A documentary covering the art and life of Truman Lowe, Ho-Chunk artist and UWL alum, ‘69, has been awarded a regional Emmy. 

“Exploring the Artistic Process of Truman Lowe: A Journey Through Native American Art & Education” by Discover Wisconsin premiered on April 19. The documentary features Lowe’s artistic achievements and teaching legacy and includes UWL unveiling the renamed “Truman T. Lowe Center for the Arts” in October 2022. 

“It’s gratifying to know that there are people out there that admire Truman and the work he did so much that they wanted to make a documentary about him,” says Tonia Lowe, Truman’s daughter. “We were very supportive, but the real work was done by Casey Brown and Rob Reider of the Ho-Chunk Nation, the team at Discover Wisconsin, and Jo Ortel, art historian and author of ‘Woodland Reflections: The Art of Truman Lowe.’”

Tonia and her mother, Nancy, say that the documentary winning an Emmy was the best kind of surprise. They love the documentary, reminding them of Truman’s quiet wisdom and ability to inspire people to think about the environment differently. The award is the icing on the cake. 

“It’s been very well received, especially by the Ho-Chunk Nation where it’s a tremendous point of pride, not just winning the Emmy, but to have a Ho-Chunk artist celebrated,” says Brett Rolstad, producer, director and writer for Discover Mediaworks. “Truman’s art was centered around and inspired by their culture and history. Truman touched and influenced a great number of lives, and the recognition of that is very important.”