Derek No-Sun Brown carries on the ancestry from the Shoshone-Bannock, Klamath, and Anishinabe people. He was raised with a strong traditional foundation and continues to maintain indigenous ways of prayer and philosophy that are evident through his art.  This painting is entitled, “Charging Forward”.  It is Sumi Ink and acrylic on canvas. While it may seem easy, watching Derek paint with the Sumi ink has its own challenges and “control of the flow”.   The painting is inspired by the title of his current exhibit of new work.  Derek said of “Charging Forward””

“Charging Forward is how I’ve always felt as an artist and a Native American person.  Life and art should never be stagnant.  We are water that trickles down slow from a melting glacier turning into powerful rivers carving through mountains and returning to the source to do it all again.  Everyone living right now on the planet is charging forward.  We are the future and the past combined.  We are alive.”

The painting features two riders on horseback.  The use of the gold-painted areas to signify the importance of the reins, shields, or quivers as the subtle strong elements within his paintings.  Derek is an exceptional artist and an important voice among young Native artists!