Leah Yellowbird - Minnesota Artist

[Advanced Smite]

I was contacted by an individual unable to post to NAFPS for help determining whether they should promote an upcoming event featuring Minnesota artist Leah Yellowbird. The individual felt something was “off” about Leah Yellowbird’s description of her ancestry. I made the decision to post Leah Yellowbird to NAFPS after finding evidence that she is falsely claiming Algonquin, Metis, and Anishinaabe ancestry.

Leah Yellowbird is a Minnesota-based artist that claims to be “First Nations Algonquin-Metis and Anishinaabe”. Based on publicly available information, I believe Leah Yellowbird was born Leah Kay Hanson to Edward Rudolph and Pamela Kay (Titus) Hanson in International Falls, Minnesota. Other names Leah has gone by include Leah Rancourt, Leah Cowlishaw, Leah Rancourt-Cowlishaw, Leah McMurray, and Leah Cowlishaw-McMurray. Leah Yellowbird appears to be a professional name. I was unable to find records indicating it’s her legal name. 

This is how Leah describes herself on her website:

Intricate, graceful, thought-provoking, and prolific — these are all the words that have been used to describe the elaborate masterwork of Leah Yellowbird. Originally a traditional bead-worker, she identifies strongly with her First Nations Algonquin-Metis and Anishinaabe heritage. At a young age, Yellowbird learned from her extended family how to follow traditional beading patterns and has been working in this medium her entire life. This knowledge, combined with her creative eye and exploration of color, has spilled over into the realm of painting, and she is now well-regarded for her work in all mediums. Leah Yellowbird is a fiscal year 2021 recipient of a Creative Support for Individuals grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board. This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.

Source: Leah Yellowbird Art – About Us
Direct Link: https://www.leahyellowbirdart.com/about-us/
Archive Link: https://archive.ph/wip/3XPbh

“…she identifies strongly with her First Nations Algonquin-Metis and Anishinaabe heritage. At a young age, Yellowbird learned from her extended family how to follow traditional beading patterns and has been working in this medium her entire life.” This is an unusual description because a specific community isn’t mentioned. What is “Algonquin-Metis”? Which extended family members taught Leah to bead?

Leah is generally vague about her family but, back in 2016, she was featured on PBS North Native Report and gave a few details:

Transcription begins at 1:31.
"Leah's paintings come to her in her dreams and the reflections of her Ojibwe heritage."

Transcription begins at 2:41.
"I'm really trying to stick with a traditional style that my auntie was a big part of giving to me. The double line of the white around all the edges was very important to her to always have that double line of beads. And I understand it's a very, very old style. And even my regalia is beaded in that way. And I always have older people come up, elders, and ask me which grandma beaded my regalia, and it's me. Because I've kept my auntie's old style, but I've given a little contemporary twist to the colors and the combinations of the colors. But I haven't seen anything like what I'm doing. I don't usually just think of an image. I usually wake up, and I've been given the image."

Transcription begins at 5:03.
"When the wolf hunt was really in the news big here in Minnesota, I did a piece. And there was a lot of arrows in it, because it was like the government was piercing the heart of the Anishinaabe people. And I put a lot of strawberries in it, and all the strawberries were bleeding. And the wolves had targets on them. But I think if you weren't in the community, in the Indian community, when you looked at it, you saw a beautiful piece with raindrops that were red. So, I think to me, the harder part is explaining the concept of why instead of what. The symmetry is definitely important for the patterns that my auntie did. Everything was probably much more symmetrical than I do now."

Transcription begins at 8:01.
"I'm a native artist. I definitely will continue in this vein. I think all my life, I was looking for something. I didn't know what it was. And when I started painting again, the inner peace that I so desperately needed came. I think that we're all on a journey of some sort. My journey is a healing journey from a long, long time ago."

Source: YouTube - PBS North Native Report Season 11 Episode 7
Direct Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4AUsiJCoIjY

Leah talks about her “auntie” teaching her bead. Who is this auntie? She has one maternal aunt that I’ve been unable to connect to any tribal community. I’m still finishing genealogy, but at this point have found Norwegian, Swedish, Dutch, and French Canadian. It’s possible Leah could have a “Native Woman” from the 1700s in her French-Canadian genealogy, like 80% of white French-Canadians, but I’m not seeing anything that explains Leah’s claims.

Does anyone have information that supports Leah’s claims?

Leah is selling art at the Macrostie Art Center listed under a “Buy Native” category.
Source: Macrostie Art Center – Buy Native
Direct Link: https://macrostie-art-center.myshopify.com/collections/buy-native?page=2
Archive Link: https://archive.ph/xKe03

In 2021, Leah gave an Artist Talk at the Hopkins Center for the Arts (Minnesota) and discussed her Native American ancestry, auntie, and selling her art.

Transcription begins at 0:31.
"I'm Ojibwe. Anishinaabe is another word for that. And I'm Metis and Algonquin."

Transcription begins at 1:18.
"My auntie when she passed she left me her sketch book of all of her designs. And I don't necessarily use them for every piece but -um- I love to just flip through it and sometimes it's just an outline of something that will -you know- spawn something else. And so, to me it always comes from- it comes from the people who came before me. It's all comes from my ancestors. So you know to me, they're giving me this."

Transcription begins at 19:09.
"I have had a couple of pieces not sell and I have said to my agent “What do people say about that piece? Why is it still here?” And she'll say well they don't really like this part of it or that part of it. So, I stand back and take a look at that part. And I’ve redone two pieces -not a ton- just a little tiny bit, put them in the next show, and they sold immediately."

Transcription begins at 29:38.
"I do love to laugh. I didn't laugh a lot as a kid. I had a different kind of situation as a child."

Source: YouTube - Leah Yellowbird Artist Talk June 24, 2021 - Hopkins Center for the Arts MN
Direct Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SoulicHRT_w

Can anyone more knowledgeable about the Indian Arts and Crafts Act (IACA) provide guidance as to whether Leah may be in violation of IACA?

I found a picture of Leah at an event in 2016 that makes me concerned she is using red/brown face. The picture shows Leah with make-up on her face that is significantly darker than her ear/neck. I’ve uploaded the picture to this post and it can also be found at these links:
Direct Link: http://indiangiver.firstnations.org/nl161112-02/
Archive Link: https://archive.ph/Zib3M

Genealogy
I've been unable to find a source where Leah commits to her alleged Native American ancestry being through her maternal or paternal family. This makes genealogy time consuming as all lines need to be researched and posted. I hope to post more detailed information soon. Here are a few sources that connect Leah to her parents, Edward Rudolph Hanson and Pamela Kay (Titus) Hanson:

The obituary of Leah’s father, Edward Rudolph Hanson:
Direct Link: https://www.tributearchive.com/obituaries/24444721/edward-rudolph-hanson
Archive Link: https://archive.ph/HLEHw

The obituary of Leah’s maternal grandfather, Richard Willis Titus:
Direct Link: https://www.greenlarsen.com/obituaries/Richard-Willis-Titus?obId=24444998
Archive Link: https://archive.ph/wip/r1J17

[Diana]

Advancedsmite, I read her father's obituary and it appears he only had brothers. So, this so called Native aunt is probably on her mother's side.

[Sandy S]

Questions for Leah Yellowbird:

Are you a member of a federally enrolled tribe (or state recognized tribe)? If so, which one?

If not - Are you a certified Indian Artisan (someone with heritage recognized by a specifc tribe that officially certifies you)?
If so, what tribe certified you?


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It is illegal to offer or display for sale, or sell, any art or craft product in a manner that falsely suggests it is Indian produced, an Indian product, or the product of a particular Indian or Indian tribe or Indian arts and crafts organization, resident within the United States.
 
For a first time violation of the IACA, an individual can face civil or criminal penalties up to a $250,000 fine or a 5-year prison term, or both. 

If a business violates the IACA, it can face civil penalties or can be prosecuted and fined up to $1,000,000.

https://www.doi.gov/iacb/act
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Leah Yellowbird should welcome questions and have clear answers.

Galleries, museums etc should definitely be current with this consumer protection law and they should comply.

Thinking of buying from an artist that claims or implies they are Native American?

You have the complete right to ask questions.

If you don't get civil, complete, friendly factual answers - buy from someone else who does comply with the law.

 

[Sandy S]

The Minnesota State Arts Board needs to get their act together. They are enabling fraud.

Leah Yellowbird identifies strongly with her First Nations Algonquin-Metis and Anishinaabe heritage.

https://www.arts.state.mn.us/gallery/artcrawlSpring2019/GrandRapidsYellowbird.htm

This is a ridiculous statement. It is meaningless in regards to the Indian Arts and Crafts Act consumer protection law.

If I identify "strongly" with my Coast Salish and Iñupiat heritage (which I don't actually have) ......... does the "strongly" part make this magically true?

The board, galleries, museums, buyers etc all need to find out if she complies with the IACB. Good guess she doesn't. Good guess she will work to make any who question feel uncomfortable.

[Sandy S]

I found a picture of Leah at an event in 2016 that makes me concerned she is using red/brown face. The picture shows Leah with make-up on her face that is significantly darker than her ear/neck. I’ve uploaded the picture to this post and it can also be found at these links:
Direct Link: http://indiangiver.firstnations.org/nl161112-02/
Archive Link: https://archive.ph/Zib3M

Yeah that is definitely red/brown face.

I can imagine the excuses she and her supporters will make for this.

[Sandy S]

Scott is survived by his mother, Pamela Hanson; and sister, Leah Yellowbird; aunt, Nancy (Howard) Francis; uncles, Billy (Barb) Hanson, Maurice (Julie) Titus, and Mike (Myrna) Hanson; and cousin, Adam Hanson.

Direct https://www.greenlarsen.com/obituaries/Scott-Edward-Hanson?obId=30657657

Archived http://web.archive.org/web/20241207181618/https://www.greenlarsen.com/obituaries/Scott-Edward-Hanson?obId=30657657

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Recently Leah Yellowbird was identified as a "First Nations Algonquin-Metis and Anishinaabe heritage artist". https://www.facebook.com/AICHOmn/photos/t.100055616906534/5412179305481299/?type=3 This is a self identification used to claim her art is Native American made. This does not comply with the Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990 at all.

Here is a good explainer: "Being an Ethical Consumer of Native Arts and Crafts" https://floridaseminoletourism.com/native-arts-crafts/

The intention of the law is to not mislead the consumer and take economic growth away from native communities.

False advertising without a single sale is prohibited.

If you violate the Act, you face up to $500,000 in fines or 5 years in prison. If a business knowingly violates the Act, they face civil penalties or fines up to $1,000,000.

As a consumer, it is important to think critically about items when purchasing them. Instead of supporting a native artist or community, without due diligence you may be causing harm.

---------

Read through this also: https://www.doi.gov/iacb/should-i-report-potential-violation#no-back

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The Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990 https://www.doi.gov/iacb/act

[Sandy S]

Leah Yellowbird's vague self identification as "Metis Heritage artist" does not comply with the Indian Arts and Crafts Act either.

This original piece costs $1,400.00:  https://www.rbbartgifts.com/product-page/spider-ii-leah-yellowbird-original?srsltid=AfmBOooWKnu1fKqf76ft8XNwCodY9J8MeGcOy-bxZ1WUhZSxCTKu3IgH

"The art cannot be marketed in a way that falsely suggests it is Indian produced or the product of a particular Indian tribe" - in my opinion this art piece is marketed in just that manner.

We've seen signs here of Leah Yellowbird shapeshifting as if to evade the truth-in-advertising, consumer protection law.

[Advanced Smite]

The Johnson County Park and Recreation District (JCPRD) in Kansas, in collaboration with the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, solicited designs for a public art project to commemorate the Potawatomi Trail of Death. Leah Yellowbird was chosen as one of three finalists to submit a design. Her design was chosen as the winner. Susan Mong, JCPRD Superintendent of Culture, said, “With all of our public art projects, we typically will put an artist call out. In this case, it was across the nation. So, anybody across the United States that had an affiliation with a Native American tribe was invited to apply."

Leah Yellowbird isn't Native American and wouldn't meet the qualifications to participate. I wonder if the JCPRD or Citizen Potawatomi Nation requested specific information from Leah about her claims of being Anishinaabe (or Algonquin and Metis) for verification. That information should be readily provided by Leah if she is claiming to be a Native American artist.

Public art project will soon take shape
December 12, 2024

Tribal members will be asked to contribute images to a public art project that commemorates the Potawatomi Trail of Death.

The Johnson County Park and Recreation District in Kansas, recently announced that “Fire Keepers Circle,” by artists Leah Yellowbird and Aaron Squadroni, was selected as the winning design from among three finalists.

“Fire Keepers Circle” is comprised of a panel that features four layers. The spiritual layer expresses the spirit of the fire keepers. The trail path shows the route from Indiana to Kansas. The ancestral layer represents the number of Potawatomi who made the journey in 1838. The contemporary layer will include submissions from Potawatomi tribal members that will be imprinted on the metal.

The piece will be fabricated over a period of five to six months and then installed in the park. An official ribbon cutting and dedication ceremony is tentatively scheduled for July of 2025.

The announcement follows months of research, planning and consultation with Citizen Potawatomi Nation tribal members. JCPRD officials appreciate CPN’s help to reach this important milestone.

“I’m just really grateful for all of the relationship building and the number of participants from Citizen Potawatomi Nation that just really helped guide the process and provided really great input. I think the product is going to be amazing, but the process has been really beautiful to have everybody engaged,” said Susan Mong, JCPRD superintendent of culture.

Finalists carefully selected

Mong said the county recognized the unique nature of this public art project and knew they would need to consult Native American artists for this special work.

“With all of our public art projects, we typically will put an artist call out. In this case, it was across the nation. So, anybody across the United States that had an affiliation with a Native American tribe was invited to apply,” she said.

Three finalists were selected and received the goals of the project and a site visit. The finalists also received a stipend to develop a design.

“It’s always our practice to have or to support three artists and pay them for their creativity to come up with those concepts. We had this wonderful opportunity to share those three proposed designs not only with the community here in Johnson County, but also to bring those three designs down to the Reunion (Festival),” Mong said. “That was really special to engage members of CPN from across the country around those designers and find out what emotions each of the three designs evoked in everybody. That’s so that we can get a sense of what people are gravitating towards.”

Considering the community input, the art selection committee then selected the winner.
“The community input coalesced around who we ended up selecting. There seemed to be a lot of energy around ‘Fire Keepers Circle,’” she said. “All three artists that were finalists were so heartfelt in the time and energy and emotion that they put into creating their proposal.”

Next steps

Mong and other Johnson County officials are working with Yellowbird and Squadroni as the fabrication process begins. Community engagement will continue.

“The design of the piece includes three layers. One is a contemporary layer that has all of these metallic feathers that are meant to have a little movement that will flutter in the wind. The imprints on those feathers are going to be created by members of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation as a way to represent all of those lives and the beauty of the Tribe,” Mong said.

Tribal members will have an opportunity to create a design and submit it to artist Leah Yellowbird. The designs will be imprinted on the metallic feathers of the piece’s contemporary layer.

“That’s going to be a really neat way for people all over the country to make their mark on this piece through those individual feathers,” she said. “We’ll have also opportunities for people from all over the country to send a sentiment or a design or something that represents a loved one or something about their families.”

Installation is tentatively set for June 2025. A ribbon-cutting and celebration is planned for mid- to late July 2025. Mong is eager to welcome CPN visitors as well as Johnson County and other area residents.
Gaining understanding

The park receives more than 800,000 visitors annually. JCPRD officials are also preparing for a large increase in visitors when the 2026 FIFA World Cup visits the region. Mong is hopeful this new art piece will help local and international visitors gain a greater understanding of some aspects of American history.

Mong said many tribal Nations have their own removal stories but not every story is acknowledged. Working on the public art project has helped her gain a greater understanding of history, an experience she hopes others will appreciate.

“It’s been a really great journey for me to just learn about what that next generation is doing to keep the memory, to keep the story and that pride of that connection alive. I’m interested to learn more because I know that this is really the tip of the iceberg of other events that have happened around me and places I grew up,” she said.

In addition to the art, Mong said the county is planning an interpretive panel near the art that will explore some of the history involved. CPN will be involved in the production of the panel as well, she said.

Mong said she’s deeply grateful for the chance to meet Tribal citizens at the 2024 Family Reunion Festival and to connect with the Cultural Heritage Center staff.

“Everyone who did offer feedback at the Family Reunion, each comment was read by our committee and was appreciated,” she said. “I just want to say thank you to the (CPN) community and the staff of the Cultural Center. And for everybody that took time during the Festival to provide that feedback, it was really important and really appreciated.”

To learn more about the Johnson County Heritage Park public art project, visit cpn.news/heritagepark.


Source: Citizen Potawatomi Nation Blog - Public Art Project Will Soon Take Shape
Direct Link: https://www.potawatomi.org/blog/2024/12/12/public-art-project-will-soon-take-shape/
Archive Link: https://archive.ph/tg0HL

[Advanced Smite]

Below is a more recent Citizen Potawatomi Nation blog post about Leah Yellowbird and her "creative partner" Aaron Squadroni being chosen to create a public art project in commemoration of the Potawatomi Trail of Death. Installation is planned for June 2025. Hopefully, the Johnson County Park and Recreation District and Citizen Potawatomi Nation will start asking Leah for more information about whether she's actually a Native American artist sooner rather than later. It's (unintentionally) tragically ironic that pretendian Leah has been chosen to commemorate the Potawatomi Trail of Death with her art...especially if the two finalists that weren't chosen are actually Native American.

‘Fire Keepers Circle’: Artist Leah Yellowbird shares inspiration
December 18, 2024

First Nations Algonquin-Métis and Anishinaabe artist Leah Yellowbird works in a variety of mediums, from paint to beads. She has a reverence for traditional imagery and methods, resulting in works that reflect the culture of Indigenous people.

Her inspiration resulted in “Fire Keepers Circle,” which will commemorate the Potawatomi Trail of Death in Johnson County, Kansas. The Johnson County, Kansas, Park and Recreation District recently announced “Fire Keepers Circle” was selected from among three finalists for a public art project.

Yellowbird and her creative partner, Aaron Squadroni, have collaborated on similar projects. With Yellowbird’s creative background and Squadroni’s architecture skills, they have found the perfect mix.

“Everything I am, he is the opposite. I’m high strung, he’s more calm,” she said. “It’s like this perfect union for me, this person who isn’t anything like me. I got lucky there.”

Squadroni first heard about the Trail of Death art project proposal and felt Yellowbird would have the necessary creative background. He previously worked for an architecture company that applied to work on large, public art projects.

A clear vision

Yellowbird said she carefully researched the Trail of Death. She understands how necessary the art project was.

“I’ve always said when stuff gets difficult for me that I have no right to complain because of the people that came before me. I’m not walking on snow barefoot for hundreds of miles. I’m not watching my child fall and die and not being able to do anything about it. What do I have to complain about? Absolutely nothing,” she said.

After imagining herself in the place of the Potawatomi who fell and those who survived, she had a very clear vision of what she wanted the piece to look like.

“I knew right away exactly what I wanted the sculpture to look like and what I wanted to do. I want a place where you could sit and hear the wind go through those walls. It’s like it is the sound of my ancestors talking. So, I am very excited to do it,” Yellowbird said.

Including Tribal members

CPN Tribal members will be able to contribute to the project in a significant way. Yellowbird is assembling an informational packet that will help Tribal members add to part of the design that resembles a feather.

“We’re going to ask people to put a pattern on that feather, whether it’s a pattern that’s on your regalia that you wear, a pattern that your family uses on their regalia or it’s something you have in your house or something that you love, something that moves you,” Yellowbird said. “Draw the pattern on and then we’ll put it on the metal. And then they’ll be able to pick out their feather on the sculpture. I think it’s kind of cool to be a part of this memorial and say, ‘Here I am.’”

Yellowbird and Squadroni plan to begin their outreach to CPN Tribal members in January 2025. She will keep everyone informed about the ribbon cutting ceremony for “Fire Keepers Circle.”

“To me, it’s like the community is part of it, too. I want to make sure that if anybody wants to attend, they can,” she said.

Reaching all visitors

She hopes non-Native visitors will not only appreciate the beauty of the art and the location, but also feel the weight of what took place. Plans are for the space to have a QR code that visitors can click on and hear narration about the exhibit.

“Everybody feels differently in different situations, but I’m hoping that anyone who sees it and knows what it’s about, we can get that across because of how serious it was and the devotion of the people that walked behind their leaders, what they left behind and the people they left behind,” she said.

She said portions of Native American history often go unacknowledged or are misunderstood.

“I often say to people who are non-Indian, when they start talking about residential schools. I tell them when the last residential schools were closed and they’re always shocked. They thought it was in the 60s,” she said. “I tell them, ‘No, this was happening for a long time.’”

She is happy to be able to help Indigenous people tell their own stories.

“Nobody’s going to understand it better than the person in it. My family didn’t live on that reservation, but I can’t stress enough that it still was so important to me to make sure that people knew who I am and what I’m about,” she said.

Follow Leah Yellowbird Art on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/LeahYellowbirdArt


Source: Citizen Potawatomi Nation Blog - ‘Fire Keepers Circle’: Artist Leah Yellowbird Shares Inspiration
Direct Link: https://www.potawatomi.org/blog/2024/12/18/fire-keepers-circle-artist-leah-yellowbird-shares-inspiration/
Archive Link: https://archive.ph/lxaKV

[Advanced Smite]

This is an excerpt from the Johnson County Arts and Heritage Center website about the Potawatomi Trail of Death public art project. To be eligible, an artist must have a tribal affiliation that is recognized. Leah Yellowbird claims to be "First Nations Algonquin-Metis and Anishinaabe." I'm not sure what she means by "First Nations Algonquin-Metis" as Algonquin-Metis doesn't exist or really even make sense. I haven't been able to find anywhere she specifies an Anishinaabe tribe/band which is a red flag. In my opinion, based on Leah's genealogy, she could only enroll in a fake state recognized tribe because she is not Native American.

Artist Eligibility:
The public art opportunity is open to professional artists residing within the United States with a tribal affiliation that is recognized. If you have questions about your eligibility, please contact us at jcprdpublicart@jocogov.org.

Artist Stipend:
The artist stipend for this project is $100,000. This stipend, payable to the artist, is to include artist design fee, labor, fabrication, materials, transportation costs, a community engagement activity, and any mounting or hardware costs associated with the installation.

Source: Heritage Park Public Art Project
Direct Link: https://www.jcprd.com/1968/Heritage-Park-Public-Art-Project
Archive Link: https://archive.ph/C2hvX#selection-831.0-839.1

[Advanced Smite]

I found the names of the two other finalists in the Johnson County Park and Recreation District Public Art Committee meeting minutes from 4/24/2024. Both Doug Coffin and Denny Haskew are Native American. It only took 20 minutes of genealogy research for each man to find Native American ancestry. Considerably more time spent on genealogy research has not produced any Native American ancestry (from 1820 to present) in Leah Hanson AKA Leah Yellowbird's family tree.

Which recognized tribe claims the family of Leah Hanson AKA Leah Yellowbird to make her eligible for this project?

Heritage Park Potawatomi Project Updates

• 11 applications received and 3 finalists selected:
o Doug Coffin & Kaären Ochoa from Abiquiu, NM
o Aaron Squadroni & Leah Yellowbird from Grand Rapids, MN
o Denny Haskew & JK Designs National Sculptors Guild from Loveland, CO

• The three finalists will be visiting Heritage Park this Friday, April 26 for a site visit with JCPRD staff. They
will then put together a proposal for the Art Selection Committee in late May with community feedback in
June including presence at the Potawatomi “family reunion” in Shawnee, OK.

• A virtual PAC vote will be held Wednesday, July 17 at 9:00 AM before JCPRD Board approval in August

Source: Johnson County Park and Recreation District - Public Art Committee Meeting Minutes 4/23/2024
Direct Link: https://jcprd.portal.civicclerk.com/event/684/files/attachment/3942

Here is information on the two talented Native American artists that were not selected for the Potawatomi Trail of Death public art project:

Denny Haskew
Direct Link: https://www.nationalsculptorsguild.com/artist_haskew_portfolio.html
Archive Link: https://archive.ph/3BwbF

Doug Coffin
Direct Link: https://art.state.gov/personnel/j_coffin/
Archive Link: https://archive.ph/UO1d8