List of Native American artists

This is a list of visual artists who are Native Americans in the United States. The Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990 defines "Native American" as being enrolled in either federally recognized tribes or state recognized tribes or "an individual certified as an Indian artisan by an Indian Tribe."^[1] This does not include non-Native American artists using Native American themes. Additions to the list need to reference a recognized, documented source and specifically name tribal affiliation according to federal and state lists. Indigenous American artists outside the United States can be found at List of indigenous artists of the Americas.

Basket makers

Beadwork and quillwork artists

Ceramic artists and potters

Diverse cultural artists

David Moses Bridges (Passamaquoddy, 1962–2017), birchbark artist, canoe maker
Nora Thompson Dean (Touching Leaves Woman, Delaware), (1907–1984)
Ishi, Yahi (ca. 1860–1916), bowmaker and flintknapper
Vanessa Jennings, Kiowa/Kiowa Apache/Gila River Pima (born 1952)
Tomah Joseph (Passamaquoddy, 1837–1914), birchbark artist, canoe maker
Charles Littleleaf, Blackfoot/Warm Springs, flute maker
Tom Mauchahty-Ware, Kiowa-/Comanche, flute maker
Scarface Charley, Modoc (ca. 1851–1896), linguist and furniture-maker
Hastings Shade, Cherokee Nation, marble- and gig-maker
Tommy Wildcat, Cherokee Nation, flute and rattle maker

Fashion designers

Glass artists

Installation and new genres artists

Metalsmiths and jewelers

Mixed-media artists

Painters

Performance artists

Photographers

Printmakers

Sculptors

Textile artists

Woodcarvers

Notes

^ "The Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990". Indian Arts and Crafts Board. US Department of the Interior. Archived from the original on January 6, 2019.
^ Ahtoneharjo-Growingthunder, Tahnee (Fall 2017). "Seven Directions". First American Art Magazine (16): 16–17. Retrieved February 17, 2019.
^ Goins, Charles Robert; Goble, Danney (2006). Historical Atlas of Oklahoma. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press. p. 249. ISBN 978-0-8061-3482-6 – via Google Books.
^ "Fine Art and Outsiders: Attacking the Barriers". The New York Times. February 9, 1996. Retrieved June 6, 2017.
^ "Rhonda Holy Bear". Philbrook Museum of Art. Retrieved October 21, 2024.
^ Martin, Karen (September 8, 2019). "Reviving an artistic tradition". Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette. Retrieved December 28, 2024.
^ ^a ^b Deats, Suzanne; Leaken, Kitty (2012). Contemporary Native American Artists. Gibbs Smith. ISBN 978-1-4236-0559-1. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
^ Belarde-Lewis, Miranda (2019). Preston Singletary: Raven and the Box of Daylight. Museum of Glass. ISBN 9780972664950.
^ "Women & Horses". National Museum of the American Indian. Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
^ ^a ^b Witt, D (2003). "Three Taos Pueblo Painters". Traditional Fine Art Online, Inc. Archived from the original on July 3, 2011. Retrieved May 30, 2011.
^ "Native and Indigenous Art". Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
^ "Quincy Tahoma". AskArt.
^ Lester, p. 443
^ "Hitéemlkiliiksix "Within the Circle of the Rim"". Archived from the original on August 17, 2016.

References

Everet, Deborah and Zorn, Elaine. "Encyclopedia of Native American Art". Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2008 ISBN 978-0-313-33762-8
Lester, Patrick D. The Biographical Directory of Native American Painters. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1995. ISBN 0-8061-9936-9.
W. Jackson Rushing III. "Native American Art in the Twentieth Century". London and New York: Routledge, 1999. ISBN 0-415-13747-0
Yohe, Jill Ahlberg and Reeves, Teri. "Hearts of Our People". Minneapolis Institute of Art, 2019 ISBN 9780295745794

External links

[1] "The Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990". Indian Arts and Crafts Board. US Department of the Interior. Archived from the original on January 6, 2019.

[2] Ahtoneharjo-Growingthunder, Tahnee (Fall 2017). "Seven Directions". First American Art Magazine (16): 16–17. Retrieved February 17, 2019.

[3] Goins, Charles Robert; Goble, Danney (2006). Historical Atlas of Oklahoma. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press. p. 249. ISBN 978-0-8061-3482-6 – via Google Books.

[4] "Fine Art and Outsiders: Attacking the Barriers". The New York Times. February 9, 1996. Retrieved June 6, 2017.

[5] "Rhonda Holy Bear". Philbrook Museum of Art. Retrieved October 21, 2024.

[6] Martin, Karen (September 8, 2019). "Reviving an artistic tradition". Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette. Retrieved December 28, 2024.

[Deats-7] Deats, Suzanne; Leaken, Kitty (2012). Contemporary Native American Artists. Gibbs Smith. ISBN 978-1-4236-0559-1. Retrieved April 3, 2025.

[Singletary-8] Belarde-Lewis, Miranda (2019). Preston Singletary: Raven and the Box of Daylight. Museum of Glass. ISBN 9780972664950.

[9] "Women & Horses". National Museum of the American Indian. Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved October 4, 2021.

[ThreeTPP-10] Witt, D (2003). "Three Taos Pueblo Painters". Traditional Fine Art Online, Inc. Archived from the original on July 3, 2011. Retrieved May 30, 2011.

[SI-11] "Native and Indigenous Art". Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved April 3, 2025.

[12] "Quincy Tahoma". AskArt.

[13] Lester, p. 443

[14] "Hitéemlkiliiksix "Within the Circle of the Rim"". Archived from the original on August 17, 2016.

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