The Inclusive Work of C.M. Russell and Hand Talk Signs

During his residence in Montana, C. M. Russell encountered Natives, both on the northern plains of the state, and from neighboring tribes in Alberta, Canada. He incorporated Hand Talk (AKA Plains Indian Sign Language, or PISL) into his paintings, revealing those experiences. Unlike most of the non-Native and non-deaf artists of the Western arts period, C.M. Russell is a unique artist who portrayed the Plains Natives using authentic tribal signs. He lived in the area where Hand Talk was an important communication system among the Plains Natives; he personally learned signs and included them in his paintings.

Speaker:

• Dr. Melanie McKay-Cody (Cherokee Deaf), Assistant Professor, Department of Disability & Psychoeducational Studies, The University of Arizona

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