Born in Farmington, New Mexico, J. Rousseau is an enrolled member of the Cheyenne River Sioux tribe. He is a descendent of a Lakota Sioux clan chief, and his great-grandmother (Marcella-"Unchi" Grandmother in Lakota) was honored at the 1976 United States Bicentennial. An artist for the past 30 years, Rousseau studied art St. Mary College in Leavenworth, Kansas, and studied leathercraft privately with master leather carver Bill Gomer. Rousseau works in oil, acrylic, watercolor, and leather pictorial sculpture.

 

Rousseau focuses on Native American and Southwest topics, particularly those with a spiritual theme. A regular participant in Native American religious ceremonies-- both as a drummer and sweat lodge leader-- Rousseau has a deep alliance with Native American spiritual ideals. His personal spiritually has also been enhanced by his training, since a child, in Eastern philosophies, meditation, and martial arts.

 

Rousseau's martial arts experience relates to another major theme in his work: the Native American warrior path. Rousseau is a world class martial arts expert and has a background in the military. Rousseau has traveled extentively overseas. These two seemingly divergent topics-- spirituality and the hard-edged emotions of conflict--create a powerful tension in Rousseau's work that is evident in his strong use of color and his striking images.

 

Read the story of the Rousseau family heirlooms at The Crazy Horse Memorial

Note:

I am the "family artist" that painted the portrait of Grace Carlin Rousseau (she's my Grandmother) that is part of the family posessions that reside at the Indian Museum of North America at Crazy Horse Memorial @ Crazy Horse S.D.

It is a 24"x30" Leather Sculpted Painting