Healing through art: Conversations with Muscogee Nation artists on the healing power of their art

TulsaPeople Magazine

Welcome to Tulsa Talks presented by Tulsa Regional Chamber. I’m your host Tim Landes.

Long before I returned to journalism, I worked for my tribe, Cherokee Nation, for a decade. It was there I helped do media relations for Cherokee Casinos and Cherokee Nation Cultural Tourism. It was in that role I learned about the importance of the art. We’re storytellers because up until Sequoyah created the syllabary, the only way to share history was through stories and art. Even with the written language this continues. Over the last 15 years, Cherokee Nation has invested heavily in art. It’s actually a Cherokee Nation law that every construction project must incorporate art into the budget.

That’s not the case for Muscogee Nation. When the tribe acquired the Cancer Treatment Center and turned it into Council Oak Comprehensive Healthcare, they inherited a massive new facility that would help revolutionize health care for the tribe and open its doors for all area tribal citizens. The team behind the hospital saw an opportunity to not only provide medical treatment, but also help folks heal through art.

Under the curation of Osage Nation citizen Julie O’Keefe, who had helped Bacone College with their Acee Blue Eagle Collection, the tribe purchased and commissioned art from over 30 artists, which has resulted in dozens of pieces of art of all kinds hanging throughout the hospital campus, including some from Yatika Fields and outside in the courtyard, where Kenneth Johnson is creating his largest sculpture to date.

I wrote about this for a feature that is in our May issue of the magazine. I love this story, but due to space limitations I couldn’t share all I wanted to from the artists. This is often the case, sadly. Ask any journalist about the content piled on the cutting room floor and they might cry. That said, I realized I had an opportunity to share more from the artists on how important this project has been to them.

Something else that sometimes happens is an interview opportunity comes up after the story goes to press. In this case, hospital officials purchased a painting from legendary Muscogee Nation artist Dana Tiger. She calls the painting her masterpiece. When I learned the tribe had purchased the painting, I jumped at the chance to head down the turnpike to Muskogee to visit with Dana about her art.
First up is Yatika Fields, who is a Muscogee Nation citizen and Cherokee and Osage. He’s also a Tulsa Artist Fellow. The health care center acquired many of his paintings and commissioned him to paint his largest to date. He talks about how important it is, but also how there’s also the need for more public walls to showcase Native art.
Second is Kenneth Johnson is a sculptor, who resides in Santa Fe. He’s logged many miles driving back and forth to work on his courtyard installation, which it turns out has been a family affair.
I close with Dana Tiger, who I recently spent time with in her Muskogee studio, where she beamed with pride as she showed me her children’s artwork, which continues a family tradition that began with her late father.

Dana was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 1999, but she hasn’t let that slow her down. It means a lot that she took the time to talk to me, and I’m thrilled to share it with you on this episode. A note: you might notice cameos by one or two of her studio cats during the conversation.