January 30th, 2009 - Native Michigan: The Paintings of William Kubiak

Dissatisfied with a lack of accurate representations of Michigan's native peoples, Grand Rapids artist and historian William Kubiak took upon himself the task of both researching and visually representing Michigan's original inhabitants. A recognized authority on the life of American Indians who lived in the Great Lakes region, his personal quest led him to publish his first book, Great Lakes Indians: A Pictorial Guide, in 1970. With his knowledge of native life and his astute observation of Michigan's natural landscape, Mr. Kubiak has produced numerous oil paintings that realistically depict a pre-European settlement heritage. Thirty-six of these paintings are exhibited here, all of which focus on Michigan's upper and lower peninsulas. These works of art are not only beautiful but also contribute to a better understanding of... [read full story]