Holly Young

(Standing Rock Dakota) is an artist who describes herself as someone who "practices traditional mediums using contemporary vision and inspiration."

Holly grew up in Fort Yates, North Dakota and currently resides in Bismarck, North Dakota. Holly Young exhibits at the Santa Fe Indian Market. She was a Native American Artist in Residence at the Minnesota Historical Society where she studied their Dakota beadwork collection. Her quillwork purse, Floral Legacy, was purchased by the Minneapolis Institute of Arts and was chosen as a featured work in their annual Art in Bloom exhibition.

Holly is also known for her ledger art, which is an art form that has its roots in what is referred to as “winter count.” Winter count, traditionally practiced by men, was a way in which Plains tribes kept track of their history through pictographic drawings on hide, muslin, rock, tipi covers, and robes. In the 19th century the drawings evolved: instead of hide and rock, the drawings were being done on paper, often ledger or account books with pencil, ink, and watercolor. Some of the most famous ledger drawings were done at Fort Marion in St. Augustine, Florida by Plains warriors who were imprisoned there. The drawings were not only records of major historical events but memories of their former lives as warriors, horsemen, hunters, and also day to day observations from their perspective as prisoners in a foreign landscape. Over time, ledger art has become adapted as a fine art and Holly is one example of a female artist breaking into this art form. It’s interesting to note her drawings are mostly of women and the expressiveness of their postures, regalia and other adornments.