Allen Sapp was born in 1928, in his grandparent’s log cabin on the Red Pheasant Reserve in Saskatchewan. Allen’s mother died when he was quite young, and his grandmother, Nokum, raised him. Their relationship was very close and despite Nokum’s passing, she has been a great influence on Allen’s life to this day.

Allen Sapp is Plains Cree, descended from Chief Poundmaker, who is one of the Great Chiefs and is still honoured by his people today. In his early years, Allen’s health was poor. During a serious illness when he was about eight years old, his grandmother’s sister said that unless Allen was given a new Indian name, he would die. Allen received his Cree name, Kiskayetum; translated it means “He perceives it.” It was the first of many spiritual experiences in his life. When he was in his early teens Allen was bedridden with meningitis, which prevented him from attending school. Unable to read or write, Allen spent the hours of solitude sketching and drawing, which suited his shy temperament. A self-taught artist, when Allen first started working in oils his pallet was restricted by his budget to only a few colours. His early paintings were done in white, brown and black.

Allen Sapp later moved to North Battleford, Saskatchewan, where he painted at night and walked the streets during the day to find buyers for his work. When he was in his mid-thirties, he met Dr. Allan Gonor, who became a very good friend and patron. Dr. Gonor encouraged Allen to paint what he remembered of life growing up on the reserve. He promised to buy much of Allen’s work and arranged the sale of other paintings so that Allen could make a living as an artist without having to rely on welfare. With Dr. Gonor’s support, Allen never looked back. Allen's art is a window to life on the reserve as it was when he was growing up in the 1930's and 40's. Many of these scenes have disappeared from current reserve life. Allen's paintings depict the struggle for survival by a proud people in a harsh environment.

In 1969 and 1970, successful exhibitions in Saskatoon and Vancouver launched Allen’s career. Within the next five years, Allen Sapp’s paintings were widely exhibited and acclaimed throughout Canada, and in London, New York and Los Angeles.

Allen Sapp is an inspiration to younger Native painters across Canada. At the "New Beginnings" Native Art Show, held in conjunction with the Native Business Summit in Toronto in June 1986, Allen Sapp was singled out as a Senior Native artist in Canada, "whose contributions to the present renaissance of Native art and culture will only be measured by history."

Affiliations
1987 Officer of the Order of Canada
1975 Royal Canadian Academy of Art


Awards
1995 Saskatchewan Arts Board's Lifetime Award for Excellence in the Arts, three paintings were selected to hang in the Canadian Embassy in Moscow
1985 Saskatchewan Ward of Merit


Credits
1989 Opening and dedication of the Allen Sapp Gallery - The Gonor Collection, North Battleford, SK


Exhibitions
2005 "Spirit of the West", Hambleton Galleries, Kelowna, BC
2002 "Recollections," Canada House Gallery, Banff, AB
2001 "With My Hands", Hambleton Galleries, Kelowna, BC
2000 "Remembering," Canada House Gallery, Banff, AB
1996 "About Allen Sapp" Hambleton Galleries, Kelowna, BC
1996 Humberston-Edwards Gallery, Vancouver, BC
1995 Galerie de Bellefeuille, Montreal, QC
1994 Assiniboia Gallery, Regina, SK
1993 Humberston-Edwards Gallery, Vancouver, BC
1992 Wisdom, Insight and Humour" Hambleton Galleries, Kelowna, BC
1990 The Character of a Particular Moment" Hambleton Galleries, Kelowna, BC
1989 "..And the Use of Light" Hambleton Galleries, Kelowna
Master's Gallery, Calgary, AB
"Kiskayetum - Allen Sapp: A Retrospective", Southern Alberta Art Gallery, Lethbridge, AB
Thunder Bay Art Gallery, Thunder Bay, ON
West End Gallery, Edmonton, AB
"Kiskayetum - Allen Sapp: A Retrospective," Mackenzie Art Gallery, Regina, SK
Allen Sapp Gallery: The Gonor Collection, North Battleford, SK
Assiniboia Bessborough, Saskatoon, SK
Hambleton Galleries, Kelowna, BC
Canadian Museum of Civilization, Hull, QC
Hollander-York Gallery, Toronto, ON
Mendel Art Gallery, Saskatoon, SK
Wilfert's Hambleton Galleries, Kelowna, BC
Master's Gallery, Calgary, AB


Publications
1996 "I Heard the Drums", Allen Sapp, published by Stoddart, three paintings were selected for UNICEF'S card series
1994 "On the Road Again", CBC
1990 "Two Spirits Soar: The Art of Allen Sapp", published by Stoddart
1989 "Allen Sapp: For Art's Sake", film documentary, STV
1983 "Four Prairie Artists", film documentary, CBC
1973 "Colours of Pride", film documentary, National Film Board of Canada
1971 "By Instinct A Painter", film documenatry, CBC