Native Women Artists Discussion

The Oklahoma Historical Society and First American Art Magazine will host an afternoon of discussion about American Indian women artists of Oklahoma on Saturday, November 9, from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Oklahoma History Center.

At 1 p.m. America Meredith (Cherokee Nation), publishing editor of First American Art Magazine, will present an introductory overview of Oklahoma Native women’s art history. At 1:45 p.m. Mary Jo Watson (Seminole) will moderate a roundtable discussion with artists Anita Fields (Osage/Muscogee), Sharron Ahtone Harjo (Kiowa), Ruthe Blalock Jones (Delaware/Shawnee/Peoria) and Margaret Roach Wheeler (Chickasaw/Choctaw). These artists will talk about their own artwork, issues facing Native women artists and Native women’s contributions to the arts.

Dr. Mary Jo Watson, director emeritus and regents’ professor of art in the School of Art and Art History at the University of Oklahoma, wrote her dissertation on “Oklahoma Indian Women and Their Art” in 1993. Anita Fields is a ceramic and textile artist and a Tulsa Artist Fellow. Sharron Ahtone Harjo is a painter and educator based in Oklahoma City. Ruthe Blalock Jones, a printmaker and painter based in Okmulgee, was the first woman director of Bacone College’s art program. Margaret Roach Wheeler is a textile artist based in Sulphur, who teaches loom weaving and recently launched Mahota Textiles, a design house bringing Southeastern tribal aesthetics to home and fashion.

This event is co-organized and emceed by Tahnee Ahtoneharjo-Growingthunder (Kiowa/Muscogee/Seminole), tribal liaison at the Oklahoma History Center and producer of the Curating Indigeneity podcast.

This free event will take place in the Chesapeake Event Center and Gallery. Seating is first come, first served, and no registration is required. The Oklahoma History Center is located at 800 Nazih Zuhdi Drive in Oklahoma City.