Imagining the Native American Native California Artists Frank Day (Konkow Maidu)

In this lesson, students are introduced to Frank Day, a key figure in the development of modern Native California art and widely regarded as the “grandfather” of the movement. A member of the Koncow Maidu tribe, Day used his deep cultural knowledge, passed down from his father and community elders, to create art that bridges traditional Maidu storytelling with modern visual expression. Although largely self-taught, Day painted over 200 images that reflect a lifetime of personal experience, tribal memory, and cultural pride.