D.G. Smalling facts for kids

D.G. Smalling is an artist from the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. He is famous for his special "one-line" drawing style. In this technique, his pen never leaves the paper until the whole picture is finished!

Even though Smalling doesn't often enter art contests, he was chosen to represent Oklahoma at Disney's Epcot Center in 2007. He also took part in "Choctaw Days" at the National Museum of the American Indian in 2012. There, he talked about the Choctaw code talkers from World War I. His own great-grandfather, Calvin Wilson, was one of these brave code talkers.

Growing Up and Traveling

Smalling grew up in towns called Idabel and Haworth in Oklahoma. When he was 8 years old, his family moved overseas. They traveled to do important work in other countries.

They lived in places like Switzerland, Cameroon, and South Africa. Living in these different countries greatly influenced his art. He learned a lot about other cultures and how people lived.

Smalling remembers his time in Europe as a very important part of his artistic journey. He said:

When I left Haworth and I left the United States and went to Switzerland... we had art every day. We had poetry every day. I was in third or fourth grade and immediately learning how to memorize Robert Frost, and painting and sculpting. It was incredible. I think that year was the most pivotal year of my life.

His Education

After finishing high school in South Africa, Smalling came back to the United States. His parents continued their work in other countries. Smalling went to the University of Oklahoma. He studied political science there.

Where You Can See His Art

D.G. Smalling's art has been shown in many cool places. In 2007, he was a featured artist at Epcot Disney World. This was part of Oklahoma's 100th birthday celebration.

In 2011, his art was shown at the Grand Palais in Paris, France. In 2012, it was at the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. This show celebrated the Choctaw Code Talkers.

Smalling has also been asked to paint portraits of many important people. These include U.S. Justice Sandra Day O'Connor and former UK Prime Minister Sir Tony Blair.

Buffalo Series

The Buffalo Series is a collection of line drawings. They show the amazing buffalo that live on the central plains of the United States. Smalling uses his special "single-line" style to draw these animals. He then adds bright colors to fill in the spaces.

Fancy Shawl Dancers

The Fancy Shawl Dancers collection shows how well Smalling can draw the human body in motion. These drawings are very fluid and graceful.

Smalling explained that Fancy Shawl Dancers try to move like butterflies. Their dance movements are meant to show the beauty of a butterfly.

Pony Moon Series

The Pony Moon series features beautiful and abstract drawings of horses. These pictures show how the artist sees horses on the central plains. The horses are often shown glowing against soft, natural light.