Kiowa for “He knows”, has been the frontrunner in the Native art world since 1987. Since then he has won almost every prestigious art award know to the Native art world. With a reputation as a child prodigy, his art training was nurtured by his mother and father. By the age of six he took the art world by storm and took no prisoners. He is well mastered in different mediums and is somewhat of a renaissance man. He has taken the ledger style of painting into a new direction. Ben is a Native American artist Kiowa, Navajo, Taos Pueblo and Delaware descent. In 2001 he attended Oklahoma University where he devoted his mind to Native rights. He has a background in Political Science and movie making. He recently completed his training in the medical field and is now a licensed Paramedic for the State of New Mexico.

 

Ben is a self-taught artist that sees the world of nature without any limitations. When he was 5 years old he saw blue, pink, and purple horses. His inspiration moved him to draw and paint in watercolor. Eventually, he added the use of an airbrush to get the shadowy backgrounds that he is known for. Ben was chosen as the “Young emerging artist” when he was still in elementary school.

 

Due to Ben’s success in the art world, it has allowed him to meet many people. President Bill Clinton is a collector. When Ben was 13 years old he had the opportunity to meet privately with President Clinton. He has also met Billy Mills, Randy Travis, Wes Studi, Rodger Willie, Heather Wilson, Rodney Grant, Val Kilmer and others. Ben’s artwork has also been collected by Princess Diana, Elton John, John Travolta, UN Ambassadors and many others.

 

At the early age of 13, Ben Nelson Ahn-Hia-Ohm was on the cover of the winter issue of Indian Artist Magazine in 1996. His intricate ledger-style watercolors depict Plains Indian tribal life, from every day to ceremonial.