CHEYENNE, Wyo. – July 15, 2025 – The Wyoming Arts Council is pleased to announce the recipients of this year’s Native Art Fellowships. This year’s Native Art Fellowship recipients are: Leslie Colburn (Aleut Ninilchik Village Tribe) of Casper and DaleRae Green (Eastern Shoshone) from Fort Washakie. Honorable mentions were given to John Thomas Brown, Jr. (Northern Arapahoe) of Riverton and Wayland Bonatse (Eastern Shoshone) from Crowheart. 

 

Leslie Colburn is an award-winning children's book author and proud Alaska Native of Aleut descent. From the picturesque state of Wyoming, Leslie is passionate about storytelling that uplifts, inspires, and nurtures the hearts of young readers. Her books celebrate faith, kindness, and the unique value of every child, reflecting her deep commitment to encouraging self-worth and a lifelong love of reading. Drawing inspiration from her own experiences as a mother, Leslie weaves warmth, wisdom, and cultural richness into every tale she tells. Her latest release, “Twinkle, the Littlest Star,” offers a heartfelt reimagining of the cherished nursery rhyme by intertwining it with the timeless story of the Birth of Jesus.

DaleRae Green is an enrolled member of the Eastern Shoshone Tribe and a Gros Ventre descendant. She grew up on the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming. A multidisciplinary artist, DaleRae specializes in beadwork, dentalium jewelry, and sewing. Her primary art form is beadwork, expressed through various styles inspired by the people in her life, her culture, and her experiences dancing at powwows. Her creations serve as a homage to her heritage and the lessons she's learned, while also offering a glimpse into the future she envisions. Passionate about crafting one-of-a-kind pieces, DaleRae blends traditional influences with contemporary colors and styles to bridge the past, present, and future. She is especially dedicated to inspiring younger generations to take up beading and to pass down cultural knowledge through artistic expression. Her most recent projects include designing new moccasins, featuring a variety of patterns as well as the iconic Shoshone rose motif.

Submissions are juried anonymously by jurors from outside the state with extensive backgrounds in each artistic area. This year’s jurors were TahNibaa Naataanii, a textile Artist and Weaver from Shiprock, New Mexico and artist Jackie Sevier, member of the Northern Arapaho Tribe, who resides in Seneca, Nebraska. 

 

The Native Art Fellowship is an award of merit, recognizing artistic excellence demonstrated in the artist’s portfolio, and honoring the work of Native artists working in any medium or discipline. Fellowship recipients must be residents of Wyoming and are required to provide a public engagement component during the grant period. This fellowship is designed to raise the profiles of the highly talented Native artists in Wyoming and celebrate their artistry. The Native Art Fellowship is funded through the generous support of private donors. 

 

For more information on this program and details on each recipient, please visit wyomingartscouncil.org or contact Kimberly Mittelstadt of the Wyoming Arts Council.