Master Artist Benjamin Harjo Jr. of Oklahoma City said his inspiration for art can come from anywhere — clouds, dirt smudges and rocks.

His idea for his entry in the Masters Art Show at the Five Civilized Tribes Museum this year was a piece of plastic given to him by someone who heard him speak in Santa Fe, N.M.

“That’s the nature of creativity,” he said.

Harjo and other Master Artists will attend the opening reception of the show at 7 p.m. Saturday in the museum art gallery. Everyone is welcome.

This year’s show will be in memory of Marie Wadley, a founding member of the museum.

“Marie spent her life in service to others with a major focus on the lives of the American Indians,” said Mary Robinson, executive director, of the museum.

Since 1973 this show has been annual event at the museum. The title “Master Artist” is awarded to an artist that has studied and achieved acclaim from the world, is well-established in their career and has demand and sales for their work. The artist’s work must reflect the culture and heritage of the Five Civilized Tribes — Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Muscogee (Creek) and Seminole, Robinson said.

The show features 38 paintings and five sculptures. It was judged by W. Jackson Rushing III, a professor of art history at the University of Oklahoma. He is Adkins Presidential Professor of Art History and Mary Lou Miner Carver chair of Native American Art.

Rushing, originally from Texas, has been at OU 18 months. This was his first visit to the museum.

“It was charming I would say,” he said. “It certainly is a place where you feel an aura of history.

“I had a good time. It was a real honor for me to be there. It’s nice to know Native art is healthy and thriving.”

The show has a mix of there abstract works, and representational works — some more traditional, some more contemporary, he said.

Harjo said his one entry, “Thunder Bringer,” a gouache, is an image of his concept of a turtle in geometrics and color. A Seminole, Harjo said art is what he was born to do and he is honored to be a Master Artist. This show is one of seven he participates in each year across the country like Arizona, California, Kansas and New Mexico. Harjo will attend the opening reception Saturday.

“There are so many things I see that I won’t be able to put down all of them and paint in my lifetime,” he said.

Rushing said there is a lot of good work in the show and feels a little funny about those artists that don’t get recognized because all are so good.

“I felt pretty good about the things that did get awards in terms of their quality and importance.”



If you go

WHAT: Masters Art Show.

WHEN: 7 p.m. Saturday, opening reception, with the show continuing through November.

WHERE: Five Civilized Tribes Museum, 1101 Honor Heights Drive.

THE ARTISTS: Troy Anderson of Siloam Springs, Ark., Joan Brown of Fort Gibson, Gary France of Edmond, Benjamin Harjo Jr. of Oklahoma City, Joan Hill of Muskogee, Norma Howard of Stigler, Murv Jacob of Tahlequah, Gwen Coleman Lester of Claremore, Gary Montgomery of Shawnee, Bill Rabbit of Pryor, Skip Rowell of Haywood, Bert Seabourn of Warr Acres, Jimmie Carole Fife Stewart of Washington, Jason Stone of Locust Grove, Dorothy Sullivan of Norman, and Dana Tiger of Muskogee.

SPONSORS: Oklahoma Arts Council and National Endowment for the Arts, Love Bottling Co. and the Muskogee Phoenix.

INFORMATION: 683-1701, fivetribes.org or e-mail 5civilizedtribes@sbcglobal.net.