August 2024 – January 2025

Reception: Tuesday, November 12th 4:30-6pm

Duhesa Gallery

“Mixed is a group exhibition featuring the artwork of five local Indigenous artists in

Colorado: JayCee Beyale, Gregg Deal, Sage Deal,

Diego Florez-Arroyo and Chelsea Kaiah.

The existence of contemporary Indigenous art is not new, but feels new to many. A
wide open space of possibility for most Americans to take in. Statistically, about
40% of Americans believe Native people to be extinct, no longer existing, leaving a
large number of Americans to experience Native art by living artists to be a new
experience. You will find it challenges, surprises, and excites the art viewer. It is as
varying as the communities we belong to. It provides a much needed perspective
as descendants of this continent’s First Peoples. It says that we are here on our
homelands doing great things.

– Gregg Deal, Mixed co-curator

JayCee Beyale

JayCee Beyale (He/Him), is an enrolled member of the Dine Nation. He received
his BFA in Printmaking from the University of New Mexico. He grew up in the Four
Corners area of New Mexico and is now based in Denver, Colorado. JayCee
began his Artistic and Graphic Design career with his discovery of street art and
grafiti. Using a combination of spray paints and acrylics, he celebrates the fusion of technology with Indigenous culture, primarily in paintings and murals. JayCee was awarded a two-year art residency at Redline Contemporary Art Center in Denver, Colorado to aid in generating new works to provide authentic representation of Indigenous Peoples in the metro area.

Gregg Deal

Gregg Deal, (Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe) is a multi-disciplinary artist, activist, and
“disruptor.” His work is informed by his Native identity and includes exhaustive
critiques of American society, politics, popular culture and history. Through
paintings, murals, performance work, filmmaking, spoken word, and more, Deal
invites the viewer to confront these issues both in the present and the past tense.

Deal has lectured in multiple institutions, with two TEDx talks, often challenging
stereotypes, pushing for accurate representation, and honest looks at history of
the United States as it relates to this country’s First Peoples. It is in these
“disruptions” of stereotypes and ahistorical representations which Deal uses the
term to describe his work. Deal had exhibited his work at notable institutions both
locally, nationally, and internationally including the Denver Art Museum, RedLine
Gallery, and The Smithsonian Institution. Deal currently lives with his wife and five children along the Front Range of Colorado.

Sage Deal

Sage Deal (Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe) is an up and coming artist who utilizes a
variety of mediums to express themself. With topics that talk about a queer and
indigenous experience and worldview, Deal’s work takes an immense interest in
their identity, perception, and opinions. Through paintings, illustrations, fiber arts,
and even exploration into 3D arts, Deal works to communicate their thoughts and
hopes to inspire people to look beyond their own view.

From looking at generational trauma to perpetuating the humanity of indigenous
people through common experience, Deal works to create a well crafted body of
work. Their goal is to identify aspects of casually being a native person in America,
specifically through the lens of being both young and queer.

Diego Florez-Arroyo

Diego Florez-Arroyo is a full time poet, artist, and musician. Diego has worked on
and produced a variety of projects from large scale prefabricated installations to
multi media theatrical performances. Diego is a founding member of the Denver
band Los Mocochetes. He regularly performs with longtime Denver
improvisational avante-garde group Art Compost and Word Mechanics at the
legendary Mercury Cafe, and is a part of Soul Jazz Rock Trio The Cosmosmiths.

His work stands as a representation of the spectrum of understanding and
complexity of assimilated and detribalized indigenous communities throughout
the Americas. Focusing on perspectives of judicial Law VS. Nature’s law.

Chelsea Kaiah

Chelsea Kaiah is a passionate activist for Native rights, awareness, and
sustainability. Her practice involves adapting traditional materials and techniques,
such as pine needle weaving, porcupine quilling, and hide work, to address
resilience, mental health, system reformation, and means of healing.

Kaiah is White River Ute and White Mountain Apache / Irish settler, born on the
Northern Ute reservation. She earned her BFA at Watkins College of Art and Design
in Nashville, Tennessee. She currently resides in Denver, Co. In 2022, Kaiah was
awarded the Native Arts and Cultures LIFT grant for early career support and was
invited to participate in Redline’s Artist-in-Residency program for emerging,
contemporary Colorado artists. She also received The Greene Grant Fellowship
that supports working artists. She currently serves as part of the Indigenous
Advisory Council for the Denver Art Museum after being their fall 2022 Native Arts
Artist in Residence.