Jennifer White is a painter and owner of Post Pilgrim Art Gallery in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Jennifer, or J-White as she’s known in the art community grew up in Yankton, South Dakota. And like many Native Americans had to find her own personal identity between the Native and non-Native community.
Through this experience she has carved out her own space, created her own opportunities, and is the definition of cool for all that know J-White.
And that’s what makes her so interesting. Jennifer has a resilience in her that is not just both strong and powerful, but allows her humor and good-natured way to shine through. And she’s a light worth moving towards.
Jennifer White grew up in Yankton SD. She traveled between her parents and maternal Grandmother during the school year and her paternal extended family in Mission SD during the summers.
During White’s upbringing there were many challenges set forth by both her home and social environments. In school she was one of four Native families that attended grade school. It was here White’s first recollection at the age of 8 that she knew she was ‘different’ with the simple phrase “You’re pretty for an Indian”. Followed by her fifth grade year of being called a “nigger” on the school bus on her way to a slumber party.
White’s life at home didn’t allow for conversation to explore these experiences due to alcohol and drug abuse by overworked parents. These moments in White’s life led her to the conclusion that self help was more that likely the only avenue to learn to cope and handle outside influences on her development as a young person.
Art was a major outlet for White during these times. The one place nobody had to know what exactly was being said but was appreciated by others. Art created a sense of self worth for White.
Being self taught with minor training in high school and one year of college, left a lot to be desired in regard to treating art as a disciplined career choice. But by taking the stand of turning life around not just for her but for her children, White made the choice to turn her outlet into a career in 2008.
White’s work is a narrative of her trials and tribulations through painting. Just like White, the influence of growing up in a non-Native and Native community is represented in her work. She continues to be inspired by both cultural experiences and is proud of both.
White strives to bring a new voice to Native work and not be influenced by the ideals and expectations of non-Native teaching in regard to anything. Her drive to get the urban Native youth community to engage in being proud to be Native but not letting it define them is an awesome experience.
The artist community has always welcomed her into the inner workings of how to engage with museums and art market circuits. (Native and Non-Native Alike)
The artists that have nurtured White through her journey have done so by sharing their experiences not just through art but laughter. Native humor is raw with emotion but honest in meaning. Every artist has a different story but White takes one lesson from all of them collectively….’You will always be a student of life and it is our responsibility to document all of it through Native eyes.”
Jennifer White
Post Pilgrim Art Gallery Owner/Artist
