Press Release: Jim Denomie Memorial Scholarship Awards $10,000 Grant to Fourth Native Artist
MINNEAPOLIS (July 29th, 2025) — All My Relations Arts is pleased to announce the fourth recipient of the Jim Denomie Memorial Scholarship to awardee Tamara Aupaumut (Stockbridge-Munsee Mohican, Oneida, Brothertown). Created in partnership with the Denomie/Wilson family, All My Relations Arts, and Bockley Gallery, the annual $10,000 prize recognizes a Native American artist who best exemplifies the values Denomie demonstrated in his career: commitment to excellence, generosity of spirit, and engagement with community.
Tamara Aupaumut is a self-taught multidisciplinary artist and independent curator living on Mni Sota Makoce (Minnesota). She descends from the Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohican Indians, the Oneida Nation, and the Brothertown Indian Nation. Her creative practice is guided by an epistemological and ontological framework, including what she terms “dream-epistemology,” and engages critically with concepts of memory, interrelationship, space and time. Central to her research and artistic production is the enduring influence of her cultural heritage and ancestral lineage, which serve as foundational elements in the development of her visual concepts. She continues to create a collection of multidisciplinary works, This Land Is My Body, that speaks to the healing connection between the land and our bodies.
“Tamara’s commitment to nurturing and uplifting artists within the community beautifully reflects Jim’s lifelong dedication to mentorship and his unwavering championship of emerging Native artists. Their close relationship, built on mutual respect and humor, made the selection of Tamara a truly poignant testament to the enduring legacy of Jim and the indelible mark he left on the world. Tamara’s artistic practice, characterized by an experimental and deeply contemplative engagement with a diverse range of multiple media, positions her as a compelling artist to watch as her career continues to evolve.” – Juleana Enright (Lower Brule, Lakota), All My Relations Arts Gallery and Programs Manager.
“This award is truly an honor and fosters a greater sense of belonging and purpose for me, as well as supports me in sustaining my practice. The Jim Denomie Memorial Scholarship is a reflection of Jim’s spirit—how we as a community continue to inspire and uplift one another and how the gift of giving keeps on giving.” – Tamara Aupaumut.
Jim Denomie (La Courte d’Oreilles Ojibwe) – who passed away in March 2022 at age 66 – was an internationally acclaimed artist whose work earned numerous awards, including the McKnight Distinguished Artist award for his imaginative imagery, brilliant use of color, and visual stories that combined humor with piercingly honest truth-telling. Jim was committed to encouraging younger artists to believe in themselves and their talents. Jim’s heartfelt support for emerging artists helped sustain a vibrant, dynamic and thriving arts community in the Twin Cities.
The tremendous outpouring of love and support following his brief illness and passing in March 2022 inspired his family to create the scholarship as a way to honor and continue his legacy. To see more of Denomie’s work, visit https://bockleygallery.com/
“Jim’s unique vision as an artist was matched by his passion for championing young artists. This scholarship embodies both, in the best way possible.” – Todd Bockley.
The Jim Denomie Memorial Scholarship is administered by partner All My Relations Arts Gallery, where Jim Denomie has exhibited in the past. All My Relations Arts is a program of the Native American Community Development Institute (NACDI), a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. The scholarship is completely funded by donations from family, friends, and supporters. Scholarship partners include the Denomie/Wilson family (wife Diane Wilson, children Cheryl Lane, Sheila Umland, Cody Cyson and Jodi Bean), and Bockley Gallery (Todd Bockley) who has been Denomie’s gallerist for more than 15 years. Bockley Gallery is assisting in the establishment of the Jim Denomie Estate and will continue to represent and exhibit Denomie’s art.
Previous recipients of this award have been multidisciplinary artist Jonathan Thunder (Red Lake Ojibwe), multimedia artist Maggie Thompson (Fond du Lac Ojibwe), and painter/illustrator Star WallowingBull (Ojibwe-Arapaho).
To support the future of the Jim Denomie Memorial Scholarship, visit http://allmyrelationsarts.org click the “donate” button, and in the dedication note, include “Jim Denomie Memorial Scholarship.”