Jonathan Thunder: Finding Joy in Art and Life

In today’s episode, we welcome back Jonathan Thunder, who last appeared on Native Lights in 2021. Since then, the Red Lake Nation citizen and multidisciplinary artist has become a father and opened an art gallery.

He talks about how fatherhood has changed his approach to art and why lately he’s shifted his creative focus from sociopolitical ideas to joy. Thunder also shares the experience of creating a special work of art with his son.

The artist’s dreamy images have found their way onto canvases and murals and into animated films. Now you can also find them at Mishi Bizhaw Art Gallery. Thunder opened the gallery spring 2025 in Duluth, where he lives with his wife, author Tashia Hart, and their three-year-old, Minnow.