Don Montileaux

“Ledger art came about because of the government hunters who were hired to eliminate the buffalo from the plains. The Buffalo Nations who were dependent on the buffalo for sustenance were forced to find a new way to preserve their history. The buffalo people, from 1850 to 1910, developed a new form of art which cast aside by the storekeepers and soldiers, they were able to maintain their history through detailed drawings of stories told and retold through the generations.”

Donald F. Montileaux (Oglala Lakota), a master ledger artist following in the footsteps of his forefathers, has rekindled ledger art with striking images that capture the unique Lakota way of life.

Montileaux was born in Pine Ridge, SD. He received his formal art training at the Institute of American Indian Art in Santa Fe, NM. He interned under noted artist Oscar Howe at the University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD, along with the late Herman Red Elk who became a close personal friend and mentor. He continued to refine his skills and participated in numerous area art shows and many prestigious arts shows nationally.

These influences and his own drive have taken his art on a dramatic journey. With work spanning the globe, numerous awards and commissions to date, and his work represented in numerous private and public collections, Montileaux continues to push the envelope. Always looking forward to new endeavors. He has authored and illustrated children’s books which have won numerous awards – the Western Writers of American Silver Spur Award in 2015 for Tasunka A Lakota Horse Legend along with the Mom’s Choice Award, Moonbeam Award, Aesop Award. In 2017, his second book Muskrat and Skunk Sinkpe na Maka A Lakota Drum Story was released.

• In 2014 he was inducted into the South Dakota Hall of Fame Champion for Excellence, Arts & Entertainment/Artist, Chamberlain, South Dakota;
• April 2015, he received the American Indian Alumni of the Year from the Lakota Omnicide, Black Hills State University, Spearfish, South Dakota;
• January 2016, promotional artist for The 32^nd National Cowboy Poetry Gathering,Elko, Nevada;
• January 2019, commissioned to create artwork for mural for the new American Indian Student Center on the campus of the South Dakota State University, Brookings, South Dakota;
• November 2021, he received the Western America Award for Lifetime Achievements from the Center for Western Studies, Augustana University, Sioux Falls, South Dakota;
• December 2021, he received the first Living Treasure Award of the Lakota Nation (LNI) Rapid City, South Dakota;
• May 4, 2024, he was awarded Honorary Degree of Doctor of Humane Letters from the South Dakota State University, Brooking, South Dakota,

His journey continues….