Karita Coffey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Karita Coffey
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| Tsat-Tah Mo-oh Kahn | |
Coffey in 2014
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| Born | 1947 (age 77–78) |
| Nationality | Comanche Nation |
| Education | Institute of American Indian Arts |
| Alma mater | University of Oklahoma |
Karita Coffey, born in 1947, is a talented artist from the Comanche Nation. She is famous for making beautiful art out of clay, called ceramics. She creates things like pots and also special objects that show her Comanche culture. Karita also uses a method called lost-wax casting to make art from metal.
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Her Early Life and Learning
Karita Coffey's Comanche name is Tsat-Tah Mo-oh Kahn, which means "Good-Handed." She grew up in Lawton, Oklahoma.
She started her art training at the Institute of American Indian Arts when it was a high school. Later, she went to the University of Oklahoma. There, she earned two degrees: one in fine arts and another in education.
Her Career as an Artist and Teacher
After college, Karita Coffey became a certified art teacher. She worked as an artist-in-residence for public schools in Oklahoma City. This means she was a special artist who shared her skills with students. She also taught pottery in programs for Native American students in Oklahoma.
Later, Karita Coffey taught at the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) for 25 years. She retired in 2015 to focus more on creating her own sculptures.
Her artwork is inspired by many things. She gets ideas from African art and the art of the Australian Aborigines. Most importantly, her own Comanche heritage strongly influences her unique creations.
Where Her Art Has Been Shown
Karita Coffey's amazing artwork has been featured in many art shows. Here are some of the places where her art has been displayed:
- Indian Artists, 1977 at Via Gambaro Gallery in Washington D.C., 1977
- National American Indian Women's Art Show at Via Gambaro Gallery, 1980
- Contemporary Native American Art at the Gardiner Art Gallery at Oklahoma State University, 1983
- Women of Sweetgrass, Cedar, and Sage, a traveling show that started at the Gallery of the American Indian Community House, 1985
- Anticipating the Dawn: Contemporary Art by Native American Women, at the Gardiner Art Gallery at Oklahoma State University, 2000
Where You Can See Her Art
Many museums have Karita Coffey's art in their collections. This means they own her pieces and display them for people to see.
The National Museum of the American Indian has four of her artworks. These pieces were made between 1970 and 1971.
Her art can also be found in these important museums:
