Local artist wins Paint the State anti-meth contest

Casandra Lamas won first place in the Montana Meth Project Paint the State contest for her mural, "Spread Your Wings and Fly," on Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation.

All of the grand prize winners receive $10,000.

Roundup High School student Julianne Landgren won the teen category, and a Valier Middle School entry won the People's Choice.

Lamas said she has wanted to enter the contest for years, and is glad it created an adult category this year.

She said the contest has some personal connections for her.

"When I was in middle school, I watched the Montana Meth documentary, she said " ... In the documentary, a person from Rocky Boy was interviewed and followed along his journey on meth. My dad said he knew the person on there and, at the time, I was struggling in school particularly in my middle school history class learning about the history of America and it being learned without the existence of the Native American perspective.

"Also, I had several family members at this time already addicted to drugs and with all this had fueled a passion to help change this," she said. "In 2009, as a family we moved to Rocky Boy's Reservation, and I found out about Paint the State Montana Meth Project in 2010 as a freshman student. Unfortunately, I was unable to enter this competition at the time. Now, almost 13 years later, Montana Meth Project Paint the State 2023 had opened this competition for an adult category, and I knew I had to enter this competition."

Another local mural, created by Box Elder High School student Juliet MacDonald also placed. She took fourth in the Teen - Central Montana category.

See an article about MacDonald's mural at https://www.havredailynews.com/story/2023/06/16/local/montana-meth-project-mural-displayed-at-box-elder-high-school/542627.html .

Lamas' winning mural is 20 feet by 15 feet and placed on an old gas station building located within Rocky Boy's Agency at 244 Laredo Road. It has a butterfly with flowers and berries on either side, and items painted on the butterfly wings and the name for the mural, in Cree, above.

Lamas talked about her mural and her inspiration for it.

"Nawasona Pimatisiwin (Nah-wah-so-nah Pi-mah-ti-si-win) means "Choose Life" in the Cree language and painted above the butterfly. The mural is meant to be interactive, so people can stand in front of the Not Even Once logo between the blue butterfly and take a picture," Lamas said, "Painted within the butterfly are various positive goals and aspirations. (On the upper left wing) of the butterfly a picture of the world is displayed with various famous monuments across countries painted around the earth. (Below) that is a trophy with a basketball and football to encourage physical wellbeing and striving toward achievements."

"Painted within the lower left of the wing is a women's fancy dancer to inspire cultural connection and social well-being. ... The right (wing) of the butterfly displays a young man in a cap and graduation gown looking toward his future," Lamas said, "Just below the graduate a picture of a light bulb and books is painted to promote lifelong learning and education. Painted within the bottom right of the wing are people climbing up a mountain to inspire volunteerism. Painted on the lower wings within the fancy dancer and mountains are Chief Rocky Boy's message, 'love one another' and 'help one another.'"

On either side of the butterfly is a colorful floral pattern and juneberries, signifying the beautiful aroma and medicinal qualities, such as having the ability to shift a person's mood in a more positive direction. Every meaning depicted in the mural is meant to incorporate and preserve cultural significance.

Lamas talked about where her inspiration began.

"I work out at Rocky Boy School. This past year the elementary (school) hosted a walkin honor and remembrance of Rocky Boy staff who were no longer with us due to passing," she said. "The day after Memorial Day, I went with the elementary staff and kids to walk, and we passed by this old gas station. I thought to myself I need to create a design soon leading up to the last few days of the deadline to enter the contest.

"As I was walking, a little girl came up to me and said 'Do you like butterflies? I love butterflies, my favorite color is blue.' Then she proceeded to tell me all about the stages of a butterfly. That is where I got the idea to paint a blue butterfly," Lamas said. "I really wanted to gear it toward the youth for a painting that would make them smile and be encouraging for them. My design was to keep it optimistic, colorful, and eye-catching that would encourage not only a visual positive experience but a sense of hope and community engagement."

She also said many people, businesses and programs helped her with her entry.

"A special thank-you to Sherwin Williams in Havre for the donation of all the paint. To Brenda St. Pierre and Janice Myers with the Gen-I program at the school for translation of words," she said, and "the owner of the building for allowing me permission to paint. Thank you to my parents for donating the other supplies and my partner for helping scrub the building, prime and mowing the lawn to reach this building."