Gregg Deal

“There’s something to suffering that’s both jarring and edifying. You suffer so you can go longer. Suffering makes you stronger and that’s the point. Riding bikes lends itself to mental toughness.” Deal also points to the healing effect of cycling as crucial to connecting his work to riding. “I’d draw a comparison to that medicine of cycling and the medicine of art,” he explains. “The magic of being outside, enjoying the creations that are around us is medicine.”

“Art is not just the thing that builds my home, feeds my family, it’s something I feel humbled to be a part of.”

Deal’s art is bold and graphic highlighting modern Native American viewpoints and the cultural challenges they face. Deal worked as a graphic designer and a self-employed artist for over fifteen years before moving to Colorado where he’s acted as a Native Arts Artist-in Residence with the Denver Art Museum.

His experience telling stories, shining light on the native experience in America, and advocating through art continues. Deal is a compulsive story-teller, even when focused on riding away from art: well ahead of the audio listening trend, Deal founded a podcast of riding showcasing his experiences in and around cycling culture called From the Outside, which he plans to relaunch. “There are a lot of stories that the cycling world isn’t telling yet and I’m thrilled to find those.”