Four Native American artists to be showcased at University of Arkansas

University of Arkansas to showcase Native American artwork
University of Arkansas to showcase Native American artwork | Courtesy of Shutterstock
The Mullins Library at the University of Arkansas will be displaying paintings from four Native American artists from different tribes.

The paintings in the exhibit, which is titled "Ancient Visions and Contemporary Voices: Paintings from Indian Country," will be on display until Jan. 10, 2017. 

Kai Humeyestewa, who is from Kykotsmovi, is a senior at Hopi High School and a gifted, self-taught artist. He is a member of the Coyote Clan of Hopi and has been recognized for his artistic work. In 2016, Humeyestewa was granted the 2016 Head Museum Guild's first-place prize.

Another artist, Johnnie Diacon, studied at Bacone College in Muskogee, Oklahoma, Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and the University of Arkansas. He is a member of the Mvskoke nation of Oklahoma and two other clans.

In an interview, Diacon explained his approach to art. 

"By exploring the traditional stories and life ways of the Mvskoke in an artistic form that can be appreciated by both native and non-native alike, I hope to nurture an understanding between cultures," he said. 

Bi Stepp Jr. attended the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe and Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford. He looks to the past for a commentary on the present and is connected to the Red Moon community of the Southern Cheyenne nation, as well as the Oak Ridge community of the Cherokee nation. 

Finally, J. NiCole Hatfield is an artist who looks to historical photographs for her own creations. She attended the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe. 

This exhibit at the University of Arkansas is part of "Explore Native American Storytelling through Arts, Literature, and Culture."