“First Lady Presents” is a collaboration between The Nevada State Museum and Nevada First Lady Katherine Sisolak that elevates contemporary Nevada artists through a curatorial lens of equity and a dedication towards cultural awareness. Since February, the First Lady has recognized a diverse array of painters, textile artists, poets, student artists, and more.

In honor of Native American Heritage Month, November’s featured artist is Theo Tso from the Las Vegas Paiute Indian Colony, who has developed a comic book character called Captain Paiute: Defender of the Southwest. Over the years Tso has met fellow Indigenous comic book artists who have collaborated with his vision to create an Indigenous superhero who serves reservations in the Southwest—a superhero that all Native kids can call their own. 

Tso also is featured in the “Find Your Folklife: We Are ‘the Folk’ All of Us” exhibition on display at the Nevada State Museum in Las Vegas which is curated by Rebecca Snetselaar, Folklife Specialist at the Nevada Arts Council.

Pictured: Theo Tso in his studio. Photo by Rebecca Snetselaar, courtesy of the Nevada Arts Council’s Folklife Archives.