Mike Holden Biography
BLACKSTONE
Mike Holden is a Saulteaux Cree Visual Artist and Actor, known for his role as Momo on the acclaimed First Nations drama Blackstone. Holden channels his passion into powerful paintings that confront the brutal and genocidal history endured by Indigenous peoples of Turtle Island (North America) and celebrate the heroes overlooked by mainstream history.
Mike Holden in character as he played the recurring role of “Momo” on the T.V. Series BLACKSTONE, Season one.
Art Career
Holden’s artwork has been acquired by The Royal Alberta Museum in Edmonton, Alberta, and The Canadian War Museum in Ottawa, Ontario. His acrylic paintings Fine-Day, Wandering Spirit, and Thunderbird Warrior are part of The Royal Alberta Museum’s permanent collection, while Dreaver resides in The Canadian War Museum. His contributions to the art world have also included nearly a dozen Fine Art Exhibits and appearances at two prestigious live auction fundraisers. Recognized for his artistic depth and cultural significance, Holden is represented in the permanent collections of three Alberta galleries: The Art Sales and Rental Gallery at The Art Gallery of Alberta in Edmonton, the Grant Berg Gallery in Grande Prairie, and CAVA – Centre d’arts visuels de l’Alberta in Edmonton.
Rooted deeply in his Indigenous heritage, Holden’s work is a spiritual and visual exploration of the land, animals, and traditions of his ancestors. Using vivid colors and dynamic imagery, he captures the essence of nature’s harmony and power through depictions of spirit animals like the wolf, bison, bear, deer, eagle, and the legendary Thunderbird. His series Eternal Guardians is a meditation on peace, balance, and the protective forces of the earth, highlighting the interconnectedness of all life. With each piece, Holden seeks to foster unity, evoke a deep reverence for the natural world, and to help preserve the legacy of his ancestors, leaving a lasting impact on all who encounter his work.
Dreaver
Dreaver Acrylic Face-Mount Print donation to Veteran Affairs Canada!
Chief Joseph Dreaver (1892-1978) was a decorated veteran of both WWI and WWII. While serving as a sapper in the 1st World War he was awarded the Military Medal for bravery at Ypres.
He reenlisted at the age of 48 when WWII broke out. Because of his age he remained in AB serving as a guard of POWs.
Dreaver’s accommodations included: 2 Coronation Medals, a Confederation of Canada Medal, a Second World War Medal, a Voluntary Service Medal, the Military Medal, and the Great War for Civilization Medal. He served for more than 40 years as Chief of the Mistawasis Cree Band and was a lifetime member of the Federation of Saskatchewan Indians.
Honors
Geronimo
Acrylic on Canvas
23″ x 31″
Apache warriors are honored for the courage of their nations which fought with unparalleled bravery against the United States between 1849 and 1886, when Geronimo surrendered, and to a lesser extent for another 38 years after. The tendrils of lightning encasing the warriors are a depiction of how the first peoples saw the lethal power of gunfire that struck men dead with a thunderous flash. The serpent with the many tentacles strangling Geronimo and piercing through the skin of the Apache warriors depicts the mass genocide inflicted by the US.
The Apache helicopter, the most lethal helicopter in the world, was named after the Apache Warriors for their ferocity in battle. Some of the weapons used by the Apache warriors have been adopted by the US military such as the Tomahawk and several combat knives. And as early as 1940, American paratroopers of all ancestries adopted “Geronimo” as a battle cry for jumping into combat.
Today the Apache warrior tradition continues as a proud and disproportionate number of patriotic Apache men and women who serve in the American military. For this reason the red, white, and blue of the American flag appears in the background—a flag countless Apache veterans have heroically fought under for nearly a century.
Fine-Day Part lll
Diamond Resin Series Fine-Day Part lll 1/5 Limited Edition
Fine-Day, a respected Plains Cree warrior, led his people in the Battle of Cut Knife fought on May 2, 1885. With only about 60 Cree and Assiniboine warriors, they faced a Canadian force of 350 soldiers, armed with cannons and a Gatling gun. Fine-Day skillfully used the terrain, scattering his warriors in small groups to create the illusion of a much larger force. This clever tactic led to the eventual retreat of the Canadian troops.
The two yellow stars beside Fine-Day symbolize the belief many Indigenous Nations have that human beings come from the stars, reflecting a deep spiritual connection between the Earth, The Sun and the universe. The four triangles on the left further symbolize that belief.
Later in life Fine-Day became a very wise elder, a medicine man and a very powerful spiritual leader for his people.