Joan Hill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Joan Hill
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Acrylic painting depicting an Eagle Dance, Joan Hill, 2006
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Che-se-quah
December 19, 1930 Muskogee, Oklahoma, United States
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| Died | June 16, 2020 (aged 89) |
| Nationality | Muscogee (Creek) Nation |
| Education | BA Northeastern State University; Bacone College |
| Known for | Painting |
| Movement | Bacone school, Nonobjective abstraction |
| Awards | Smithsonian Institution's People of the Century. |
| Patron(s) | US Department of the Interior |
Joan Hill (born December 19, 1930 – died June 16, 2020) was a famous Muscogee Creek artist. She was also known by her traditional name, Che-se-quah. Joan Hill had Cherokee family roots as well. She became one of the most recognized and awarded Native American women artists of the 20th century.
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About Joan Hill's Early Life
Joan Hill was born in Muskogee, Oklahoma, on December 19, 1930. Her parents were William M. and Winnie Harris Hill.
Her Family Roots and Name
Joan Hill came from important Muscogee Creek and Cherokee families. Her ancestors included tribal chiefs. She chose the name Che-se-quah (pronounced "Cheh-see-kwah"). In the Muscogee language, this name means "Redbird". She picked this name to honor her great-grandfather, Redbird Harris, and her grandfather on her mother's side.
Where Joan Hill Lived
Joan Hill and her family lived near an old place called Confederate Fort Davis. This fort was located close to the Arkansas River, not far from Muskogee. Her art studio was right next to an ancient Pre-Columbian Indian mound. This mound was built around the year 1200 CE, which is a very long time ago!
Joan Hill's Journey as an Artist
Joan Hill studied art at Bacone College. In 1952, she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Education. She got this degree from Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. The next year, in 1953, she took a special art course called the Famous Artists Course.
Teaching and Becoming a Full-Time Artist
Before becoming a full-time artist, Joan Hill worked as a public art teacher. She taught for four years. After that, she decided to focus completely on her own artwork.
Awards and Recognition
Joan Hill received many honors for her art. She won over 290 awards from different countries, including Great Britain and Italy. She also earned more than 20 Grand Awards. One special award she received was the Waite Phillips Artist Trophy.
She won a big competition to create a mural for the Daybreak Star Performing Arts Center. This center is in Seattle, Washington. In 1974, the Five Civilized Tribes Museum in Muskogee gave her the title "Master Artist". This shows how skilled and respected she was in the art world.
Where Her Art Is Displayed
More than 110 of Joan Hill's paintings are kept in permanent collections. This means they are always on display or stored in museums and important places. Some of these places include:
- The Sequoyah National Research Center in Little Rock, Arkansas.
- The United States Department of the Interior Museums of the Indian Arts and Crafts Board in Washington, D.C..
- The Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian in New York City.
Important Appointments
Joan Hill was also chosen for important roles. In 1989, the Governor of Oklahoma, Governor Henry Bellmon, appointed her to the Governor's Commission on the Status of Women. Later, in 2000, the U.S. Secretary of the Interior appointed her as a U.S. Commissioner to the Indian Arts and Crafts Board in Washington, D.C.. In 2000, she was also the "Honored One" at the Red Earth festival in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Joan Hill's Unique Artwork
Joan Hill was most famous for her unique acrylic paintings. She often painted historical and cultural scenes. Her style was very distinct. She used a limited range of colors, mostly neutral tones, oranges, reds, and purples.
Her Painting Techniques
When she used watercolors, she used a technique called "negative space". This means she let the empty parts of the paper define shapes like trees, hills, or other parts of the landscape. Author Susan C. Power wrote that "Each element of her paintings is purposeful." This means every detail in her art had a special meaning.
Joan Hill mostly painted Muscogee and Cherokee women. She also explored abstract art, which is art that doesn't show real objects but uses shapes, colors, and forms.
Her View on Art
In 1991, Joan Hill shared her thoughts on art. She said, "Art widens the scope of the inner and outer senses and enriches life by giving us a greater awareness of the world." This shows how much she believed in the power of art to help people understand more about themselves and the world around them.
Exhibitions
From 2018 to 2020, one of her paintings was shown in a special exhibition. This exhibition was called Hearts of Our People: Native Women Artists. It was displayed at the Smithsonian American Art Museum.
When Joan Hill Passed Away
Joan Hill died on June 16, 2020.
See also
