Alice Littleman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alice Littleman
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ca. 1989, U. S. Department of the Interior photograph
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| Born |
Alice Jones
February 8, 1910 |
| Died | May 26, 2000 (aged 90) |
| Nationality | American, Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma |
| Other names | Alice Jones Littleman |
| Occupation | beadwork artist, regalia maker |
| Years active | 1927–2000 |
| Children | 1 |
Alice Littleman (born February 8, 1910 – died May 26, 2000) was a famous Kiowa artist. She was known for her amazing beadwork and for making traditional Kiowa clothing. People thought she was one of the best Kiowa artists who made buckskin dresses. Her beautiful artworks are kept in important places. These include the National Museum of Natural History and the National Museum of the American Indian. You can also find her work at the Southern Plains Indian Museum and the Oklahoma Historical Society.
Contents
Early Life and Learning Art
Alice Jones was born on February 8, 1910. Her family lived in the Old Town area of Anadarko, Oklahoma. Her parents were To-haddle-mah (also called Anna Konad) and Tommy Jones. Alice was the second of four children in her family.
Growing Up Kiowa
Alice and her siblings grew up on their grandparents' land. This was in Caddo County, Oklahoma, near Anadarko. Her family was part of the Kiowa tribe. They were descendants of a famous Kiowa leader named Tohausen III.
Learning Traditional Skills
Alice's grandmother, Dome-be-ah-ty, taught her many important skills. She learned how to prepare animal hides (called tanning buckskin). She also learned to make traditional dresses, tall moccasins, and tipis.
Learning Beadwork from Her Mother
Alice's mother, Anna, was also a talented artist. Anna taught at the Riverside Indian School. She also worked as a leader in the Works Progress Administration's Mau-Tame Club. This club helped keep Kiowa beadwork traditions alive. It also gave artists a way to show their creations.
Anna learned beadwork from her own mother. This was a common way for skills to be passed down in families. Anna was very skilled and won many awards. She won prizes at the annual Gallup Inter-tribal Indian Ceremonial in Gallup, New Mexico. She also won at the 1939 Golden Gate International Exposition in San Francisco, California.
Alice went to the rural Washita School. She finished eighth grade, then left school. She needed to help care for her grandparents.
Alice Littleman's Artistic Career
Alice Littleman became a very respected artist. Her talent for beadwork and making traditional clothing was well-known.
First Big Win
In 1927, Alice's mother encouraged her to enter a competition. Alice made a beaded purse for the Gallup Inter-tribal. She won first prize in the beadwork category! She sent the $50 prize money to her mother.
Family and Art
Alice had one child, Robert "Bobby" Hill, in 1933. Bobby later became a famous artist himself, known as White Buffalo. Alice later married Robert Littleman. He was a Southern Cheyenne beadwork artist.
In 1968, the Indian Arts and Crafts Board asked Alice to create special beadwork. They wanted her to show how high-quality beadwork was made. Four of these pieces, plus nine other examples, were shown in her own art show. This was at the Southern Plains Indian Museum in 1970. The next year, Alice and her son Bobby were invited to another art show. It was called Contemporary Southern Plains Indian Art. This show was at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City.
Making Buckskin Dresses
Even when she was in her 60s, Alice prepared her own animal hides. This was a difficult process that took about ten days. First, she removed the meat from the hide. Then, she stretched it on a rack to dry for several days. After that, she scraped the hair off the hide.
Next, she treated the leather with a special paste. This paste was made from boiled brains and liver mixed with lard. The hide then cured in the sun for two or three days. After soaking the skin overnight, she scraped the water out. She then stretched the leather by hand until it was soft, white, and dry. If she couldn't finish in one day, she had to wrap the wet hide. This kept it from drying out too soon.
After preparing the hide, Alice would dye it by hand. Then she began her beadwork. Her dresses were tied, not sewn, following old traditions. She used waxed buckskin strips for beading, not thread. She used both shiny cut beads and dull seed beads.
Designs and Colors
Alice's choice of colors and designs was very important. Many tribes in the Anadarko area used similar geometric shapes. But each tribe's designs were still unique. Alice used typical Kiowa designs, like leaf patterns. She carefully placed colors so her designs could be seen from far away.
She made over 50 buckskin dresses. These dresses had fringes with metal cones. They also had beaded medallions in rows and leaf designs. Alice always made sure all the parts of her designs looked balanced.
Awards and Recognition
Alice Littleman was honored as one of the best Kiowa beaders. Other artists often said they were related to her. A journalist named Suzette Brewer compared her skill to famous painters. She said Alice was like Van Gogh, Rembrandt, and Picasso for Southern Plains beadworking.
Alice won over 50 awards. In 1979, she won "Best of Class" for a beaded buckskin outfit. This included a dress, leggings, and a purse. This award was from the O'odham Tash festival in Casa Grande, Arizona. In 1989, she gave a special demonstration at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History. For this event, she beaded a pair of men's high-top sneakers.
In 1991, Alice and her mother (after her death) were featured artists. This was at the Pouches, Pipebags and Purses exhibition. In 1992, the Oklahoma Arts Council named her a Master Artist.
Teaching and Legacy
Later in her career, Alice often showed her craft at museums and universities. She taught her grandnieces how to bead and sew. She also taught the Kiowa language. She wanted to keep her native language alive, as it was very complex.
Her artwork traveled across the United States and Europe. Alice was even featured in documentaries from Britain and Japan. Her work is part of the permanent collections at the Southern Plains Indian Museum. One of her buckskin dresses was chosen for the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History. This was one of her proudest honors. In 1993, she was the guest of honor at the Twin Eagles Pow wow in Minden, Louisiana. This recognized her lifetime of achievements.
Death and Lasting Impact
Alice Littleman passed away on May 26, 2000. She died at Grady Memorial Hospital in Chickasha, Oklahoma. She was buried the next day in Memory Lane Cemetery in Anadarko.
Her papers and photographs are kept at the University of Oklahoma Libraries. In 2006, another of Alice's buckskin dresses was bought by the Smithsonian. This dress was made for Keri Jhane Myers. It is now part of the permanent collections at the National Museum of the American Indian.
