Ernie Pepion, a member of the Blackfeet Nation of Montana who turned to art after losing the use of his legs and arms, died last Thursday of natural causes. He was 61.

Pepion, a recipient of the 2005 Montana Governor's Award for the Arts, conveyed his experiences as an Indian and as a quadriplegic through paintings. "My work does more than document my life; it expresses my feelings," he once said.

Pepion became disabled after 1971 car wreck. He was a Vietnam vet.

Get the Story:
Blackfeet artist Ernie Pepion dead at 61 (AP 1/15)

Relevant Links:
Ernie Pepion - http://www.wwoz.org/nobroken/ernie_pepion.html