In her paintings, Chickasaw and Muscogee artist Danielle Fixico uses a combination of symbols and materials from her southeastern heritage to raise awareness of women’s issues in First American communities.
In a Chickasaw Nation newsletter, she expressed her belief that education is vital for a successful education and noted that her career goal is to become a professor in the College of the Muscogee Nation, where she will work to inspire her students to change the world and make it a better place for later generations.
Works by Danielle, currently a second-year master of fine arts candidate in painting at the University of Oklahoma, and three other First American women from various tribes—all of whom are native to Oklahoma—are currently featured in a compelling exhibition at Exhibit C Gallery, located in Oklahoma City’s Bricktown district.
Heartwork: Artistry by Modern First American Women, which continues through Oct. 31, also features the work of Natalie Miller, Amber L. DuBoise-Shepherd and Joyce Nevequaya-Harris.
“This exhibit highlights the unique perspectives and stories of First American women,” said Paige Williams Shepherd, director of corporate development, for the Chickasaw Nation. “Their art is an important cultural lens we’re fortunate to promote at Exhibit C.”
Also featured in the Heartwork exhibition:
Joyce Nevaquaya-Harris
As a young girl, Joyce, who is enrolled with the Comanche Nation and is a descendant of the Chickasaw, Choctaw and Crow Nations, was surrounded by art and artists, including her late father, the renowned Doc Tate Nevaquaya, a self-taught artist and native flute revivalist. Joyce said that she often thinks of her dad when immersed in her art and is drawn to the use of color, often painting subjects and designs on a single canvas.
Natalie Miller
Best known for her work with acrylics, Natalie’svibrant use of color on canvas explores linear abstractions, bold color combinations and a playful colliding of geometric forms. Her innate ability to manage color tone stems from more than a decade of working professionally in graphic and textile design. Her visual journey connects her past with her present, drawing from early and contemporary textiles, like ribbon skirts, and is inspired by her natural attraction to saturated colors. Natalie is a Chickasaw artist and an alumna of Oklahoma Christian University.
Amber L. DuBoise-Shepherd
Depicting experiences from her daily life, Amber’s drawings and paintings are her interpretation of the world around her as seen through the lens of her First American heritage and traditions. With a blend of different First American cultures, including Navajo, Sac and Fox and Prairie Band Potawatomi, her parents taught Amber and her siblings the family’s tribal cultures and spiritual ways. She now draws upon this in her art using oils as well as pen and ink to bridge traditional First American subjects with contemporary styles. Amber is a graduate of Oklahoma State University and is a member of the Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition, where she was a Spotlight Artist in 2021.
About Exhibit C Gallery
At Exhibit C, visitors can explore a diversity of arts and culture from First American artists, Chickasaw cultural items and new featured exhibits that are unveiled every four months. The gallery is located at 1 E. Sheridan Ave. in Oklahoma City and is open daily from 9 a.m.–6 p.m. For more information, call 405.767.8900 or visit online at exhibitcgallery.com
The gallery displays works of numerous artists from the Chickasaw and southeastern tribes and artists from across Indian Country. Exhibit C Gallery continues the vision of raising awareness of the many cultural experiences in Oklahoma set forth by Chickasaw Nation Gov. Bill Anoatubby.
