MISSION — For Nizhonia Toledo, painting the commemorative poster for the 110th anniversary of Happy Canyon is more than an artistic project. It was a way to honor her community and traditions that shaped her life. 

The 22-year-old Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) member was chosen by Happy Canyon to create this year’s poster, bringing her artistic perspective and cultural heritage to an event with more than a century of history. 

“I was really proud of myself,” Toledo said. “The fact that I just kind of came up with something on my own and out of the blue, and they really liked it — I was like, ‘Oh hey, maybe I’ve got something good going on.’”

Toledo works on Aug. 27 in a small studio space inside her home. She picks up a brush, dips it into orange paint on her palette and sweeps it across the canvas.

Toledo said she learned about the opportunity after Terri Carnes, CTUIR Finance Department accounts payable supervisor, referred her to Becky Waggoner, show director for Happy Canyon. Carnes had learned the Happy Canyon Commission was looking for artists for an upcoming project. 

She reached out to Toledo to see if the opportunity would interest her, and Toledo jumped at the chance. 

“I was like, ‘Oh heck yeah, I’ll do that,’” Toledo said. “She said this was the first time they were kind of doing it and the person she thought about was me.”

Toledo contacted Waggoner, who asked her to submit sketches of her ideas for the project. But Toledo said she misunderstood the request and instead created a finished painting.

“I just made something. I painted it and then I surprised her with it,” Toledo said.

Waggoner had expected preliminary sketches, Toledo said, but liked the finished piece and decided to move forward with it. 

“She’s like, ‘But you just came out with something and we like it. We want to go with it,’” Toledo said. “And I was like, ‘Heck yeah.’”

Toledo has been painting since she was a child but reunited with the craft a couple of years ago. Ever since she picked up the brush again, she has not stopped painting. 

She began her art with black-and-white sketches, often using ink, ballpoint pens and pencils. She eventually transitioned into color and painting but still appreciates the subtlety and simplicity of working in black and white. 

Toledo said her use of color grew from the environment she was raised in and the inspiration she found in her community. The colors of tribal regalia and the landscapes around her influenced her work as she grew into her identity and developed a brighter artistic style. 

“What I get out of art is a way that I can actually express myself, because I’m not very good with words at times,” Toledo said. “It’s a way to kind of show the world my perception of things and get out what goes on in my mind.”  

Toledo said she finds more motivation and inspiration when creating art for community members, particularly for memorial pieces or cultural items such as hand drums.

Her connection to the community shapes her creative process. Toledo considers people on the reservation family and said she takes particular pride in creating something meaningful for them. She talks with the people she paints for, learns about their experiences and considers their personalities when choosing the colors, mood and overall feel of a piece.

“I identify people through colors,” Toledo said. “The vibe of the painting is really determined by the individual I’m doing it for.”

In addition to being an artist, Toledo is a mother of two. Her son, Alquin, is 3, and her daughter, Prudence, is 18 months old. 

“They really inspire me as well and they really helped me change my life around,” Toledo said. “I’m happy to become a mom. I think I was made a mother for a reason.”

Toledo encourages local artists not to let their surroundings limit their ambitions. Success, she said, has more to do with the effort artists put into their work, the way they represent themselves and the connections they build than where they come from.

“There’s gonna be days where you’re tired, there’s gonna be days where you’re discouraged and you’re not feeling it and that’s OK,” Toledo said. “That doesn’t mean you’re losing it. Just take a break and interact with the people and the things that inspire you.”

For Toledo, the project offers another connection to a celebration rooted in the community she calls home.

The 110th anniversary Happy Canyon finished painting will soon reach an audience beyond Toledo’s home studio. The commission had the artwork digitized for mass production and Toledo signed several posters that will be sold in framed and unframed versions.

She will also be at the Happy Canyon grounds during the Happy Canyon Night Show to sign posters for visitors. 

The Happy Canyon Night Show runs from Sept. 17-19 from 7:45 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Happy Canyon Arena in Pendleton. Tickets are available on the Pendleton Round-Up website: https://www.pendletonroundup.com/p/tickets1