Tribal casino owner in $900,000 deal for art

Tuesday, June 13, 2000 | 10:58 a.m.

MONTVILLE, Conn. -- A Thompson man has struck another kind of jackpot with the Mohegan Indians, owners of the Mohegan Sun casino.

Artist David Wagner sold more than 70 paintings to the tribe for $900,000. The artwork depicts Eastern Woodland Indians, a series on the Pequot War and portraits of North American Indian chiefs. The body of work took Wagner about 15 years to complete.

The self-taught artist said the paintings focus on the heritage of southern and eastern Connecticut.

"There is no other collection like it in the world," Wagner said.

Tribal spokeswoman Jayne Fawcett said the members have not decided where to display the art. Among the possibilities are the former Masonic Temple in Norwich where the tribe plans a multi-million-dollar museum. The paintings also could adorn the tribe's new hotel, currently under construction near the casino.

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