(gentle music) - I like portraying something good.

God, country, family.

That's the way we roll around here.

(gentle music) My name is Bennett Brien, I'm from Belcourt, North Dakota, I'm Turtle Mountain Chippewa Metis artist.

I make two and three dimensional artwork.

(gentle music) I like to live honorably and that's the way I was raised.

My parents are both French and Indian, grandparents on both sides, French and Indian.

My oldest brother started drawing one time when he was eight years old, I was six.

I seen him drawing tanks and boats and soldiers and whatever and so I thought that was cooler than heck.

I was just blown away by what you could do with a pencil.

When I was in boarding school at St. Joseph's Indian Boarding School in Chamberlain, I seen Oscar Howe's work and that's when I kind of kicked into the native subject matter.

I went to school in Santa Fe, New Mexico and I took three first in three shows I entered.

Taos, the Heard Museum in Phoenix and then one in Santa Fe.

Stan Johnson was the instructor at UND and that was his last year, 83, 84 school year, and that was when I took my first sculpture classes.

One of the assignments was to do something small, medium and life-size.

And I did a small stone sculpture, I only did the small one for the three projects in the first semester.

And then the second semester I took sculpture two.

And he asked what I wanted to do this time.

And I said, "Geez, I like to do a life-size sculpture."

He says, "What are you going to make us?"

I says, "I don't know maybe a buffalo?'

He said, "Well what you gonna make that out of?"

I says, "Mm, geez, I don't know."

He says, "You ever weld?"

I said, "No."

He says, "Can you learn?'

I said, "Yeah."

And that's when I got that big, wow, man this is just so amazing.

I like abstract and I like realism.

So I tried to get the two together.

Rebar you're doing something different more like a three-dimensional thing.

That rebar is like a pencil line in space.

You can bend it by hand.

You can cut it with a bolt cutter by hand.

You don't need no power, nothing.

And it is the cheapest stuff you could get really the cheapest metal.

(solder sparks) I'm working on another Fighting Sioux sculpture.

This is my second one, the first one I did in 2015.

That's at Engelstad arena by Engelstad's box.

I hadn't done a face in a while and this one's going a little different.

It's going a little faster actually.

It's challenging.

You really have to use your brain.

I did the profile first.

(solder sparks) I copied the profile off my design just right.

You started that way first.

You always do the research if you could.

The first one was the bison on the capital, then the horse on the capital.

And then the sharp tail grouse.

For a piece in the federal building.

That's four in Bismarck.

And then I got two in Wahpeton, three in Grand Forks, one in Crookston, four around Belcourt.

So I'm pretty much just a North Dakota guy.

They're different, but they're all kind of like the same in a way, because you put all of yourself into each one.

I like doing something that'll bring some good thoughts or memory like an eagle for the native he was like the messenger, brought your prayers to God.

The great spirit Gitchi Manitou, however you want to say it.

I was right over here when I designed the Fighting Sioux logo that was in 1999.

Earl Strinden asked me to come up with one.

So I sat down by the week I had it done.

I got sketches of different ones.

I just did the one and I showed it to Earl Said, "Do it, take it."

As far as the design of the guy, I just, just drew it out.

When I started it, it was going to be something warrior type strong looking, brave, the purposeful look or the feathers for their honors of what they've done in life, threw a little war paint on there.

The war paints for everyday struggles maybe having a cheerful disposition at work.

Maybe that's a struggle for you.

Saying hi to someone you don't like, maybe.

I'm still doing Fighting Sioux paintings for people and I personalize them, whatever you want on it.

So I guess the Sioux logo has been pretty kind to me.

It's gratifying.

You got to be thankful you get to do stuff like that.

And then you just think about what you're going to do next.

And if they like it, that makes me feel pretty good.

If you could explain the symbolism to them, I'm sure they'll feel a little different, I suppose if you're there talking to them right there.

Because if they can just look in and admire, maybe the skill and patience it took to do something like that.

I want them to know I'm from Belcourt.

I love the state, the good people you meet around here.

I wouldn't want to be in New York or L.A., you crazy.

North Dakota that's the place to be.

- [Announcer] Funded by the North Dakota Council on the Arts and by the members of Prairie Public.