Local artist is 1 of 6 honored with award

Rapid City, SD — Anishinaabe artist Duane Goodwin of Bemidji is one of six American Indian artists being recognized by the First Peoples Fund this year. The Fund last week announced artists from six states, including Goodwin, who will receive a prestigious 2012 Jennifer Easton Community Spirit Award fellowship.

The organization honors exceptional American Indian artists each year who embody Collective Spirit – “that which manifests self-awareness and a sense of responsibility to sustain the cultural fabric of a community.”

Each honoree is recognized with a $5,000 no-strings-attached fellowship.

For more than 28 years, Goodwin has made countless contributions in art education and art appreciation in Bemidji and the Leech Lake Reservation.

“Students take pride in the works that they create under (Goodwin’s) instruction, and that pride translates into a better self-image and better outlook on life,” said Leech Lake Tribal College Director of Advancement Kyle Erickson, who nominated Goodwin.