Completing the Picture

Longtime Door County residents will be familiar with the names Matt Normann and Richard and Heather Steinberger. Normann, who was born and raised in Sturgeon Bay, was an accomplished portrait and wedding photographer in the county for many years. Richard, who lived in Sturgeon Bay for nearly a decade, became well known for his commercial work both on and off the peninsula; and his wife, Heather, was a Door County Advocate correspondent and PR consultant for many area businesses.

Both families now make their homes in Colorado’s Front Range. A couple of years ago, the trio joined forces to work on a fine art photography project on the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation in South Dakota.

Riders on the Chief Bigfoot Memorial Ride to Wounded Knee. Image copyright Richard Steinberger and Matt Normann.

On Jan. 25, the creative team unveiled an art exhibition at the Cheyenne River Youth Project (CRYP), in conjunction with the organization’s special 25th anniversary celebration. The exhibition, titled “Home: Cheyenne River,” features 30 photographs paired with 30 pieces of creative writing prepared by Cheyenne River youth.

The art exhibition, which was made possible through the support of Child Fund International, will remain on display at CRYP’s Cokata Wiconi Teen Center.

The team also launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund independent publication of a coffeetable book also titled Home: Cheyenne River. Since photography and text for the project are complete, Normann and the Steinbergers are seeking crowd-funding support for production, printing and distribution.

The project first took shape in August 2011. Over the course of two years, in every season, the photographers focused on the beauty that often lies in unexpected places, from the 2.8-million-acre reservation and its communities to the hallowed ground at Wounded Knee.

St. Basil’s Church (known locally as the Mossman church) with sunflowers. Image copyright Richard Steinberger and Matt Normann.

“Although many photographers and writers have documented native reservations over the years, the picture they paint of Indian Country tends to be a negative one, focusing primarily on the poverty and social ills that afflict reservation communities,” said Heather, who worked closely with the nonprofit Cheyenne River Youth Project for nearly eight years.

“We had a different approach. We’re not going to whitewash the hardships that are present here, but we hope to demonstrate to a wider audience that what they see of reservation life in the mainstream media is not a complete picture,” she continued. “It neglects to show the pride community members feel for their home. It neglects to show their dedication, and their love.”

Fifty percent of proceeds will be donated to the CRYP endowment. For more information, visit cheyenneriverfineart.com. To make a contribution, go to kickstarter.com and search for ‘Home: Cheyenne River.’