George Flett, member of the Spokane tribe, learned much of his Indian heritage from his mother, including tribal lore and traditional art forms. Graduating from the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, N.M., in 1966, Flett went on to study at the University of Colorado and served in the U.S. Army from 1968 to 1970. Flett has worked full-time as an artist since 1983, creating work in several media that reflects, among other things, his Native background — including several representations of the colorful Prairie Chicken Dance — and his former rodeo experience as a champion bull rider. He lives and works near Wellpinit, Wash., on the Spokane Indian Reservation.