Frank LaPena

Frank LaPena studied at Chemawa Indian School, Stewart Indian School and California State University, Chico. Employment is recorded with California State University, Sacramento. Work by Frank LaPena is recorded in the collections of Museum of Modern Art, Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University, National Museum of the American Indian and Smithsonian Institution.

• Name — Frank Raymond LaPena • Other Names — Frank LaPeña, Tauhindauli • Born — 5 October 1937 • Birthplace — San Francisco, California, U.S. • Died — 2 May 2019 • Place of death — California, U.S. • Education — California State University, Chico, California State University, Sacramento • Occupation — curator, painter, printmaker, photographer, silversmith, ethnographer, professor, dancer, writer, poet • Spouse — Catherine Alice Sell Skinner (m. 1966–1984; divorced) • Children — 2 • Mother — Evelyn Gladys Towndolly • Father — Henry LaPena

Frank Raymond LaPena was born on October 5, 1937, in San Francisco, California, to parents Evelyn Gladys (née Towndolly) and Henry LaPena. His family was of the Nomtipom-Wintu tribe, and from an early age he started learning about traditions from his elders and neighboring tribes including the Nomlaki Wintun. When he was a child he was sent to attend federal boarding school at Chemawa Indian School, and later Stewart Indian School. He graduated from Yreka High School in 1956. He received a BA degree in 1965 from California State University, Chico, and his MA degree in 1978 in anthropology from California State University, Sacramento.

LaPena started teaching at Shasta College, from 1969 to 1971. He taught at California State University, Sacramento, within the art and ethnic studies departments, and served as the director of the Native American studies department between 1975 and 2002. He lectured on traditional and cultural Native American issues, including the California traditions. In 1970, he was part of the Maidu Dancers and Traditionalists group as a founding member, ceremonial dancer, and instructor. He had notable students, among them was Harry Fonseca. LaPena contributed cultural and ethnographic records to the seminal book, Handbook of North American Indians Volume 8: California (1978), and he was a frequent contributor to the journal, News from Native California, between the late-1980s and the 2000s.

LaPena starting exhibiting his artwork in 1960 at a gallery in Chico. His artwork was shown nationally, as well as in Central and South America, Cuba, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. He created works in various mediums including in painting, printmaking, silversmithing, photography, woodworking, and others. LePena was part of the seminal art exhibition curated by artist Carlos Villa, Other Sources: An American Essay (1976), which was an alternative celebration of the United States Bicentennial, and focused on people of color and women. It showcased many San Francisco Bay Area artists including Ruth Asawa, Bernice Bing, Rolando Castellón, Claude Clark, Robert Colescott, Frank Day, Rupert García, Mike Henderson, Oliver Jackson, Linda Lomahaftewa, George Longfish, Ralph Maradiaga, José Montoya, Manuel Neri, Mary Lovelace O'Neal, Darryl Sapien, Raymond Saunders, James Hiroshi Suzuki, Horace Washington, Al Wong, René Yañez, and Leo Valledor. LaPena served as a co-curator of the traveling exhibition, The Extension of Tradition: Contemporary Northern California Native American Art in Cultural Perspective (1985–1986) at Crocker Art Museum and Palm Springs Art Museum. In 1999, at the 48th Venice Biennale, the exhibit “Rendezvoused", sponsored by the Native American Arts Alliance and curated by Nancy Mithlo (Chiricahua Apache), featured works by Frank LaPena and the artists Harry Fonseca, Bob Haozous, Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, Kay WalkingStick, Richard Ray Whitman, and poet Simon Ortiz. Additionally, LaPena published several volumes of poetry.

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