Celebrating Native American Art

National Native American Heritage Month is celebrated every November so that we can recognize and honor the rich cultures, traditions , and histories of indigenous people in the United States--all Native Americans, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and any affiliated Island communities. Officially signed into law in 1990 by former president George H. W. Bush, the bill read in part that, "The President has authorized and requested to call upon Federal, State and local Governments, groups and organizations and the people of the United States to observe such month with appropriate programs, ceremonies and activities." So, in recognition and celebration of this month, here are 10 well-known Native American artists that you should know about. You can view an example of their artwork, as well as a few facts about each of them below!

#1 Kay Walking Stick(Cherokee)

Kay Walking Stick(1935-present) is a Native American landscape artist, whose works are mostly oil paintings on wood panels. In her artwork, she includes patterns based on Southwest American Indian rugs and pottery. She was a professor in the art department at Cornell University, where she taught painting and drawing. In 1983, she received a National Endowment for the Arts grant to pursue her work. Her paintings are in several museums such as, the Heard Museum, the National Museum of the American Indian, and The Smithsonian American Art Museum. She also created the landscape painting at the beginning of this blog, entitled, Salt River Canyon, in 2016.

New Mexico Desert, 2011, oil on wood panel

#2. George Morrison(Ojibwa)

George Morrison(1919-2000) created paintings, drawings, prints, and sculptures using various mediums. His artworks were mostly abstract in subject matter. He was born in Chippewa City, Minnesota and spent most of his early life in Minnesota. Several years after he graduated from college, he was awarded a Fulbright scholarship and studied in Paris. From 1963-1970, he taught at the Rhode Island School of Design, and then taught American Indian Studies and art at the University of Minnesota from 1970 until he retired in 1983. In 2022, the United States Postal Service released a stamp series featuring some of his paintings.

Lake Superior Landscape, 1981, acrylic on canvas

#3. Maria Martinez(Tewa)

Maria Martinez(1887-1980) was from the San Ildefonso Pueblo in New Mexico. She was an artist known for her pottery, especially her black-ware, which she and her husband revived from an ancient process for making the all black pottery. Her pottery has sold at auctions for as much as $225,000, and some of her pieces are in the White House collection. She is considered to be one of the greatest Native American artists of the 20th century.

Storage Jar, ca. 1940, polished blackware pottery with matte paint

#4 R. C. Gorman(Navajo)

Rudolph Carl Gorman(1931-2005) was often referred to as "the Picasso" of American artists. His artworks are well-known all around the world. They are mostly of Native American women, with vibrant colors and fluid brushstrokes. He had a 42 year art career, in which he produced over 500 lithographic works, at least 28 bronze sculptures, and an unknown number of drawings, paintings, and sketches. In 1989, he received New Mexico's Governor's Award. His work is in many museums, such as the Santa Fe Fine Arts Museum, the National Museum of the American Indian, and the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

Pottery Keeper St. I, 1977, stone lithograph(original medium)

#5 Truman Lowe(Ho-Chunk-Winnebago)

Truman Lowe(1944-2019) was an American sculptor and installation artist. He grew up in Black River Falls, Wisconsin. During the 1960's in his late teens, he worked at the Wisconsin Dells. He became a professor of art at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he taught for 25 years, from 1995 to 2010, when he retired. He received numerous awards and honors, including the Wisconsin Visual Art Lifetime Achievement Award, a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship, as well as UW-Madison's Distinguished Alumni Award. He art is in many museums both nationally and internationally.

Inne-che-ru-he(Stone Wall), from The Canyon Series, 1995, chalk on paper, willow branches

#6 Harry Whitehorse(Ho-Chunk)

Harry Whitehorse(1927-2017) was born in Black River Falls, Wisconsin. After military service during WWII, he pursued a career in art. However, during most of his life, he owned and operated Chief Auto Body in Monona, WI. In 1980, he started carving birds and animals from wood as a hobby and began selling them for private commissions. His work is in many major museums, as well as in public art venues. The Harry Whitehorse International Wood Sculpture Festival is held biannually in his honor.

Superior Spirits, 1998, yellow birch carving

#7 Dyani White Hawk(Lakota)

Dyani White Hawk(1976-present) is an American contemporary artist. She was born in Madison, Wisconsin and graduated from the University of Wisconsin with an MFA in studio arts. Her work is mostly modern abstract painting, but incorporates touches of traditional Lakota art. The piece shown below, Visiting, is a 10 foot tower of woven glass beads, created by Dyani, and beaded with the help of community members.

Visiting, 2024, acrylic, glass bugle beads, thread, aluminum, quartz base

#8. Fritz Scholder(Luiseno)

Fritz Scholder(1937-2005) was a Native American artist who produced paintings, lithographs, and sculptures. He was born in Breckenridge, Minnesota, and graduated from Ashland High School in Wisconsin in 1952. He taught at the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe in the late 1960's. He has had several solo art exhibits, and his works are in various museums including, the National Portrait Gallery, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

White Buffalo Ceremony, 1972, acrylic on canvas

#9 Rose B. Simpson(Tewa)

Rose B. Simpson(1983-present) is a mixed media and sculpture artist known for her large-scale installation pieces. She was born in the Santa Clara Pueblo in New Mexico. In 2024-25, she had her first solo exhibit entitled, Strata, at the Cleveland Museum of Art, which featured many 25 foot tall figural sculptures. Her work has been in several museums including, the Denver Art Museum, the Whitney Museum of American Art, and the Heard Museum.

Sentinel in Bronze 1, 2023, bronze

#10 Raven Halfmoon(Caddo Nation)

Raven Halfmoon(1991-present) was born in Norman, Oklahoma. While in college at the University of Arkansas, she studied cultural anthropology, ceramics, and painting. She is known for her powerful, oversized ceramic sculptures--some being up to 6 feet tall. Over the last few years, her solo exhibit, Flags of Our Mothers, has been in several museums in the U.S., and many of her artworks have been recognized internationally.

Four Doors of Prayer, 2022, clay, glaze

If you would like to learn more about this special month, click the link provided to view Google Arts & Culture's, 10 Ways to Celebrate Native American Heritage Month.