Indigenous artist’s work to be featured at First Friday artwalk

Steph Littlebird’s work revolves around the Indigenous artist’s identities — spiritual, cultural and gender.

Littlebird, who is the First Friday featured artist for November, identifies as two-spirit, a masculine and feminine identity and a label used by Indigenous people to reference their gender, sexual or spiritual identities. Elder Myra Laramee first proposed the term in the 1990 Intertribal Native American, First Nations, Gay and Lesbian Conference in Winnipeg.

“Two Spirits are recognized as having a spiritual responsibility within our community as well as being contributors that can inhabit both masculine and feminine energies at the same time,” Littlebird said. “It’s an honor, actually, to be Two Spirit.”

The event will encompass the theme “Plentiful” in time for Indigenous History Month. It’s 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. today at 1025 S. First St. in the Arts District of downtown Las Vegas.

Littlebird is a member of the federally recognized Grande Ronde Confederated Tribes of Oregon, an amalgamation of more than 30 tribes across western Oregon, northern California and southwest Washington comprising approximately 5,400 enrolled tribal members. Its 11,500-acre reservation lies in Oregon’s Yamhill County.

“Most of the work that I do is related to the native community, representing the native community in a positive way, because we don’t have a whole lot of representation in this world,” said Littlebird. “Natives and so much of my work revolves around sort of supporting the community in that way.”

Relocating from Portland, Ore., to Las Vegas in September 2020, Littlebird sought opportunities to showcase their art. Littlebird is excited for this First Friday because it celebrates and engages with the Native American community in Las Vegas, something Littlebird had not been able to do often since moving to Vegas because of the pandemic.

“We haven’t had a lot of gatherings, and they’re just sort of resuming now, and so it’s exciting for me because there will be other native groups there,” Littlebird said. “I’m excited to connect with other natives, and I’ve made specific merch that’s Nevada native-specific, so I’m excited just to connect with other folks from the community.”

At First Friday, Littlebird will sell prints, shirts and stickers of their designs, including a Nevada state-shaped sticker that reads “Nevada is native land.”

There are 32 native reservations among four major tribes in the state — the Wa She Shu Washoe, which encompasses Carson City and Reno; the Numu Northern Paiute, which covers most of northwestern Nevada from Reno to Battle Mountain; the Newe Western Shoshone, sheathing the eastern half of Nevada; and the Nuwu Southern Paiute on the tip of the state that blankets the Las Vegas area.

“We chose her just for her fascinating work and her colorful display of Indigenous heritage,” said Corey Fagan, executive director of the First Friday Foundation. “She’s just a delightful person to work with.”

In Littlebird’s art, striking colors meet thick-lined illustrations, The bold combination pays homage to Littlebird’s Indigenous heritage and the strength of native women. Often the caretakers of their families and communities, these women often must overcome generational or personal traumas to support those around them, Littlebird said.

“Indigenous women are some of the strongest people I’ve ever known,” Littlebird said. “They’re the ultimate example of resilience, and that’s why I make the work that I do, is to honor their courage and their sort of position within the community.”

First Fridays typically highlight a featured artist like Littlebird in the event’s art walk area on Boulder Avenue and First Street. This month, the art walk will include 125 artists and craftspeople. Food and drinks will also be available in the Art Square parking lot alongside a stage on which local musicians will play.