Gina Gray facts for kids

Gina Gray (her Osage name was Pa-Pe Son-tse) was a famous Osage artist. She was born in Pawhuska, Oklahoma, in 1954 and passed away on December 20, 2014. Gina Gray was the great-granddaughter of Henry Roan Horse. She is known as one of the most important Native American artists of the last 30 years. Her artwork won many awards and was shown in museums and art shows across Native American communities.

Gina Gray and the Wounded Knee Protest

In 1973, when Gina Gray was a high school student, she traveled to Wounded Knee. She joined a 71-day protest there. This protest involved about 200 Oglala Lakota activists and members of the American Indian Movement.

Why the Protest Happened

The protest aimed to bring attention to several important issues. These included broken promises by the government, poverty, and unfair conditions on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. It was one of the longest acts of peaceful protest in US history.

Gina's Experience at Wounded Knee

Gina's sister, Mary BigHorse, was married to a leader in the American Indian Movement. Gina and her brothers, Andrew and Louis, met up near the protest area. They entered the protest site secretly at night and stayed for about a month.

During the protest, federal marshals and national guardsmen cut off electricity, water, and food supplies. This was done to try and end the standoff. There was heavy gunfire, and sadly, two people, Frank Clearwater and Buddy LaMonte, were killed. Gina and her brother Louis decided to leave for their safety. They were helped out of the area and reunited with their father.

Education and Art Training

After leaving Wounded Knee, Gina and her brother Louis went back to school. They finished high school at the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico. After graduating, Gina studied commercial art at the California Institute of the Arts.

Gina Gray's Art Career

Gina Gray's artwork was known for its bold, bright colors. She used different art materials to create her pieces. Her art often combined traditional images from her Osage background with modern ideas.

Her Unique Art Style

Gina was considered a master contemporary fine artist. Her prints and monotypes featured unique figures and abstract landscapes. Her commercial art included designing T-shirts. She also created the logo for the Hayes Native American Studies Center at East Central University. She even designed the cover for the National Congress of American Indians History book.

Where Her Art Was Shown

Her work was displayed in many important galleries and museums. These included the Heard Museum in Phoenix, Arizona. In New Mexico, her art was at the Institute of American Indian Arts Museum and the Wheelwright Museum. In Oklahoma, her work was shown at the Tsa-la-Gi Cherokee Center Museum, Gilcrease Museum, and Philbrook Museum of Art. Her art was also at the Red Cloud Indian Art Museum in South Dakota and the Daybreak Star Museum in Washington state. The Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C., also featured her work.

Art Galleries and Collections

Gina Gray owned and ran her own art galleries. She had galleries in Santa Fe, New Mexico; Tulsa, Oklahoma; and later in Pawhuska, Oklahoma. Her art is part of many private collections around the world. Even the Sultan of Brunei and two royal princes of Jordan own some of her pieces.

Activism and Community Work

One of the main things Gina Gray cared about was improving education for Native American children. She saw this need during her time at Wounded Knee. Throughout her life, she worked on projects that supported education.

Supporting Education

She was involved with programs like the Council of Energy Resource Tribes education programs. She also contributed to the Trail of Painted Ponies project. Her work helped create the Hayes Native American Studies Center.

Protecting Privacy

Gina Gray also took part in projects that looked into how the FBI watched Native American activists. She helped show how this affected the privacy of individuals and groups.

Honors and Awards for Her Art

Gina Gray received many awards for her artwork. She was also appointed by the Secretary of the Interior to serve on the Indian Arts and Crafts Board in Washington D.C. She held this position for four years.

• 1988 – Named Outstanding Young Women of America
• 1989 – Featured artist at Stables Art Center, Taos, NM
• Featured artist at the Gallup All Indian Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial
• Featured artist at the Eight Northern Indian Pueblos Arts & Crafts Show, New Mexico
• 1st place, textiles: National American Cultural Arts Festival
• 1990 – 1st place graphics: Red Earth Fine Arts Competition
• 1990 – Featured artist: Heard Indian Art Museum, Phoenix, AZ
• 1991 – Southwest American Indian Art Association (SAIAA) Fellowship winner: 70th Annual Santa Fe Indian Market
• 1992 – 2nd place ("Clan Seeker"): National Museum of the American Indian/Smithsonian Institutions
• 1993 – Featured artist for the Seventh Annual Tulsa Indian Arts Festival