Beyond the Art

Prepare to step into the world of Native American fashion with our guest, Loren Aragon. Hailing from the Acoma Pueblo Tribe of Indians, Loren is an accomplished fashion designer who has successfully utilized his engineering background to redefine traditional art in the modern fashion industry. This episode encapsulates his inspiring journey, highlighting his transition from an engineer to a jewelr...

What happens when Indigenous art, community, and entrepreneurship collide? Join us in the inspiring tale of Relative Arts, a unique shop born from the vision of Liana Shewey and Korina Emmerich, proud citizens of the Muscogee Nation and the Pellup. Their mission is to create a vibrant space where Indigenous artists across Turtle Island can display their work, share stories, and uplift each other....

Embark with us on a remarkable journey into the world of Mahota Textiles, the first tribally owned commercial textile company in the US. This episode promises to take you through the inspiring journey of Joanna John and Bethany McCord, who transformed a simple idea into a successful business. Governed by the support of Chickasaw Governor Bill Anoatubby and the Chickasaw Shark Tank, they started wi...

Join us on a captivating journey with Dustin Mater, a Chickasaw Nation citizen, and a remarkable multimedia artist. Our conversation delves into Dustin's creative voyage filled with stories from his elders, a unique fusion of traditional Southeastern culture with modern design aesthetics, and an exploration into the 'Southeastern Renaissance'. We learn about Dustin's unique perspective of his comm...

Get ready to immerse yourself in an inspiring conversation with Bobby C Martin, a Muskogee Creek Nation citizen, renowned printmaker, and visual arts professor. Listen in as he traces his artistic journey, transitioning from a starving musician to a starving artist, selling his recording studio, and going back to school to get his grad degree. Bobby shares his insights on the evolution of Native A...

As we journey alongside the inspiring Heather Johnston, a determined Unangan (Aleut)/Alutiiq ledger artist, we get a glimpse into her unique creative process and the experiences that shaped her approach to art. Reflecting her rich Native American heritage, Heather's artwork beautifully amalgamates traditional practices with her distinct style, as she transforms antique maps into storytelling canva...

You'll be captivated by our conversation with Awanigiizhik Bruce, an artist of the Turtle Mountain Chippewa, as he takes us on a journey through his multifaceted artistry. From an early age, Bruce immersed himself in various mediums like painting, quill work, beadwork, and jewelry making, inspired by his father and mentors like Terence Green. We unearth his introduction to Ledger Art, the heart of...

Join us for a captivating conversation with Kenneth Johnson, a citizen of the Muscogee Nation and a renowned jeweler, sculptor, and designer. Kenneth shares his compelling journey from growing up in Oklahoma at Indian boarding schools, discovering his passion for art, to making a successful living out of it for over three decades. Listen in as he opens up about the struggles and triumphs of being...

Meet Danielle SeeWalker, a remarkable artist and a proud citizen of the Standing Rock Sioux Nation. Danielle's art, which she beautifully describes as a visual diary, is deeply rooted in her rich heritage and inspired by the stories and experiences of her ancestors. In this riveting episode, we journey through Danielle's artistic process, from her initial examination of old photographs to the fini...

From the heart-warming stories of his childhood where comic books and cartoons sparked his artistic imagination, to his transformation into a prolific artist skilled in diverse forms - oil painting, printmaking, enamels, muralism, and graphics - we invite you to join us in a captivating conversation with the remarkable Native American artist, Daniel McCoy, Jr.. A proud citizen of the Potawatomi an...

Are you ready to be inspired? Join me as I sit down with Elias Jade Not Afraid, a self-taught bead and ledger artist of the Crow Nation. Our conversation traverses his challenging journey from battling addiction to honing his passion for art, all while growing up on the Crow Indian Reservation in Montana. We explore Elias’s transformative journey, along with his creative process, and the unique me...

What happens when the rich tapestry of Native American art meets a unique platform that fosters collaboration, diversity, and community? We've got the answers for you in this awe-inspiring conversation with Kristin Gentry, Tom Farris, and Natalie Standingcloud of the Collective Wisdom, a traveling exhibition that showcases the talents of first American artists. Join us as we dive headfirst into th...

Prepare to step into the vivid, dream-inspired world of the remarkable Johnnie Diacon, a citizen of the Muskogee Creek Nation and an artist who has been painting dreams since his childhood. How does Johnnie's distinct Muskogee identity shape his art? How can a flash of the Northern Lights or the whisper of a summer breeze infuse into a masterpiece? Listen in as Johnnie offers a unique insight into...

In this engaging episode of Beyond The Art, we're joined by Isaiah Stewart, a talented artist and citizen of the Oglala Lakota and Mohawk Tribes. Isaiah shares his journey as an artist, from growing up watching his father work as a full-time artist to discovering his own unique style. Listen in as Isaiah discusses the influence of Native Western art on his work and how his father's passion for ill...

What does it truly mean to carry on a legacy through art? Join us as we welcome Cherokee Nation citizen and second-generation artist Traci Rabbit, who shares her inspiring journey of following in her late father's footsteps to becoming a respected Native American artist. Traci reveals how her father's artistic influence, along with powerful Native American women like Wilma Man Killer, Joan Hill, a...

Join us for an enriching conversation with the incredibly talented Nacona Burgess, as we explore his remarkable journey as a Native American artist and the power of storytelling through his paintings. Hailing from Oklahoma, Nacona takes us through his experiences growing up around the country, how it shaped his understanding of different tribes, and the unique approach he takes to create his art,...

On this episode of Beyond the Art, our host Cray is joined by Evans Flammond Sr., a Rose Bud Sioux citizen and artist, their conversation centers around Evans' specialization in ledger art and painted robes, featuring majestic animals like buffalo, elk, wolf, and deer, as well as ceremonial reproductions. He stresses the importance of honing a variety of artistic skills to cater to diverse custome...

In this podcast, Cray interviews John Lukavic, the Andrew W. Mellon Curator of Native Arts and head of the Native Arts Department at the Denver Art Museum. John explains that his department includes indigenous arts of North America, arts of Africa, and arts of Oceania, but they are kept separate to maintain their identity. His primary focus is on indigenous arts of North America, and he emphasizes...

In this episode of Beyond the Art, Cray is joined by artist Lisa Rutherford. Lisa Rutherford is a Cherokee artist with the Cherokee Nation who creates traditional pottery, textiles, and historic clothing. She initially became interested in art through her grandmother's oil paintings and took her first art class in high school. Her interest in traditional Cherokee pottery was reignited in 2004 when...

This week on Beyond the Art, host Cray Bauxmont-Flynn Flynn meets with Navajo Nation citizen Amber Dubois Shepherd. Ambers gives us an insight on how she grew up in a home immersed with the different Native American tribal cultures and languages, her mother’s people, the Navajo, as well as her father’s people, the Sac & Fox and Prairie Band Potawatomi. Amber’s own artistic path has given her t...

In this Episode, Cray interviews George Alexander, an artist who started drawing his favorite cartoon characters at a young age. George highlights the challenges of transitioning to a new environment and finding one's place in it. It also shows how unexpected circumstances can shape one's path in life, and discusses his journey to becoming an artist. While George is a citizen of the Muskogee Creek...

In this episode of Beyond the Art, Cray speaks with Julie O'Keefe. Julie is a citizen of the Osage Nation and a curator and product designer. She is currently working on a large project for the Muskogee Creek Nation, which involves incorporating the history of the Bacone art movement and telling a contemporary story of the migration to the Council Oak. She is working with about 50 artists to tell...

On this episode of Beyond the Art, Cray is joined by fifth-generation basket maker, Kelly Church. Kelly is a member of the Gun Lake Band in Michigan and a Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Ojibwe descendent.  In this conversation, Kelly talks about the Native American art world, her experiences with art, and her eye for selecting the best black ash tree to provide the best mate...

In this episode, host Cray interviews artist Bryan Waytula, a citizen of the Cherokee Nation. The conversation revolves around Bryan’s experiences, heritage, cultural background, and the interpretation of Native American art. Cherokee culture played an important role in his upbringing, as both his grandmother and mother are Cherokee National Treasurers in basketry, and taught him the craft at a ve...

Welcome to the second episode of Beyond the Art where our host, Cray speaks with Karen Ann Hoffman. Karen Ann is a raised beadwork artist from the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin. They talk about her 25 years in beadwork, how it connects to her mission to stay connected to her cultural past and how she is preparing the way for future generations of artists. To find out more about Karen Ann Hoffman, vis...