Thom Ross

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Thom Ross | Undiscovered History: The Thoughts of Thom Ross | The Western Historical Quarterly, 35.2 | The History Cooperative

Undiscovered History: The Thoughts of Thom Ross

A FEW YEARS AGO I did a one-man show in Kirkland, Washington. All my paintings dealt with western subjects, though I can't recall exactly what they were just now. However, I do remember the painting the gallery director placed in the window facing the street: "Indians Playing Ping-Pong." The painting showed two Indians in full buckskin outfits and feathered headdresses that reached to the ground; they were engaged in a game of ping-pong.

Figure 1. Indians Playing Ping-Pong. Acrylic on canvas, 40 x 60, collection of D. R. Lewis.
This is the painting that made that guy so damn mad.

The first person to enter the gallery was a young man, in his late thirties I would say. He asked if the artist was present and the gallery director eagerly pointed him in my direction. This fellow walked rapidly over to me; I extended my hand as I introduced myself. Well, he took my hand out of habit, I suppose, and then began to berate me. His words were something like this: "I take great offense at the disrespectful attitude you take in your art towards Native Americans; I find it disgraceful and insulting." Before I could utter a word he turned and strode out the door.

I stood there stunned. I didn't know what to do or say, but it slowly dawned on me that this young man had been offended by that painting of the Indians playing ping-pong. I thought this over and realized that his perception of Native Americans had been shaped in some weird way either through political correctness, the movies, or western art, and the idea that Indians could or would participate in an activity that might be FUN was just too much for him. For, you see, the painting was inspired by an actual photograph taken at the turn of the century of two Indians playing ping-pong! They were with Buffalo Bill's Wild West and were probably killing time between performances. (The negative is in the collection of the Denver Public Library, and for a small fee they will make a print of this image for you.)

I was only glad that the young man didn't yell at me for the paintings I had done of Indians playing croquet; that painting would have sent him over the edge!

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