“Making art is taking an idea, pulling it through your experiences, and realizing an expression of who you are,” says John Coleman, adding, “I like to tell stories in my work that help explain who we are and from where we came. Each piece tells an underlying story—a visual mythology written by my hands and spiritual imagination, somehow linking us to the past and bringing us to a greater understanding of our ancestors.”

Whether working in clay, charcoal, or oils, Coleman draws viewers into the face of history where universal emotions create eternal bonds. His brilliance in communicating poignant moments is documented in this first book about his life and art. Overcoming trials and setbacks, Coleman has become one of the twenty-first century’s foremost interpreters of the hero’s journey in Native lifeways and the American West.