Blackbear Bosin

Francis Blackbear Bosin was born June 5, 1921, in Cyril, Oklahoma, near Anadarko, reportedly in a tipi. His father, Frank Blackbear, was Kiowa, and his mother, Ada Tivis Bosin, was of the Quahadi (Antelope Eater) band, of the Comanche Nation. His Kiowa name, Tsate Kongia (Kiowa: Sétkóñ:gyái), means "Blackbear" and belongs to his paternal grandfather, a Kiowa chief. As the oldest male child, he was sent to live with his maternal, Comanche grandparents as soon as he could walk. Bosin briefly studied Anadarko High School before leaving to attend Cyril High School. At 17, Bosin married Ruth Johnson (Caddo), and the couple had two daughters, Rowena and Patricia. The University of Oklahoma offered him an arts scholarship after graduating high school, but due to his new responsibilities as a husband and a father, he turned it down. Instead, he chose to attend the Chilocco Indian Agricultural School where he trained to work with sheet metal. In 1940, Bosin and Johnson moved to Wichita, Kansas, with their daughters. It was here that the couple had two sons, Francis Jr. and Niles. Bosin found work at Beech Aircraft. To support his family, Bosin enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and was trained as a machine gunner. In November 1943, while stationed in Maui, Hawaii, he fell ill and had to be hospitalized at Aiea Heights Naval Hospital in Honolulu, Hawaii. Here he took up painting again. Before his discharge in 1945, the hospital hosted a one-man exhibition of his works (later mistakenly reported a one-man exhibition of the Honolulu Academy of Arts). Before leaving the military, Bosin briefly returned to Wichita to sign divorce papers, which marked the end of his marriage with Johnson. Bosin permanently returned to Wichita in 1946, where he worked as a color separator and plate maker for Western Lithograph and then as an industrial designer and production illustrator for Boeing-Wichita. == Art career (1946–1967) ==

After returning to Wichita in 1946, Bosin continued to paint. In the same year, he entered the Philbrook Art Center's first Indian Artists Annual, where he won an honorable mention for Green Corn Dance. After his success at the Philbrook, Bosin continued to enter art competitions there and at other galleries, art centers, and museums. Between 1947 and 1948, his work was included in exhibitions at the Dallas Museum of Fine Arts and the Detroit Institute of Arts. In 1951, Bosin entered an Indian art competition held by the Denver Museum of Art, where he was awarded the Purchase Prize. While working at Boeing, Bosin met Nola Simmonds, an art teacher who would later become his wife. The two were married in 1953, after which they moved in together and Bosin became stepfather to David, Simmonds only child. Bosin's daughters lived with the family in Wichita until they both graduated high school, and one of his sons, Francis Jr., lived with them up until the sixth grade. Also in 1953, Bosin again secured first place at the Philbrook with Prairie Fire, the piece that eventually brought him international recognition. The acclaimed painting was purchased by the Philbrook and later featured as a centerfold, with detailed description, in the May 1955 issue of National Geographic. Bosin opened the Great Plains Studio in 1959 to expand his studio space and display his art alongside the works of other Indigenous artists. The same year, he was commissioned by the Hotel Broadview in downtown Wichita to design a mosaic mural for the Crystal Ballroom. Constructed entirely from semi-opaque glass chips and measuring an incredible 1,500 square feet, The Advance of Civilization in Kansas is the largest continuous mural in Kansas. His paintings continued to be awarded by art institutions. In 1960, Bosin entered the All-Indian Show in New York, where he won both the First and Grand Prize. The following year he traveled to Kreuzlingen, Switzerland, to receive honors after he was elected Fellow of the International Institute of Arts and Letters (IIAL). In the same year, two of his former entries in the Philbrook's Indian Artist Annual were purchased by the Arts and Crafts Board of the U.S. Department of the Interior. In 1963, the Philbrook hosted another one-man show of Bosin's work and four of his pieces were included in the Heard Museum's Gallery of Indian Art's inaugural exhibition. Two years later, in 1965, Bosin proceeded to win first place and the Grand Prize at the Philbrook's Indian Artists Annual. Bosin was the only Native American artist to participate in the 1965 White House Festival of the Arts, when Prairie Fire was displayed at both the White House and the National Gallery of Art. The beaded bowtie and cummerbund he wore were made by his mother and attracted the attention of the First Lady, Lady Bird Johnson, who requested that Bosin be moved to sit at her table. The U.S. Department of the Interior commissioned a series of paintings from Bosin, known as the Kiowa Series, devoted to displaying the historical and religious heritage of the Kiowa. The series consisted of three works, Of the Owls Telling (), Taime Man, and The Ten Grandmothers. Bosin completed the first two paintings between 1965 and 1966, but the final work was not finished until 1973 and the series was not publicly displayed until 1976. He was awarded a Certificate of Appreciation by the Indian Arts and Crafts Board of the Department of the Interior in 1966. In 1967, Bosin was awarded the Victory Trophy at the 22nd Indian Annual hosted by the Philbrook. After receiving this award, he decided to step back from entering art competitions altogether because he believed it was time for younger artists to gain recognition. He was also chosen as an exhibitor, that year, for the Smithsonian Institution's American Discovers Indian Art Show. == Later years and death (1967–1980) ==

Keeper of the Plains Bosin had been experiencing health issues, starting in 1960 when he was diagnosed with diabetes, but his health worsened significantly in 1968. He had to be hospitalized for a period and his doctors advised that he slow down his work. A year later, Bosin suffered his first heart attack. While in the hospital, Elmer Hall, a friend of Bosin and employee of the KG&E plant in Wichita, asked Bosin if he would design a large-scale statue as tribute to the Indigenous peoples in the area. The statue — a 44-foot, 5-ton, Cor-Ten steel sculpture — is a giant, stylized representation of a Native American in historic dress, gesturing to the Great Spirit in the sky, and titled The Keeper of the Plains. — and is the core element in the official seal of the surrounding county, Sedgwick County, Kansas. In 1975, two 10-foot replicas of the sculpture were installed in Wichita's sister cities: Tlalnepantla, Mexico, and Orleans, France. Starting in 2017, a local business organization began commissioning dozens of 10-foot glass-fiber replicas of the statue, for installation throughout the city—each one decorated individually by local artists, usually with a locally relevant symbolic theme. Months later in September, Bosin had to undergo open heart surgery, which severely set back the progress of the mural. His recovery was lengthy, and he suffered loss of sight in both eyes that left wide, horizontal fields of darkness across his vision. The mural was unveiled in 1972. In 1976, Bosin was honored at the American Indian National Achievement Awards in the Traditional Indian Painting category. He was also included in Songs from the Earth, an important exhibition of Indigenous art, and appointed to the Kansas Arts Commission Board. Final years In the later years of his life, Bosin began to dance at regional powwows with his close friends. He wore traditional regalia that was adorned with his mother's intricate beadwork. Bosin led a dance to the rhythm of a song that was passed on to him by his father when he had been inducted into the Kiowa Gourd Society and O-Ho-Mahs Lodge Society years before. In March 1980, Bosin's mother died while living with him and his wife. Stricken by grief, Bosin struggled to complete his final commissions. He was survived by his second wife, Nola Davidson Simmonds, his four children, Rowena, Patricia, Francis Jr., and Niles, and stepson, David Simmonds. In 2012, David Simmonds published a biography detailing Bosin's life and accomplishments, titled Blackbear Bosin: Keeper of the Indian Spirit. == Art style and practice ==

Painting and sketching Bosin began practicing art while attending St. Patrick's Mission School in Anadarko, where he was able to study Kiowa and European art through the school's collections. It was through his observations of historical art forms that he learned how to manipulate bodily proportions, create anatomically correct figures, and emulate the style of the Kiowa Six. A self-taught artist, Bosin attributed his distinctive artistic style to his lack of formal arts training and relative isolation from other practicing artists. Watercolors and gouache allowed Bosin to create a controlled layering effect that gave his canvasses their distinctive look. Bosin was known to make several drafts of each painting, sometimes making up to ten sketches before transferring the image onto the canvas, to ensure that the composition was correct. Bosin also began to include increasingly detailed backgrounds in his paintings that set the tone of the piece and constructed a sense of space. Bosin also frequently sketched, filling his sketchbooks with caricatures, drawings, and cartoons, all of which he signed as "Chief." The first and only time his cartoons were exhibited was in 1979 at the New Britain Museum of American Art in Connecticut. Commercial art Bosin also worked as a production illustrator and commercial artist. In 1952 when he left Boeing to work in the training aids and arts department at McConnell Air Force Base, Bosin produced visual training materials for pilots. His instructional booklet, JetRock Jock, took a humorous approach to advising pilots of the various mishaps and dangers of flying. The booklet gained popularity and was distributed to other pilot training programs across the United States. In 1955, Bosin left the civil service sector to pursue art fulltime. He partnered with A.E. "Waddy" Wadsworth to open a small commercial art studio where they produced visuals for local movie theaters and small businesses. Bosin also designed the logos for the Mid-America All-Indian Center in Wichita, and the Wolf Creek nuclear power plant, of Kansas Gas & Electric Co. (KG&E, absorbed into Westar, later into Evergy) in Burlington, Kansas. == Awards and honors ==

• Certificate of Merit, the Philbrook Indian Art Annual, 1946 • Purchase Prize, the Denver Art Museum Indian Art Competition, 1951 • First Prize, the Philbrook Indian Art Annual, 1952 • Grand Prize, the Philbrook Indian Art Annual, 1953 • Purchase Prize, the Philbrook Indian Art Annual, 1955 • Grand and First Prize, the All-Indian Show, New York, 1960 • Fellow of the International Institute of Arts and Letters, Kreuzlingen, Switzerland, 1961 • Grand Prize and First Prize, the Philbrook Indian Art Annual, 1965 • Certificate of Appreciation, the Indian Arts and Crafts Board, 1966 • Victory Trophy, the Philbrook American Indian Artists Exhibition, 1967 • Award for Traditional Indian Painting, the American Indian National Achievement Awards, 1976 • Distinguished Service Award, the State of Kansas, 1977 • Governor's Artist, Governor Robert F. Bennett of Kansas, 1977 • Blackbear Bosin Academy, Wichita Public Schools, named for him (closed in 2012). == Images of Bosin's art ==

Partial list. These links are to images of the original artwork, or to reproductions/prints: Paintings • "Art Gallery: Blackbear Bosin", Cowboys & Indians magazine, July 13, 2022: • Prairie Fire (ca.1955); also at: "About the Artist," BlackbearBosin.com. (A variant also depicted at: Hindman (Chicago), on Invaluable.com) • Torches of the Soul Seekers • Reflections of Rainy Mountain (Bosin's final work, ca.1979) • Wind Spirit, (tornado) (1955), Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City • Gilcrease Museum, Tulsa, Oklahoma: • Two Deer, (1944) • Two Females Bathing, (1955, or before) • Winter Hunt, (1955) • Two Indians, (gesturing in sign language) (mid-20th Century) • Eagle Dancer, (mid-20th Century) • Indian man on lunging horse, (1967) • Winter Crossing, (1963), The Rockwell Museum, Corning, New York • Mandan Mother and Child, (ca.1963), Buffalo Bill Center of the West • Minataree Green Corn Dance (1960–1965), National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian Institution; also at Harris & Co. Frame Shop, at The Work Room, Wichita, Kansas • Wichita, My Son (ca.1965), Wichita Art Museum; also at: The Workroom, and at Equip-Bid Auctions • Of the Owls Telling, of the Kiowa Series, (1965–1966), Native American Art, Gallery 3, FirstPeople.us • From Whence All Life. (the "Great Spirit" mural, 1971–1972) (with visitors), Mid-America All-Indian Museum, Mid-America All-Indian Center; also low-resolution, full-width image, at "Things to Do in Wichita Kansas – The Old West,", Get Lost in the U.S.A.; and detail image of right-most two-thirds at: "About the Artist," BlackbearBosin.com. • The Work Room / Harris & Co. Frame Shop, Wichita, Kansas: • Night Singers; also at Worthpoint • The Day The Sun Died • Feather Dancer; (also at: Wyld Gallery; and at colors apparently distorted) • [https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/blackbear-bosin-26-x-21-3-8-in-66-04-x-54-29-cm-85-c-51c46cca90 The Kiowa Dancer,, Maynards Fine Art & Antiques, Richmond, B.C., Canada; also at: Garth's Auctioneers & Appraisers, Columbus, Ohio, via Invaluable.com • Wind Song, BlackbearBosin.com Drawings and sketches • The Work Room / Harris & Co. Frame Shop, Wichita, Kansas: • Bathing Woman; also at: Little Bull Auction & Sales Co., Augusta, Kansas, via Invaluable.com • Child w/ Doll; also at: Little Bull Auction & Sales Co., Augusta, Kansas, via Invaluable.com • Native Man head • untitled (horse), Santa Fe Art Auction, via Invaluable.com Sculpture • The Keeper of the Plains (daytime), contest photo, Smithsonian Institution • The Keeper of the Plains (daytime), panorama, City of Wichita • "Keeper of the Plains Plaza" (daytime panorama video), 360Wichita.com • The Keeper of the Plains (twilight, with torches), KWCH-TV • " Wichita Kansas Keeper Of The Plains Fire," (twilight) video, Wichita Webmasters Web Design & Hosting • The Keeper of the Plains on Fire, (nightfall, facing downtown) photograph by Joe Montiel • Keeper of the Plains and other local images, day and night, Flickr Commercial art • Cover, Parnassus Yearbook, Class of 1975, Wichita State University • logo: for the Wolf Creek nuclear power plant, Kansas Gas & Electric Co. (KG&E, absorbed into Westar, later into Evergy), at Kansas Public Radio. == Public collections ==

• National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. • Bureau of Indian Affairs, United States Department of the Interior, Washington, D.C. • Rosemary Ellison Gallery, Southern Plains Indians Museum, Indian Arts and Crafts Board, United States Department of the Interior, Anadarko, Oklahoma • Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City • Denver Art Museum, Denver, Colorado • Heard Museum, Phoenix, Arizona • Gilcrease Museum, Tulsa, Oklahoma • Wichita Art Association Gallery, Wichita, Kansas • Mid-America All-Indian Center, Wichita, Kansas • Private Collection, Anonymous, Wichita, Kansas • Private Collection, Stevan Allen, Morgan Hill, California • Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians & Western Art, Indianapolis, Indiana • The Rockwell Museum, Corning, New York ==See also==