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Indigenous Appalachia Artists

Meet the Artists

Nadema Agard

Nadema Agard

Lakota/Powhatan

“My work as an artist has an individual style and a cosmic subject. It has a global agenda from an Indigenous perspective. It is the interconnection of me as a woman, mother, native person, spiritual being, and warrior.

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Connor Alexander

Connor Alexander

Cherokee Nation

"There are hundreds of years of colonialism to untangle. That’s partly why I had to set the fracture in our timelines so far in the past ... One of the biggest gaps I saw was a lack of representation for Native Americans ... “

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Erin Lee Antonak

Erin Lee Antonak

Oneida Indian Nation

"My artwork is a portrait of what it is to be a modern Iroquois woman and claims my place in the great chain of Iroquois women before and after me."

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Kayln Barnoski

Kayln Barnoski

Cherokee

"My work is about being in relationwith others and learning alongside others in a time when we have been separated from human interaction, but have desperately needed it ... I invite you to share experiences and learn alongside me.”

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April Branham

April Branham

Monacan

"My brushstrokes mimic the movement of the fringe, and the strong lines and angles used are inspired by the mountains where I grew up. I prefer using acrylic paints for my works because of the vibrant colors available."

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Ethan Brown

Ethan Brown

Pamunkey

“I take an organic, intuitive approach to creating my artwork, exploring both my personal mythology as well as my cultural Pamunkey heritage through a mixture of traditional and contemporary techniques and materials."

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Annette Clapsaddle

Annette Clapsaddle

Cherokee

"By exploring more deeply why dream catchers became so entrenched in this region, I have learned to better understand the underlying message. I’m also learning to quell personal suspicion of misappropriation."

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Robert D’Alimonte

Robert D’Alimonte

Tuscarora

“As an artist, I try to create works that demonstrate the beauty and significance of our culture. The teachings embedded within our culture are just as relevant today as they were when they were conceived."

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Brent Michael Davids

Brent Michael Davids

Mohican

"What has this dedicated and fluky life brought me? I would love to say wisdom, but my director’s cut would be more akin to a staggering reconnoiter than acquired illumination."

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John Gritts

John Gritts

Cherokee

“My work is a subtle statement about unfinished promises with unfinished work in my drawings, along with Native American mascots. As an artist I want viewers to study my work closely to find my messages.”

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Benjamin Harjo, Jr.

Benjamin Harjo, Jr.

Absentee Shawnee

"My creations draw inspiration from many sources like my life experiences, history, and legends of many nations, oral traditions, and an ability to see the deeper details and patterns in nature."

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Yonavea Hawkins

Yonavea Hawkins

Delaware

"My work is a combination of contemporary and traditional because of the materials used, the design elements and to the construction of the finished work."

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Antoinette (Toni) Scott

Antoinette (Toni) Scott

Iroquois-Seneca Nation

"My interest centers around the 1800’s, when trade was welcomed between the settlers and my people. This introduced glass seed beads, cotton and wool materials, and silver; traded for furs, leathers, and wampum."

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Rosy Simas

Rosy Simas

Seneca Nation

“The culture, history, and identity stored in my body is the underpinning of all my work. Creating is a spiritual act for me, rooted in nature, formed through my link to my ancestors and the land of which we are made.”

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Amelia Winger-Bearskin

Amelia Winger-Bearskin

Seneca-Cayuga

“My job as an artist is to think of a world...where we believe that the world is a beautiful place that’s deeply deserving of our honor and our protection and our love and our joy."

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