Heidi BigKnife facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Heidi BigKnife
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Heidi BigKnife, Shawnee Tribe
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| Born | May 13, 1967 Enid, Oklahoma, United States
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| Nationality | enrolled in Shawnee Tribe; United States citizen |
| Education | Beloit College, Institute of American Indian Arts, University of Illinois |
| Known for | jeweler, sculptor, and collage artist |
Heidi BigKnife is a talented Native American artist. She was born on May 13, 1967. Heidi is a member of the Shawnee Tribe. She lives in Oklahoma and is famous for her amazing jewelry. She learned many of her skills at the Institute of American Indian Arts.
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Early Life and Inspiration
Heidi BigKnife was born in Enid, Oklahoma. She grew up in Denver, Colorado. Her mother, who was Shawnee, was an interior designer. Her father was a pilot. He trained pilots for the Air Force. Later, he became a commercial pilot. Heidi is officially a member of the Shawnee Nation.
Heidi says her mother's artistic eye influenced her career. She remembers doing many arts and crafts projects with her mother. This helped her learn to "create something out of nothing." In elementary school, Heidi was in a special program. This program let her visit museums and see art. She might not have seen this art otherwise.
In junior high, Heidi took drafting and shop classes. She wanted to learn more about making things. She was the only girl in these classes. During high school, Heidi loved photography. She continued studying photography in college.
Heidi's mother is Shawnee. During college, Heidi became more aware of her heritage. She started to identify more strongly as Shawnee. After graduating from the Institute of American Indian Arts, she changed her last name. She chose her maternal grandmother's maiden name, BigKnife.
Education and Artistic Growth
After high school, Heidi went to Beloit College in Beloit, Wisconsin. She earned a Bachelor of Studio Arts degree from Beloit. Her main focus was photography.
In the early 1990s, Heidi earned another degree. She got an associate degree in design. This was from the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She kept studying photography there. She also took her first jewelry class.
Heidi then attended the University of Illinois from 1993 to 1995. There, she studied color photography. She also learned about digital imaging and making videos.
Artistic Style and Works
Heidi BigKnife creates unique jewelry designs. She often finds items to inspire her work. Her art tries to keep her Native American culture alive. At the same time, she uses old images in new ways. She does this through different materials and techniques.
Heidi is also a skilled metalsmith. She often includes messages in her pieces. These messages can be about politics or society.
You can see some of her works in museums. They are part of the permanent collections at the Museum of Contemporary Native Arts and the Heard Museum.
Awards and Achievements
Heidi BigKnife received the Helen Hardin Memorial Scholarship. She used this money mainly to buy jewelry supplies.
Her work has been shown in Tulsa People magazine. It has also been reviewed by Metalsmith magazine.
Heidi's jewelry has won many awards. She has won at the Tulsa Indian Art Festival, Indian Market, and the Heard Indian Art Fair.
She also started her own business called Bigknife Designs. She has managed this business for almost thirty years.
