Monica Gilles-BringsYellow

MT

Monica Gilles-BringsYellow is an Indigenous woman who was born, raised, and lives in Montana. She started experimenting in painting in the summer of 2019 purely for enjoyment after graduating with her Masters in Social Work. Monica initially painted abstract landscapes and in the spring of 2020 she started incorporating portraits.

Monica’s work attempts to highlight the lives of Native American people, with her primary focusing being Indigenous women. She uses her art to provide a visual history and culturally authentic experience through non-traditional methods of painting, including layers of resin, inks, and gold leaf. She combines 3-D elements with portraits of family members, ancestors, and relatives of friends to create a layered composition in which light and shadows change depending on viewpoint. Her paintings celebrate Native American cultures while providing a space for dialogue and education.