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ENTRY TYPE: new
WORK TITLE: The Gift of the Great Buffalo
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WEBSITE: https://www.alymcknight.com/
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PERSONAL
Born 1991, in Reno, NV; daughter of Tami McKnight; enrolled member of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes; married Brockton Saifoloi; children: Paoakalani (daughter).
EDUCATION:Graduated from Brigham Young University.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Artist, designer, and illustrator. Independent contractor through the Art Commissions; has worked on design and creative projects for clients including Cotton On, Land of Nod, Nena & Co., Niio Perkins Designs, Sarjesa Inc., and Wall Street Journal; paints with watercolor and graphite.
AVOCATIONS:Beading, adventuring.
AWARDS:Named Miss Indian BYU, 2015.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Horn Book, March-April, 2024, Lara K. Aase, review of Why We Dance: A Story of Hope and Healing, p. 67; March-April, 2025, Nicholl Denice Montgomery, review of The Gift of the Great Buffalo, p. 50.
Kirkus Reviews, February 15, 2024, review of Why We Dance; March 1, 2025, review of The Gift of the Great Buffalo.
ONLINE
Aly McKnight website, https://www.alymcknight.com/ (May 23, 2025).
Let’s Talk Picture Books, https://www.letstalkpicturebooks.com/ (February 25, 2025), “Let’s Talk Illustrators #313: Aly McKnight.”
Sho-Ban News, http://shobannews.com/ (May 23, 2025), Roselynn Yazzie, “Tribal Member Visual Artist to Illustrate Children’s Book.”
Aly, b. 1991 in Reno, NV, is an enrolled member of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes and is an artist and illustrator, whose art features vibrant colors and Indigenous stories. She spends her days sketching, painting, collaborating with the Indigenous creative community, and adventuring with her family throughout Idaho, Nevada, and Utah.
Aly’s paintings are created by hand using watercolor and graphite on paper. The imagery portrayed in her artwork usually begins with an impression from the connection Indigenous peoples have with all living things, and that connection becomes the beauty and permanent focal point within each artwork.
“I am a self taught Indigenous watercolor artist with a passion for art in all of its forms. Much of my work is vibrant in color and features organic layers of watercolor pigment with graphite sketches that peek through the layers of paint. Each painting holds a moment that illuminates the vast beauty of our Indigeneity and the spirit of our community that never fades.
I hope that through my artwork I can share my story and an Indigenous perspective with the world. My passion to create is rooted in the hope that when our people, especially our women and youth, need to feel connected and grounded they have visual imagery to turn to that makes them feel seen and powerful. It is a dream of mine to someday pass on my artistic and cultural knowledge to our younger generations so that they have the tools to call attention to the importance of our histories and our ongoing journey. I encourage our Indigenous peoples to take inspiration from the world around them and use art, whatever form that may be, to express themselves and find their own stories to share with the world.”
Tribal member visual artist to illustrate children's book
Aly McKnight
By ROSELYNN YAZZIE
Sho-Ban News
FORT HALL — Aly McKnight is a Shoshone-Bannock visual artist and will soon take part in the releasing of a new children’s book titled, “The Gift of The Great Buffalo,” featuring her illustration.
“The Gift of The Great Buffalo” is about a Metis-Ojibwe girl that has traveled far with her family for a buffalo hunt, but when there are no buffalo to be found she must help her family find the herd that will enable them to survive the long winter. Publication is set for 2023.
The book author is Caldecott winning “We are the Water Protectors” Carole Lindstrom.
Ever since she could pick up a crayon she’s been drawing and creating characters and stories. It was during her senior year of high school (2010) when she truly developed a talent for illustration and portraiture and she’s been exploring that niche ever since.
She is graduate of Brigham, Young University, where she represented as Miss Indian BYU 2015. Currently she is self-employed with the Art Commissions. She is married to her husband Brockton Saifoloi and they have a two-year-old daughter. They reside in Provo, where she enjoys serving others, beading, water color painting and traveling.
So far, on a professional level, McKnight has worked on a dozen or so design and creative projects for various brands and companies including but not limited to The Wall Street Journal, Land of Nod, Cotton On, Nena & Co., Niio Perkins Designs, Sarjesa Inc., etc.
Now she has the honor of creating the illustrations for a children’s book written by Ojibwe author Carole Lindstrom.
“When this children’s book project was presented to me I knew it was meant for me. I have always wished there was more genuine and positive Indigenous representation throughout literature, art, and media so that our youth could feel seen and positively influenced. This project gives me the opportunity to start filling that gap,” she said.
Being an illustrator comes with challenges, including having creative motivation and inspiration. “Painters, graphic designers, beaders, silver smiths, etc. all of us need inspiration to create and sometimes it’s hard to have that when we are hitting a creative block. But finding what my “energy drainers” and “energy givers” are, has helped me push forward to continue to make art,” she said.
McKnight draws inspiration from many sources, including her Ne’bia (my mama), Tami McKnight, who has always encouraged her to explore any path she wanted in life and provided every opportunity she could to ensure she never felt limited in what she could do. There are also so many friends and family that also influenced her journey as an artist and that includes her grandmother, Emaline George.
“Every time I get to visit with her she shares knowledge and stories with me that guide me throughout my life and my work as an artist. I hope she knows how grateful I am for her teachings and love,” she said.
In the future, through her artwork, she hopes to own and share her story with the world and break the stigma that Indigenous artists can’t be successful.
Her words of advice for young artists interested in pursuing an illustrating profession is, “You can make a living and be successful if you want to. Don’t listen or allow people to tell you otherwise. Making art is beneficial for your mental and emotional health and if you choose to paint, bead, sew, write, sing, or pursue any art form you can 100% make it in this world.”
February 25, 2025
Let's Talk Illustrators #313: Aly McKnight
I am so excited to share my interview with Aly McKnight here with you all day! I can tell that Aly is an illustrator on the rise from her book The Gift of the Great Buffalo––lots of great things to come from Aly soon! Check out her process for The Gift of the Great Buffalo, written by Carole Lindstrom, below.
About the book:
Before there was a little house on the prairie, there was a tipi on the prairie.
Rose is a young Métis-Ojibwe girl who has traveled far with her family for the biannual buffalo hunt made up of hundreds of other Métis families. The ritual of the hunt has been practiced for generations, and each hunt must see the community through the next six months. But in recent years, the buffalo population has dwindled, and after days on the hunt, there are no buffalo to be found. Can Rose help her family find the herd that will enable them to survive the long winter?
Peek underneath the dust jacket:
And check out the endpapers:
Let's talk Aly McKnight!
LTPB: How did you become the illustrator of The Gift of the Great Buffalo? What were the first images that popped into your mind when you saw Carole Lindstrom’s text?
AM: I was asked if I was interested in illustrating children’s books in July of 2020 and I was super nervous to even respond because the world felt like complete chaos and I wasn’t sure if taking on something like a children’s book was even right for me. But I received a few really persistent and encouraging emails from a few different people involved with GOTGB and felt like that was a good sign. So when I was asked if I finally wanted to read the manuscript for Gift of the Great Buffalo I just dove in head first and haven’t looked back since. And it honestly couldn’t have been a better fit for me. Within my art I tend to center it on human and nature relationships and even more specifically I focus a lot on bison/buffalo so this was literally my dream book!
LTPB: Can you talk a little bit about your research for this book? Were you surprised by anything you found?
AM: Carole, the author, was amazing with helping me research for GOTGB. She’s such a gem and I couldn’t have been more lucky to have her as a partner on this book. She sent me dozens of links with information about the Metis Tribe as well as some amazing book recommendations. It was a lot of information but I love learning about history so it was really just a beautiful time where I was able to immerse myself in old journals and photographs detailing Metis life. My favorite thing I read about was bandolier bags or octopus bags that are popular in Metis culture. I love purses, bags, and accessories so when I got to this aspect (because we definitely wanted to include some details like that in the book!) I was in heaven! The beadwork and color palettes that so many of the artists chose for their bags were stunning and live rent free in my brain.
LTPB: What did you find most difficult in creating this book? What did you find most rewarding?
AM: This was one of my first official illustration projects that I’d ever taken on. It was actually the very first book I signed up for but due to the COVID pandemic the process for this book was delayed a bit. The Metis Tribe is alive and well today and to be entrusted with portraying a part of their history was daunting so I was mostly scared of not being able to render certain things accurately.
The most rewarding aspect of creating the artwork for this book was seeing the flow of everything come together once I reached the final painting process. I feel like my illustrations and the historical elements fused beautifully to tell Rose’s story.
LTPB: What did you use to create the illustrations in this book? Is this your preferred medium?
AM: I definitely consider myself a watercolor artist. I’ve been using this medium for 16 years now and I’m still learning about it every time I use it. I love how organic and unpredictable it can be. A lot of the time I like letting the paint just show off and do it’s own thing but there were definitely a lot of pages where I had to control how the paint was laid out and how it needed to dry so that was interesting but I loved having the learning experience. With every creative project I take on there’s a unique flow to each one so the overall process is similar but the emotions and stories that every single one is telling requires me to experiment by testing new color combinations, playing with textures, layering techniques, etc. And I love that playful process.
LTPB: What are you working on now? Anything you can show us?
AM: I have a few children’s books underway! The next one should be coming out later in 2025. It’s a story by Rae Rose called The Sacred Stone Camp and is about the Dakota Access Pipeline, water protectors (young and old), and features Indigenous activist LaDonna BraveBull Allard. I’m very excited to see this book coming out in a couple months and hope people from all ages and all walks of life can learn and enjoy this important story.
LTPB: If you got the chance to write your own picture book autobiography, who (dead or alive!) would you want to illustrate it, and why?
I love this question! I’ve never been asked this but the first person that came to mind is my daughter, Paoakalani. She’s always welcome at my work table and has been my partner in crime since the day she was born. I love how incredibly creative she is. She’s always painting, crafting potions, singing, and storytelling so I would be very interested in how she sees me and how she would choose to portray my life.
A million thanks to Aly for taking time to answers some questions! The Gift of the Great Buffalo publishes today from Bloomsbury Children's Books!
Special thanks to Aly and Bloomsbury for use of these images!
Havrelock, Deidre WHY WE DANCE Abrams (Children's None) $18.99 2, 6 ISBN: 9781419756672
A Native child takes part in the Jingle Dress dance.
Preparing for a powwow is a family affair: Regalia is mended, hair is braided, and bannock sandwiches are packed for lunch in anticipation of breaking the fast. In this spirited ode to Jingle Dress dancing, Havrelock (Saddle Lake Cree Nation) follows one girl's journey as she takes part in this Anishinaabe ceremonial dance with her community. Evocative watercolors by McKnight (Shoshone-Bannock) bring these healing, ceremonial garments to life, from their rainbow of colors to the tin cones that produce the iconic "TINK-TINK-TINK-TINK" sounds of the dance. Helpful backmatter notes that though there are many stories about the origins of the Jingle Dress dance, all of them describe it as a response to the influenza pandemic of 1918-19 that "resulted in the healing of a sick child." Indeed, the young narrator states that "we dance for those who can't." With its moving illustrations, this reverent celebration of an important Indigenous ritual stands out. Young readers will be drawn in by the mesmerizing art and the narrator's courage to dance despite all "the butterflies in my stomach." Several performers and spectators have visible disabilities.
A powerful story that will have hearts beating in time with the pounding drums and dancers' bounce-steps. (author's and artist's notes, about the Jingle Dress dance) (Picture book. 5-10)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
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Source Citation
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"Havrelock, Deidre: WHY WE DANCE." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Feb. 2024. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A782202626/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=922e192b. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
Why We Dance: A Story of Hope and Healing
by Deidre Havrelock;
illus. by Aly McKnight
Primary Abrams 40 pp.
2/24 9781419756672 $18.99
e-book ed. 9781647004002 $17.09
A young girl and her family eagerly prepare for and take part in the Jingle Dress dance, an Anishinaabe tradition established during the 1918-1919 influenza pandemic. Havrelock's (Saddle Lake Cree Nation) straightforward text incorporates vivid sensory imagery ("buckles shine, beads glimmer"; "Mom's warm fingers slide through my hair") and realistic details ("Everyone gets a big shot of hair spray!"), and evokes both the contemporary and the traditional while capturing the narrator's excitement. McKnight's (Shoshone-Bannock) colorful watercolor and graphite illustrations focus on the family and the regalia, and include such details as the different colors of black in a girl's braids; the variety of Indigenous people's hair colors and textures; the jingles on dresses that sway so convincingly you can almost hear them; and a red handprint covering the mouth of a woman watching the dance, signifying her solidarity with Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit People. Back matter gives more information about this century-old ritual of healing and thanks, including its significance in the wake of COVID-19 with its devastating effect on Native communities. A moving portrayal of how Jingle Dress dancers "dance for those who can't."
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Sources, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.hbook.com/magazine/default.asp
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
Aase, Lara K. "Why We Dance: A Story of Hope and Healing." The Horn Book Magazine, vol. 100, no. 2, Mar.-Apr. 2024, pp. 67+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A789719370/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=3ce25f0d. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
Lindstrom, Carole THE GIFT OF THE GREAT BUFFALO Bloomsbury (Children's None) $18.99 2, 25 ISBN: 9781547606887
A daring Indigenous child embarks on a thrilling adventure.
Set in the 1880s, this tale follows young Rose and her family to the biannual Métis buffalo hunt, where hundreds of families convene in the hopes that "this hunt [will] be better than the last." Rose's pa is one of the captains, and Rose is eager to help him track mashkode-bizhiki. When he instructs her to stay at camp, she listens at first, but after hunters go a week without finding buffalo, the intrepid child goes scouting. Rose's resourcefulness and daring shine as she strikes out on her own and employs the wisdom of her family: remaining determined despite miles without a sign, "thanking the buffalo for the gift of their life," and donning a wolfskin to approach a distant herd without startling them. Rose returns with the good news, to her parents' gratitude and gentle chiding for her disobedience. Lindstrom (Anishinaabe/Métis) captures the youngster's resolve and excitement, while McKnight's (Shoshone-Bannock) gorgeous watercolor and graphite images bring to life elements of Métis culture, particularly in stirring depictions of life at camp. Intergenerational basket weaving, elders dancing, roaring cook fires, and children at play--all impart Métis traditions, set against the beauty of the Plains; readers will be as moved by McKnight's illustrations as they are by Rose's ingenuity.
This reverently told story is a true gift. (author's note)(Picture book. 5-9)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2025 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
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Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Lindstrom, Carole: THE GIFT OF THE GREAT BUFFALO." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Mar. 2025. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A828785057/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=897fbe2a. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
The Gift of the Great Buffalo by Carole Lindstrom; illus. by Aly McKnight Primary, Intermediate Bloomsbury 40 pp. 2/25 9781547606887 $18.99 e-book ed. 9781547606979 $13.29
Rose, her oshiimeyan (younger sister), and their parents gather with other Metis families for the biannual buffalo hunt. This time will be different both because Rose's pa is one of the hunt's captains and because "the settlers and their iron horses had eliminated most of the buffalo"; the accompanying illustration shows Rose saying a "prayer of gratitude to the buffalo" while a train churns out black smoke, turning the blue sky gray. When scouts are unable to find buffalo after a week, Rose decides to look for them on her own. Her cleverness and bravery lead to success for the whole community. Lindstrom's (Autumn Peltier, Water Warrior, rev. 11/23) engaging text is well paired with McKnight's expansive, atmospheric watercolor and graphite illustrations. Back matter adds useful context; for example, in her appended note, Lindstrom says: "Rose's story is my version of the Little House series. So readers will know that before there was a little house on the prairie, there was a little tipi on the prairie ... on the same land where the Little House stories were set." Important terms are defined, and a history of the buffalo hunt is provided. This Metis/Ojibwe perspective of life on the prairie by two Native creators is a moving tribute to a culture and people. NICHOLL DENICE MONTGOMERY
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2025 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Sources, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.hbook.com/magazine/default.asp
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
Montgomery, Nicholl Denice. "The Gift of the Great Buffalo." The Horn Book Magazine, vol. 101, no. 2, Mar.-Apr. 2025, pp. 50+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A831534116/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=840bf9d3. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.