Support American Indian K-12 Educational Programming

"Looking Beyond One’s Self"

The Office of Multicultural Affairs is pleased to announce an opportunity to support K-12 American Indian educational programming on the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology campus.

Today there is an immediate need to address the educational obstacles faced by American Indian students. For the past twelve years, the School of Mines has created innovative science, technology, engineering, and mathematics programming for students across South Dakota and surrounding states. Students have been afforded the opportunity to reside on campus and work with premier faculty on current research and other activities both on the School of Mines campus and in their high schools. Students, through scholarship opportunities, are empowered to enroll in and complete science and engineering degrees. We are proud of their dreams and accomplishments.

The painting "Looking Beyond One's Self" was commissioned by the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology in 1995. Oglala Lakota artist Don Montileaux  was asked to create a work of art that represented the desire for young American Indians to reach beyond themselves, toward the stars and their visions. The finished piece depicts three American Indian youth looking beyond the immediate horizon and toward a vision of the future. Four hundred prints were made to help inspire future generations to reach for their dreams. The original painting flew aboard the March 1995 STS-67 NASA mission of the space shuttle Endeavor. The Endeavor was also the shuttle that took the first American Indian astronaut commander John Herrington, "to the stars" on November 22, 2002.

In March 2007, the original painting was placed in the Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian's permanent collection where future generations will have the opportunity to receive its message and to look beyond themselves.

Now the public has the opportunity to bring the painting's message into their own lives through the purchase of an official print. In addition, prints may be purchased to place in public schools. Each signed and numbered print measures 25.5"x18.25" and costs $185.50. 

About the Artist

Don Montileaux

Born January 3, 1948, in Pine Ridge, South Dakota, Mr. Montileaux is an enrolled member of the Oglala Lakota Tribe. After retiring from his professional career in 2000, he began to aggressively pursue his artistic dream, successfully competing in major art shows throughout the United States and collecting numerous awards for his artwork.

Most artists will, at some time in their development, make specific choices as to the style and subject matter which will come to identify them and their work. Don never had to make those choices. His style and subject matter chose him instead. He paints Indians in an uncomplicated, straightforward style. His art is an extension of his life. He has always sought out the company of other artists and Native people, to listen to the history and stories and absorb it all like parched ground on a rainy day. He listened and learned about those who had traveled before him and the Lakota ancestors that lived the free life of the Plains Indian.

Please visit the Don Montileaux website at: https://www.donaldmontileaux.com/Donald.html