Paul Goble

Paul Goble (1933-2017) was born in England and grew up in an arts and crafts environment. The son of Robert Goble, harpsichord maker, and Elizabeth Goble, musician and painter, he studied industrial design at the Central School of Art in London. He then worked as an art teacher, as a furniture designer, and as an industrial design consultant.

Paul always had a keen interest in anything concerning Native Americans. When he was a boy, he read books about Black Elk, the Oglala holy man, and these helped to determine his life’s orientation. Paul made his first trip to the United States in 1959 and after several summers spent on reservations, he made the move to the Black Hills in 1977. He was eventually adopted into the Sioux and Yakima tribes.

Greatly influenced by his adoptive father, Chief Edgar Red Cloud, and other Native American people and elders, Paul created an outstanding body of work that celebrates Plains Indian culture.

Having written and illustrated around forty books about the traditional aspects of Indian life on the Great Plains, Paul found profound pleasure in encouraging the Indian children to be proud of their culture. His work has received prestigious awards and has been translated into 10 languages.