Steve Wikviya LaRance
Steve Wikviya LaRance is an award-winning artist of Hopi descent from the village of Upper Munquapi on the Hopi reservation. While in high school Steve’s family moved to Flagstaff as his parents were attending Northern Arizona University. After High School graduation Steve also attended NAU for 2 years then met his future wife Marian Denipah (Navajo-Tewa) while attending an art show. This led to his transfer to the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) in Santa Fe, NM., and reacquainted his passion for art and his native culture. After finishing studies at IAIA Steve pursued a career in both 3-dimensional art and the metal arts. Steve’s work has won him numerous awards over his 30-year career in many different venues. His work has been exhibited internationally and has been collected by many individuals and both public and private institutions. He has been invited to participate in many international cultural exchanges and has been published widely in books and magazines. Steve has sat on the boards of The SouthWestern Association for Indian Arts, The Flagstaff Cultural Partners, The Flagstaff Arboretum and the American Indian Science and Engineering Society. In addition to his artistic career Steve is also Co-Founder of The Lightning Boy Foundation Inc., (LBF) in Santa Fe, NM. The mission of the LBF is to nuture and empower our Native Youth through traditional cultural programming. Steve resides in Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo, NM with his wife.