About | Caddo Pottery

About: Bio

GALLERIES

King Galleries, 130 Lincoln Ave suite d, Santa Fe, NM 87501
King Galleries, 7077 E Main St, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
First Americans Museum FAMStore, OKC, OK 73162
Pottery of the Southwest, 223 Canyon Road, Santa Fe, NM
Ellsworth Gallery Santa Fe, NM
The Corridor at Paseo Oklahoma City, OK
Caddo Mounds State Historic Site Alto, TX
Philbrook Museum Shop Tulsa, OK
The Dancing Rabbit Gallery Texas.
Tribes 131 Gallery. Norman, OK
Jacobson House Gallery, Norman
Red Earth Gallery, Oklahoma City
Cahokia Mounds Gift Shop. Cahokia Mounds, E St. Louis, Illinois.
The Red Road Gallery, Ada
50 Penn Place Gallery, Oklahoma City

About: Text

ARTIST STATEMENT

From 800 AD to the 1700's Caddo tribal pottery was an incredible and well-known tradition in the North American SouthEast traded far and wide even to France and Spain. Knowledge of this great cultural history disappeared as the Caddo tribe consolidated and was decimated from conquistador’s diseases and colonialism. Our last Caddo potter, a matriarch of my tribal namesake, stopped making pottery around 1908 and our tradition was almost lost. Through my work I hope to bring that unsung ceramic legacy back to the light.
Most people don’t get to see our ancient pottery because most all of our ancestral pottery was used at the end of its life as a burial offering. In that way, most of these culturally sensitive pieces cannot be put on display for the public to see. The most important thing to me is to faithfully and respectfully capture the skillfulness and intricate details of our tradition in order to bring to the public’s admiration our specific tribe’s identity.
Because of that I found it important to use the same methods and materials my ancestors would have used with little compromise. Using these traditional methods by digging my own clay, hand gathering the mussel shell I put into the clay, hand building, burnishing with a rock, pit firing the unfired pottery in an open ground fire, and engraving the designs after the pot is fired is important to capture the soul and the essence of our ancestral style and identity.
However, I also feel very deeply that our tribe’s representation and communication through the design and creation of pottery would have evolved over time with the introduction of new situations and environments. For that reason, I also strive to present a new ceramic and sculptural interpretation from my own experiences and as my own artist but as an ambassador to my Caddo tribe and its ancient cultural identity.

MUSEUM PERMANENT COLLECTIONS

Snite Museum of Art, Notre Dame, IN
Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas, TX
Minneapolis Art Institute/Loan, MN
Chipstone Foundation/Milwaukee Art Museum, WI
Gilcrease Museum, Tulsa, OK
Carlos Museum, Emory, Atlanta, GA
Windgate Center for Fine and Performing Arts of University of Central Arkansas
Houston Museum of Natural Science, Houston, TX
Robert S. Peabody Institute of Archaeology, Andover, MA
Choctaw Cultural Center, Durant, OK
National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, Oklahoma City, OK
Spiro Mounds Archaeological Center Spiro, OK
The Great Plains Art Museum Lincoln, NE
Dolores Mission State Historical Site Augustine, TX
Red Earth Museum Collection Oklahoma City, OK
The Mulvane Art Museum Topkea, KS
Caddo Mounds State Historic Site Alto, OK
The Museum of the Red River Idabel, OK
The Audi Murphy - Cotton Museum, Greenville, TX

AWARDS

1st Place - Pottery Cherokee Art Market, 2023
2nd Place - Pottery - Cherokee Art Market, 2023
1st Place - Pottery - SEASAM, 2023
1st Place- Pottery Figurative - SWAIA Indian Martket - 2023
2nd Place - Woodlands Pottery - SWAIA Indian Market - 2023
1st Place - Pottery - Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art Indian Market 2023
3rd Place - Pottery - Cherokee Art Market (Virtual) , Tulsa, OK 2021
1st Place - Pottery - SEASAM 2021
HARRISON EITELJORG PURCHASE AWARD, Eiteljorg Indian Market, Virtual, 2021
Best of Pottery Division, Eiteljorg Indian Market, Virtual, 2021
Best of Pottery Division, Artesian Art Market, Virtual, 2021
2nd Place, Pottery, Cherokee Art Market, Virtual, 2020
Jurors Award, SEASAM, Virtual, 2020
BEST OF SHOW Cherokee Art Market, Tulsa, OK, 2019
BEST OF CLASS Cherokee Art Market, Tulsa, OK, 2019
Best of Division Cherokee Art Market, Tulsa, OK, 2019
1st Place Cultural: Pottery, SEASAM, Tishomingo, OK, 2019
1st Place Traditionial Woodlands Pottery, SWAIA Indian Market, Santa Fe, NM, 2019
Honorable Mention, Contemporary Pottery, SWAIA Indian Market, Santa Fe, NM, 2019
1st Place Traditionial Pottery, Red Earth, OKC, OK, 2019
2nd Place, Cultural:Pottery, Artesian Art Market, Sulphur, OK, 2019
2nd Place, Traditional Pottery, Cherokee Art Market, Tulsa, OK, 2018
1st Place Pottery, SEASAM, Tishomingo, OK, 2018
3rd Place, Pottery, SEASAM, Tishomingo, OK, 2018
2nd Place, Traditional Pottery, Eiteljorg Indian Market, Indianapolis, IN 2018
1st Place Traditional Pottery, Red Earth, OKC, OK, 2018
1st Place Contemporary Pottery, Red Earth, OKC, OK, 2018
1st Place Sculpture, Artesian Art Market, Sulphur, OK, 2018
3rd Place, Pottery, Trail of Tears, Tahlequah, OK, 2018
Anna Mitchell Award Pottery, Cherokee Art Market, Tulsa, OK, 2017
2nd Place, Pottery, SEASAM, Tishomingo, OK, 2017
Heritage Award Pottery, Cushing Native Festival, Cushing, OK, 2017
1st Place Pottery, Cushing Native Festival, Cushing, OK, 2017
2nd Place, Pottery, Cushing Native Festival, Cushing, OK, 2017
3rd Place, Pottery, Cushing Native Festival, Cushing, OK, 2017
1st Place Traditional Woodlands Pottery, SWAIA Santa Fe, NM, Indian Market, 2017
Honorable Mention, Clay Sculpture, SWAIA Santa Fe, NM, Indian Market, 2017
Best of Division All Pottery, Eiteljorg Indian Market, Indianapolis, IN 2017
1st Place, Traditional Pottery, Eiteljorg Indian Market, Indianapolis, IN 2017
1st Place, Contemporary Pottery, Eiteljorg Indian Market, Indianapolis, IN 2017
2nd Place, Traditional Pottery, Eiteljorg Indian Market, Indianapolis, IN 2017
2nd Place, Traditional Pottery, Red Earth, Oklahoma City, OK, 2017
Oklahoma Visual Arts Fellowship of Excellence 2017, OVAC, OKC, OK, 2017
1st Place, Pottery, Artesian Arts Festival, Sulphur, OK, 2017
1st Place, Pottery, Trail of Tears Art Show, Tahlequah, OK, 2017
BEST OF CLASS Over all Pottery, Cherokee Art Market, Catoosa, OK, 2016
2nd Place, Contemporary Pottery, Cherokee Art Market, Catoosa, OK, 2016
2nd Place, Traditional Pottery, SEASAM, Tishomingo, OK, 2016
BEST OF SHOW Traditional Pottery, Oklahoma Indian Summer, Bartlesville, OK, 2016
2nd Place, 3D, Oklahoma Indian Summer, Bartlesville, OK, 2016
2nd Place, Traditional Pottery, Eiteljorg Indian Market, 2016
Kathleen Everette Upshaw Award (grand award, 3rd over entire show), Traditional Pottery, Red Earth, Oklahoma City, OK, 2016
3rd Place, Pottery, Artesian Arts Festival, Sulphur, OK, 2016
1st Place, Pottery, Trail of Tears Art Show, Tahlequah, OK, 2016
3rd Place, Pottery, Trail of Tears Art Show, Tahlequah, OK, 2016
Purchase Award, Permanent Collection, Mulvane Juried Ceramics Exhibition, Washburn University, Topeka Kansas, 2016.
2nd Place, Traditional Pottery, Cherokee Art Market, 2015
3rd Place, Cultural: Basketry, SEASAM, 2015
2nd Place, Contemporary Pottery, Cherokee National Holiday Show, 2015
Honorable Mention, Contemporary Pottery, Cherokee National Holiday Show, 2015
People's Choice, Best Artist of Ada Fest, 2015
Honorable Mention, Contemporary Pottery, SWAIA Indian Market 2015
Best of 3D, Cahokia Mounds Contemporary Art Show, 2015
1st Place, Traditional Pottery, Red Earth Annual Art Market, 2015
Best of Category, 1st Place, Pottery, Trail of Tears Art Show, 2015
1st Place, Pottery, Te Ata Fisher Chickasaw Nation Employee Art Show, 2014
2nd Place, Pottery, Te Ata Fisher Chickasaw Nation Employee Art Show, 2014
Best of Division, Traditional Pottery. Cherokee Art Market 2014
Best of Division, Cultural, Pottery. SEASAM 2014
BEST OF SHOW, Red Earth Annual Art Market, 2014
1st Place, Pottery, Te Ata Fisher Chickasaw Art Show, 2013
Best of Class (Best over all pottery divisions), Pottery. Cherokee Art Market, 2013
3rdPlace, Contemporary Pottery. Cherokee Art Market, 2013.
1st Place, Pottery. SEASAM, 2013
1st Place, Traditional Woodlands Pottery. Santa Fe, Indian Market, 2013
2nd Place, Traditional Pottery. Red Earth Annual Art Market 2013.
1st Place, Pottery, Te Ata Fisher Chickasaw Art Show 2012.
2nd Place, Pottery, Te Ata Fisher Chickasaw Art Show 2012.
2nd Place, Pottery. SEASAM 2012
1st Place, Traditional Woodlands Pottery. Santa Fe, Indian Market, 2012
Kathleen Everett Upshaw Award (3rd over entire show),
Traditional Pottery. Red Earth 26nd Annual Art Market 2012
3rd Place, Contemporary Pottery. Red Earth 26nd Annual Art Market 2012
1st Place, Miniature Pottery. SEASAM 2011
2nd Place, Pottery. SEASAM 2011
3rd Place, Contemporary Pottery. Red Earth Silver Anniversary Art Market 2011.
2nd Place, Pottery. SEASAM 2010
3rd Place, Open-3D. SEASAM 2010

EXHIBITIONS

Henderson State University, 2023
24 Works on Paper, 2023
Spirit Lodge: Mississippian Art from Spiro , Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas, TX, 2022
Contemporary Indigeneity 2022, Great Plains Museum (Center for Great Plains Studies), Lincoln, NE 2022
A Vital Presence, Great Plains Museum (Center for Great Plains Studies), Lincoln, NE 2021 - 2022
49 Minutes of Fame: Native Pop, Willa Cather Center, Red Cloud, NE 2021
Lost Realms of the Moundbuilders, Birmingham Museum of Art, Birmingham, AL, 2021
SPEAK: Speak While You Can, Wewoka Art Museum, Wewoka, OK 2021
ArtNow2021, Oklahoma Contemporary, OKC, OK 2021
Caddo Contemporary, Museum of the Red River, Idabel, OK 2021
Spiro and the Art of the Mississippian World, Western Heritage and National Cowboy Museum, OKC, OK 2021
SPEAK: Speak While You Can, Living Arts Center, Tulsa, OK 2020
Colors of Clay, Western Heritage and National Cowboy Museum, OKC, OK 2020
Caddo Contemporary, Present and Relevant, Cole Arts Center, Nacogdoches, TX, 2019
Stories of the Land, Lindsborg, KS, 2019
Origins, Boulder, CO, 2018
Red Cloud Indian Art Show. Heritage Center, Red Cloud Indian School, Pine Ridge, SD, 2018
Caddo Festival. Sam Noble Museum, Norman, OK. 2018
Native Hearts: Respond and Reflect. Performing Arts Center, Tulsa, OK, 2017
SWAIA Indian Market EDGE Contemporary Art Show. SWAIA Santa Fe, NM, 2017
Creative Nation II. Ellsworth Gallery, Santa Fe, NM, 2017
Red Cloud Indian Art Show. Heritage Center, Red Cloud Indian School, Pine Ridge, SD, 2017
Contemporary Caddo Art Exhibition Chokma'si Gallery, Ada, OK. 2017.
Contemporary Indigeniety Great Plains Museum, Lincoln, NE. 2016.
Smithsonian NMAI Indian Art Market, Washington, D.C. 2015
Texian Heritage Festival. Featured Artist and Demonstrator, Montgomery, TX. 2015.
Spiro Mounds. 37th Birthday and 10th Annual Archaeology Day, Spiro, OK. 2015.
Caddo Culture Day. Caddo Mounds Historic Site, Alto, TX. 2015.
Caddo Festival. Oklahoma History Center, OKC, OK. 2015.
Ancient Ways: Modern Forms. Sherwin Miller Museum of Jewish Art, Tulsa, OK 2015
The Artesian Art Gallery, Sulphur, OK , 2014
Chickasaw Visitor's Center, Sulphur, OK , 2014
Chickasaw Nation Arts & Humanities Gallery, Ada, OK, 2013
Ada Arts Association Spring Show, Ada, OK 2011.

BIOGRAPHY

I create my tribe's traditional pottery to help educate about and carry on the culture of my people. The once grand and widespread tradition of my people's Caddo pottery has now been reduced to a shadow of its former self and almost even disappeared completely. With the help of the only living Caddo pottery revivalist, I got started down the path of my artistic expression of our tribe's traditional pottery to help current and future generations of our people understand the beauty and craftsmanship and uniqueness of our ancient pottery methods and culture.

Born in Oklahoma, I have always been an artist as long as I can remember, from the day the art teacher in kindergarten pulled me aside to draw something for the school. From then on I was always drawing and painting, but until I found pottery I really didn't have a voice or a reason. Even as I decided to pursue pottery as a more hands on approach and a closer to earth approach to art, I was still lacking meaning. I had considered creating Pueblo pottery from the southwest as that is what had inspired me until I realized that because I am not a Pueblo native, I would be simply replicating Pueblo pottery and not truly creating it. That is until I connected with my tribe and my heritage and learned of the true grandeur of our tradition and how it has been lost and hidden from the public. I then set forth almost obsessively learning the methods and designs of our tribe, creating works of art that are modernized, to educate my tribe's people and the public about our tradition.

All of my tribe's ancient traditional pottery was hand coiled from clay that was handmade from the local river source, which most notably included the Red River and the Arkansas River. These pottery pieces are then hand burnished with a rock to look like glass without any glaze. The final touch before firing is the hand carving of the scrolling ancient designs which include motifs centered around the origin stories of my Caddo people. Objects in the motifs include feathers, serpents, the sun and moon, and the everlasting fire. What motivates me and challenges me to push the limits of describing our culture in my pottery art is the desire to truly educate people about what sets our tribe's tradition apart from all the other Southeastern tribes and to reveal to people the extent of which the Caddo's tradition was cherished by everyone across the nation in prehistoric and historic times.

PUBLISHED

Ancestral Caddo Ceramic Traditions, by Duncan P. McKinnon (Editor), Jeffrey S. Girard (Editor), Timothy K. Perttula (Editor), Chase Earles (Contributor), – February 10, 2021
BBC, Spiro Mounds: North America's lost civilisation By Larry Bleiberg, 21st June 2021
Recovering Ancient Spiro Native American Art, Ritual, and Cosmic Renewal, Edited by Eric D. Singleton and F. Kent Reilly III, 2021
New Methods and Theories for Analyzing Mississippian Imagery, (COVER IMAGE ONLY), Bretton T. Giles (Editor), Shawn P. Lambert (Editor) , 2021
Echoes of Culture: The Art and Artifacts Speak, Museum of the Red River, 2017.
First American Art The Artistic Legacy of Spiro Mounds,Summer No.15, 2017.
Journal of Northeast Texas Archaeology,Vol. 54. 2015
Peering Through the Sands of Time,iBook, AmaTerra Environtmental. 2015
Archaeological Investigations at the Kitchen Branch, B.J. Horton, and Keering Sites.,Timothy K. Perttula et. al., AmaTerra Environmental Inc. 21014.
Caddo Archeology Journal,Vol 22., Stephen F Austin University Press, 2012

PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND AFFILIATIONS

OKPAN, Oklahoma Public Archaeology Network, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021
ONABA Oklahoma Native American Basketweavers Association, 2016
Caddo Conference Organization Nomination Committee 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017
Caddo Heritage Museum Board of Trustees 2012, 2013, 2014
SEIAA Southeastern Indian Artists Association, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
SWAIA Southwest Association for Indian Arts, 2012, 2013, 2014

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

Tunica-Biloxi Tribe Pottery Revival Class, Markesville, LA, 2022
UCA Artist Residency, Caddo Pottery & Firing, Conway, AR, 2022
Traditional Caddo Pottery & History Lecture, Tarrant County College, Fort Worth, 2021
Traditional Caddo Pottery Class, National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum , OKC, 2021
Traditional Caddo Cooking, National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum , OKC, 2021
Contemporary Native Art, Chickasaw Nation, Ada, OK 2021
Caddo History and Pottery Lecture, Shiloh Museum, AR, 2021
Caddo Pottery and History, Texas A&M, TX, 2020
Ancestral Caddo Pottery Class, Ada, OK, July 2018.
Caddo Culture Days, Traditional cooking demonstration and full hands on traditional pottery class and pitfire, Caddo Mounds SHS, Alto, TX, 2018.
Cherokee Art Market, Demonstration, Tulsa, OK, 2016.
Caddo Mounds Teachers Workshop, Full traditional Caddo pottery class, Alto, TX, 2016.
Natchitoches Folk Festival, NSULA, Narrative and Discussion Panel, Natchitoches, LA, 2016.
Texian Heritage Festival, Demonstration, Montgomery, TX, 2015.
Cherokee Art Market, Demonstration, Tulsa, OK, 2015.
Traditional Caddo Pottery Series: Clay Making, Gathering, Pottery Making, and Pit-Firing, Chase Earles House, OK, 2014.
Traditional Caddo Pottery Series: Clay Making & Gathering, Caddo Nation Headquarters, Binger, OK 2013
Ancient Native Clay, East Central University, Ada, OK 2013
Caddo Pottery Conversation, Jacobson House, Norman, OK 2012
First Annual Caddo Pitfire, Caddo Headquarters, Binger, OK 2012
Caddo Potterymaking, Museum of the Red River, Idabel,OK 2011
Indian Arts and Crafts Act, CCO, Fort Smith, AR 2011

CONSULTING

Caddo Mounds SHS, TXDOT, Caddo Basket Revival Project, 2021,2022,2023
Gilcrease Museum, Southeastern Native Art, Caddo Culture exhibit, 2020,2021,2022
Caddo Mounds SHS, Virtual Experience site, Alto, TX, 2020, 2021, 2022
Gilcrease Museum, Tulsa, OK. Native Artist collections cataloguing, 2017.
Texas Department of Transportation TXDOT, AmaTerra Environmental, Inc. Experimental archaeology project supporting Kitchen Brand site. 2014.