Raymond Nordwall has been surrounded by traditional Native American dance, music and art his entire life and it has become a huge influence on his oil portraits and landscapes. Nordwall is the son of an Oklahoma ceremonial pipe maker and great grandson of Roam Chief, a renowned turn-of-the-century Pawnee religious leader. He grew up in Oklahoma where he became linked to the culture. He went to Pawnee ceremonies and began dancing in them when he was five.
“Besides my family, painting is the most important thing in the world to me,” says Nordwall. “I want to inspire people to learn more about the native culture and our love of nature and the Creator. I'm very proud of my Pawnee and Ojibwe heritage.”