kristin gentry HOMMA LAKNA 2023 Kristin Gentry registered member of Choctaw Nation of elements. Nature is both a blend of the structured and Oklahoma and Choctaw Nation Artist Registry, spontaneous. I emphasize nature’s in昀氀uence by showing A Kristin Gentry was born in Tvlse, which means the 昀氀oral patterns from traditional clothing and adapting “Tulsa” in the Choctaw language. Gentry is a writer, it into new patterns, compositions, and concepts. Through curator, painter, printmaker, and photographer. As a this stylistic approach, my work honors my culture that professional visual artist, she works in the areas of is found in nature-based customs and traditions. I look relief and monotype printmaking, painting, jewelry, and at our designs and research how they have transformed photography. She often photographs families in their or remained unchanged to today. I also research the tribal regalia, and she creates designs and patterns from in昀氀uence of tribal agrarian history of garden produce traditional clothing in her painting and prints. and pollination for crops’ in昀氀uence on Native American Drawing, sketching, and writing since she can art and clothing. I look to show both the micro and remember, Gentry grew up in the arts. Her father was macro views of our dances, and incorporate the circular an architectural draftsman and her mother was a movements throughout pieces. Through my art I explore news editor and writer. Her parents and grandparents how the symbolic meanings of the design in昀氀uence participated in art markets. our cultural traditions today and in昀氀uence our larger Gentry earned her bachelor’s degree in 昀椀ne arts from communities.” Oklahoma State University, in addition to her master’s Using her art, Gentry is passionate about creating degree in Native American Leadership. She worked as a different ways to preserve the traditional Southwestern full-time elementary and high school 昀椀ne arts educator tribal culture of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, and to in Stillwater, and then helped open the FAMstore for the educate and restore the beauty of her people’s journey to 昀椀rst two years at First Americans Museum in Oklahoma where they are as Chahta Okla, or “Choctaw People,” today. City. She is now the director of Community Engagement “Through my art, I continue to 昀椀nd more of my for Native Realities at First Americans Museum and she cultural identity as a Chahta Ohoyo, or ‘Choctaw Woman,’ directs the Indigenous Pop X Pop Culture Convention. and Ishki, or ‘Mother.’ I strive to be the voice for “I stylistically form nature in a way that is in contrast indigenous artists when there is none, and even more so to the way many artists rely on realistic representations,” for Native American women in today’s society.” Gentry said. “Formally, I am very interested in making As an avid gardener, Gentry grows produce from compositions out of the colors, the positive or negative Cherokee Nation and Choctaw Nation heirloom seeds. shapes of the plants and other nature. I am interested Inspired by her tribal culture and sharing the correct in the use of symmetry as it’s always present throughout history of the Choctaw, Gentry is a national award- my tribal culture. In opposition to symmetry, I also winning artist who has exhibited her art in numerous create the use of amorphous and asymmetrical design juried, invited, open, and group shows across the 66