About the Artist

Kent Estey is a proud member of the White Earth Nation of Ojibwe, in Northwestern Minnesota. He and his wife Becky live and work on the White Earth Reservation in the village of Naytahwaush, Minnesota.

“I’ve always painted the land, sky and water. My wife and I live in the woods, and we are surrounded by the forest and the beautiful lakes of Northwestern Minnesota.  Inspiration is pretty much everywhere I look.  I consider myself a contemporary artist, with a special interest in sky and landscapes. My paintings are typically more nonrepresentational and abstract in nature. I love color of course, and texture. I use a variety of mediums in my paintings, including acrylic, oil, and inks. Some of my most recent painting feature stone, copper, and other metals. I am inspired by earth-tones with deep shades of blue, brown and red. My inspiration comes from nature, and often times, my feelings and emotions are what's expressed on canvas and paper. That’s my way of capturing and honoring my beautiful Ojibwe heritage.

• Mino-Bimaadiziwin The Good Life: Bagley Area Arts Collective, Bagley, MN (May-June 2025)
• Plain of Stars: Native American Exhibition, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND (Permanent Collection)
• Native American Exhibition: Red Door Gallery, Wahpeton, ND, November 2024
• Red Cloud Indian Art Show: Pine Ridge, SD June-Aug 2024 (Award: 2nd Place Mixed Media)
• Naytahwaush: Faces, Stories and Artists, Mahnomen, MN May-July 2024 (Curated and Exhibited)
• Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, St. Paul, MN March-June 2024
• All My Relations, "Okizi"- Minneapolis, MN February-April, 2024
• Watermark Art Center, Bemidji, MN November  2023- February 2024.
• Easter Luthern Church; Eagan, Minnesota July-August 2023.
• American Indian Community Housing Organizaion Gallery- Dr. Powless Cultural Center, Duluth, Minnesota May-June 2023.
• Austin Artwork Center, Austin, Minnesota April - May, 2023
• Detroit Lakes Public Library, Detroit Lakes, Minnesota January-February, 2023
• United Church of Christ, Waubun, Minnesota, November, 2022
• Gizhiigin Art Incubator, Mahnomen, Minnesota, October-November, 2022
• Adult Regional Art Show; When the Work is Done, New York Mills Cultural Center, New York Mills, Minnesota May 25-July 2, 2022
• Native American Exhibit; Red Door Gallery, Wahpeton, North Dakota.  May-July 2022
• Bi-Annual Members Show 2022; Watermark Art Center, Bemidji, Minnesota. May - July 2022
• Northstar Watermedia Society of Minnesota; Featured Artist Talk, April 2022
• Hope And Healing, Solo  Exhibition: MacRostie Art Center, Grand Rapids, Minnesota March-April 2022
• We Are Still Here; Indigenous Art Showcase. Featured Artist,  Saint Paul, Minnesota November 2021
• Art Project 605, Inaugural Show "Wild", : Featured Artist, July 2021
• Northstar Watermedia Society Newsletter, : Featured Artist, April 2021
• Anji'Bide Changing our Paths Virtual Art Show: Giizhigan Arts Incubator, Mahnomen, Minnesota, Summer 2021
• At This Present Moment: Gizhiigin Arts Incubator-Saint Paul and Minneapolis Foundation, Summer 2020
• Members Show; Watermark Art Center, Bemidji, Minnesota:  June-August 2021
• We Are Still Here; (St. Paul Art Leap) Schmidt Artist Loft-Landmark Gallery, St. Paul, MN, September 27-October 13, 2019
• Park Rapids Art Leap: Beagle & Wolf Bookstore and Bindery, September 28-29, 2019
• Changing Horizons: Two Rivers Gallery, Minneapolis, MN September 20-November 8, 2019
• The Wilder Foundation Solo Exhibit, St. Paul, MN  March-May, 2019.
• Madwewe-It Is Heard- Miikanan Gallery Watermark Art Center- Jan-Mar 2019
• Andy Morris Art Extension-Featured Online Artist- January 2019
• NWICDC-Northwest Indian Community Development Center, Bemidji, Minnesota- May-June 2018
• Aazhoomon Indigenous Art Exhibit-Watermark Art Center, Bemidji, Minnesota-December 2017-January 2018.
• Andy Morris Art Extension-Online Group-Featured Artist February 2017