Douglas Miles

Douglas Miles is a White Mountain Apache-San Carlos Apache-Akimel O'odham painter, printmaker and photographer from Arizona, who founded Apache Skateboards and Apache Skate Team.

Background Miles was born in Carrizo, Arizona, on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation of the White Mountain Apache Tribe. He grew up in Phoenix, Arizona, then moved back to the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation in Arizona. He drew images from cartoons, sci-fi, and comic books and attended the Al Collins Graphic Design School in Phoenix. From 1978 to 1980, Miles attended the Bostrom Alternative High School, when he created street art.

Founded in 2002, Apache Skateboards is one of the earlier Native American-owned skateboard companies. Native artists working on the Apache Skateboard project with Miles include Razelle Bennally; Tracy Polk Jr.; Douglas Miles Jr.; Keith Secola; Reuben Ringlero; Irwin Lewis; Tony Steele; and Tashadawn Hastings. As Apache Skate Team, the group gives skating demonstrations, organizes skateboard contests and concerts, and curates art shows around the country, and especially on Indian reservations in the American Southwest.

"Painting on the skateboards ... opens up a whole new medium for me," Miles told Shade magazine. "My skateboards are both traditional and contemporary by design. Are they fine art or pop art? Why can't they be both?"

In 2008, Apache Skateboards collaborated with iPath Footwear to create the I-PACHE collection of sneakers, fitted hats, and T-shirts, all of which feature Douglas Miles' original designs. In the film, Miles shares the socio-political context around the history that lead to life on the San Carlos Apache reservation. The Mystery of Now was featured in National Geographic'''s short film showcase.

Notable exhibits 2011 Indian Ink II. Pravus Gallery. Phoenix, Arizona. 2010 Indian Ink I. Legends Santa Fe. Santa Fe, New Mexico. 2008 Apache: Douglas Miles. Officially Closed: Dead Letter Department. Los Angeles, California. 2005 Pop Life. Wilson College, Princeton University. 2005 Reservation Radical/Apache Skateboards: The Art of Douglas Miles. Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History. Santa Cruz, California. 2004–2007 Native Views: Influences of Modern Culture. Art Train USA. Traveling exhibit.

Collections Several pieces of his work are in the collection of the National Museum of the American Indian. His paintings are in private collections in France, Germany, New York, and Los Angeles. Miles' and Apache Skateboard's art is also in the permanent collections of the Montclair Art Museum, Eiteljorg Museum, IAIA Museum, Warner Brothers Studios and The Eddie Basha Collection. He has a temporary exhibit at the Arizona Capitol Museum in Phoenix Az, running from Nov. 22nd to Jan. 22nd 2018.