Darrell was an active artist for the past thirty years specializing in Blackfeet tribal art forms both contemporary and traditional presentations based on Blackfeet design, imagery and symbolism. Darrell learned traditional art forms, drums, rattles, shields and par fleche work from Blackfeet elders and artists. In 1981 Darrell received his formal art degree from North Seattle Community College in Seattle Washington. After 36 years of living in Seattle, Darrell returned to the reservation in 1991 and in 1993 began the Lodgepole Gallery and Tipi Village in Browning.
In 2002 he was awarded the Community Spirit Award from the First Peoples Fund in 2004 the Artists in Business Leadership Award (First Peoples Fund), the Outstanding Alumni Award 2007 from North Seattle Community College and a second time Artists In Business Leadership Award 2009 from the First Peoples Fund. In recognition of artistic excellence and contribution to the preservation of Montana’s cultural heritage, Darrell was inducted into Montana’s Circle of American Masters in Visual Folk & Traditional Arts by the Montana Arts Council in 2012.
Besides these other awards Darrell was an artistic consultant for the American Indian Museum in Washington D.C. and has been a consultant for many projects concerning Blackfeet Heritage for Books and films. In 2004 his CD Return of the Buffalo Horse produced by Ramon Kramer of Hamburg, Germany was on the entry list for a Grammy Award in 2002. The CD Buffalo Sky produced by Tom Bee from Soar Records was nominated for a Native American Music Award.
Darrell Norman died in November 2020 in Great Falls, Montana.
Please read Darrell’s letter of introduction by Blackfeet Tribal Chairman
