Thomasina TopBear: Empowering Community Through Art

Native Lights: Where Indigenous Voices Shine · Mar 17, 2023 · 28m

Today we’re speaking with artist Thomasina “Tomie” TopBear. She is a self-taught artist, muralist, published illustrator and organizer from the Oglala Lakota & Santee Dakota Nations. She specializes in large-scale murals; her work can be seen on the sides of buildings throughout the Twin Cities and the country. Cole talks with her about City Mischief Murals, which she co-founded. It’s an all Indigenous, Black & Pacific Islander artist collective centered on healing through art. She had some great things to say about how murals can build a stronger community, the process of painting a mural…