Jack Hokeah facts for kids

Jack Hokeah (December 4, 1901 – December 14, 1969) was a talented Kiowa painter from Oklahoma. He was one of the famous group known as the Kiowa Six.

Early Life and Art Beginnings

Jack Hokeah was born in 1901 in western Oklahoma. He became an orphan at a very young age and was raised by his grandmother. His grandfather was a brave Kiowa warrior named White Horse.

Jack went to St. Patrick's Indian Mission School in Anadarko, Oklahoma. There, he received his first art lessons from Sister Olivia Taylor, a Choctaw nun. Later, Susan Peters, who worked for the Kiowa agency, arranged for Mrs. Willie Baze Lane, an artist, to teach Jack and other young Native American artists, including Spencer Asah.

Susan Peters saw how talented these young artists were. She convinced Oscar Jacobson, a Swedish-American artist and director of the University of Oklahoma's School of Art, to accept them. Jack and the others joined a special art program at the university. They were coached and encouraged by Edith Mahier.

The Kiowa Six Artists

The group of artists known as the Kiowa Six included Jack Hokeah, Spencer Asah, James Auchiah, Stephen Mopope, Lois Smoky Kaulaity, and Monroe Tsatoke. In 1926, Jack, Spencer, Monroe, Stephen, and Lois moved to Norman, Oklahoma. They began their art studies at the University of Oklahoma.

Lois Smoky returned home in late 1927, but James Auchiah joined the group that same year. In 1928, the Kiowa artists became famous around the world. Their artwork was shown at the First International Art Exposition in Prague, Czechoslovakia. Dr. Jacobson helped arrange for their art to be displayed in several other countries. A special book called Kiowa Art, which showed their paintings, was also published in France.

Beyond Painting: Dancing and Family

Jack Hokeah was not only a great painter but also an excellent dancer and singer. These activities were very important to him, sometimes even more than painting. He was the only member of the Kiowa Six to study at The Studio in the Santa Fe Indian School.

In 1930, Jack, along with Spencer Asah and Stephen Mopope, took part in the Gallup Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial Dances in Gallup, New Mexico. While there, he became good friends with the famous San Ildefonso Pueblo potter, Maria Martinez. Maria eventually adopted him as her son. Jack stayed with her family many times over the next ten years.

Where to See His Art

Jack Hokeah's artwork can be found in many important art collections. Some of these include the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Denver Art Museum, and the Philbrook Museum of Art. His paintings are also displayed at the Southern Plains Indian Museum.

Later Life and Passing

Jack Hokeah passed away in Fort Cobb, Oklahoma, on December 14, 1969.