Unframed "Fading Away" print. Ink on vintage 1977 Montana oil and gas ledger by Evan Thompon, Blackfeet, Ledger artist, Lawyer.

• 15.5" Width x 12" Height

Excerpt from Evan Thompson:

Ledger art is what I would call a semi-traditional form of Plains Indian art.

Prior to the introduction of paper, many plains tribes - including the Blackfeet, would make pictographic depictions of their war deeds and other significant life events on their tipis, clothing, and on hides. As the buffalo were killed off and hides became more scarce, and tribes were being forced onto reservations, many people would obtain paper from the forts or from settlers and would create pictographic depictions of these war deeds and life events on these papers to preserve their personal history.

Often, the paper they were able to obtain was old ledgers. I like to use ledger paper for my pieces for a number of reasons, but I think the primary reasons are that I like the aesthetic look that the old paper creates, I like that the antique and vintage paper has its own history and lends its own story to the art, and I like the quality of the paper that was being produced back then...My heritage plays a huge role in the art. I would say that every piece I create has elements of traditional Blackfeet design and/or culture in it.

However, I also don't like to limit myself to traditional concepts and I like to incorporate contemporary Blackfeet issue and design elements from other cultures into my pieces as well."