Joan Brown (artist, born 1945) facts for kids

Joan Brown was born in 1945. She is an American artist, illustrator, and teacher. Her family comes from the Cherokee and Creek Native American tribes in Oklahoma. Her art style is part of what is known as the Bacone school.

Early Life and Learning

Joan Brown grew up in a small town called Yahola in northeastern Oklahoma. Her father was Native American and worked as a drafter (someone who draws detailed plans) at the Douglas Aircraft Company. From a young age, Joan loved art. After her father passed away, she learned some words from the Cherokee and Creek languages. She wanted to fit in, so she didn't become fluent in the languages.

In the 1970s, Joan was showing her art at a craft fair when she met Terry Saul. He was an art teacher at Bacone College. Mr. Saul saw her talent and encouraged her to go to college. He even helped her get a scholarship! He continued to guide her and told her to always create art in her own unique style.

Joan continued her studies at Northeastern Oklahoma University in the 1970s. There, she studied psychology, which is the study of the mind and how people behave.

Joan Brown's Art Work

Joan Brown raised six children, which made it hard to find time for her art. She often had to stay up late to finish her paintings. She started selling her artwork in galleries in 1978.

Joan's art often shows traditional Native American women and scenes from home life. She uses different art materials, like watercolor paints and gouache (a type of opaque watercolor). People sometimes call her the "Norman Rockwell of Native art" because her work captures everyday life so well. In 1986, she was given the special title of Master Artist by the Five Civilized Tribes.

Her art has been shown in many places. These include the Five Civilized Tribes Museum (in 1972, 1991, and 2019), the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art (in 2009), and the Cherokee National Museum (in 1989).

In 1988, her hometown of Muskogee even had a "Joan Brown Day" to celebrate her! She also drew the cover for a cookbook called "Pow Wow Chow: A Collection of Recipes from Families of the Five Civilized Tribes" (published in 1984). This book featured recipes from the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, and Seminole tribes.

Community Work and Helping Others

Joan Brown has taught her children about their Native American heritage. She believes it's important for them to know about their past. She has also shared her worry that not enough new artists are joining the field of Native art.

Joan has said that one of her proudest achievements is helping to care for older people and children in the Native community. Another artist, Mary Adair (HorseChief), asked Joan to work at the Murrow Indian Children’s Home, where Mary was the director.

While working at the children's home, Joan taught art classes to the kids during the summer. She saw that there weren't many Native American social workers helping their communities. This inspired her to spend her working life serving the needs of her community. Joan also started a five-year project where she sold some of her artwork to help raise money for a special home for older people who need assistance.