Native American art portrays life from the perspective of the artist. In particular, Native American art embodies both the joy and the pain experienced by a people group as a whole. From the days of freedom when their lives were governed by seasons, weather, and the passing of time, to the days of repression when their lands were encroached upon, their game slaughtered, and their freedoms taken away come the images, poetry, songs, and drama that defines Native American art today.

There is beauty in sadness, however painful it may be. There is also joy in loss, though the loss may be irreconcilable. Peace comes through arriving at the top of a mountain that it took a lifetime to climb, and appreciation of the experiences of others leads to a recognition of the artful beauty they possess. Native American art in particular purposely seeks out those moments of joy/pain, peace/war, and love/hate that fill ordinary life, and expounds on those moments. Native history is full of such experiences, both individually as well as collectively, and because of that history there will never be a lack of material from which to draw.

Of course, history continues into the future so an exciting element of Native art will be to watch it continue to evolve. Native Americans have a rich past and a developing future which holds an ever-growing canvas upon which to paint. How that looks remains to be seen, but it will undoubtedly be a thing of beautiful insight.