Kent Estey specializes in landscape painting and became a full-time artist when he retired from education in 2022. His paintings contain effervescent depictions of the sky, land, trees, and water, as well as abstract art that visualizes earthy patterns within congruent spaces on each canvas.
Estey grew up in a family of artists and musicians in Naytahwaush, Minn., on the White Earth Reservation and showcases the thought that the landscape is deeply intertwined with his Anishinaabe culture. By drawing inspiration from the White Earth Reservation around him, he captures the beauty of his ancestral homelands. Estey does not overtly incorporate traditional Anishinaabe imagery, but his work is infused with the colors, perspectives, and sensibilities of his cultural background. Through this, he demonstrates that contemporary Anishinaabe art can take many forms.
"Wiigwaas" is the first in a series of images with birch trees as a central character.
Giclee Edition: Open Edition 2022, metallic archival paper using archival inks.
Original: "Wiigwaas" - Birches No. 1; 48 in. x 60 in. on gallery-wrapped canvas
Dimensions: 14 in. x 11 in.
