants and create natural pigments, allowing the land itself to become part of the painting. I believe home holds medicine because it's where I return to remember who I am. Every time I leave and come back, I notice something new, and that continues to shape my work.
How does creating art under your Northern Cheyenne name, Heóvá'é'e (Yellow Hair Woman), shift your creative thinking in contrast to identifying under your English name?
Miah: My English name and my Cheyenne name both belong to me, but they remind me of different responsibilities. When I create under Heóvá'é'e, I'm reminded that my work is connected to something much older than myself. It encourages me to think beyond my own career and instead consider what I'm contributing to future generations. That perspective keeps me grounded. It reminds me that every painting has the potential to become part of our ongoing lineage.
You’ve spoken about representing your community and foremothers in a way that does them justice. When you stand in front of a blank canvas or an antique piece of ledger paper, how do you ground yourself to listen to their guidance?
Miah: Before I start a piece I like to get whatever is on my heart onto the canvas, sometimes it's a crazy sketch or even a poem, but it basically allows me to clear my mind so while I'm painting, my head, my hands, and my heart are all on the same page. When I don't do this beforehand I can feel the misalignment and then it's harder for me to focus. My partner and I pick various types of smudge throughout the year so I also use these medicines to give everything a fresh breath of air before starting.
Your work is deeply rooted in your own experience and inspires a sense of wonder. What do you hope viewers take away from their interaction with your art?
Miah: I hope when viewers see my work they see the richness of community, story, and intention that goes into every detail of each piece.
Can you share with us what you are working on artistically at this time?
Miah: Right now I'm continuing to explore various methods of visual storytelling while expanding into larger public works, including murals and community-centered projects. I'm also preparing for my first solo exhibition, which is an exciting milestone because it brings together works created throughout different seasons of my life and artistic journey. Much of my current work continues to focus on history, oral traditions, and the relationship between people and place, past and present. At the heart of everything I'm creating is the same goal I've always had: to make marks that honor my people, my home, and the stories entrusted to me.
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L to R:
Miah Chalfant, Foreign Feelings, Digital Illustration
Miah Chalfant, Million Dollar Baby, 2024, Acrylic on canvas, 68” x 48”
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