Monroe Tsatoke facts for kids

Monroe Tsatoke (born 1904, died 1937) was a talented Kiowa artist. He was a painter and an important member of a famous group called the Kiowa Six. Monroe Tsatoke was from Oklahoma.

Early Life and Art Beginnings

Monroe Tsatoke was born on September 29, 1904. This was in the Oklahoma Territory, close to a place now called Saddle Mountain, Oklahoma. His Kiowa name was Tsatokee, which means "Hunting Horse." His father also had the name Tsatokee and was a scout for the Kiowa people.

Monroe Tsatoke didn't have art lessons at first. But then, Susan Peters, who worked with the Kiowa agency, helped him. She arranged for Mrs. Willie Baze Lane, an artist from Chickasha, Oklahoma, to teach painting classes. These classes were for young Kiowa people in Anadarko.

Mrs. Peters saw how talented some of these young artists were. She convinced Oscar Jacobson, a Swedish-American artist, to help them. He was in charge of the art school at the University of Oklahoma. He let the Kiowa students join a special program there. Edith Mahier was their coach and helped them a lot.

The Famous Kiowa Six Artists

The Kiowa Six was a group of six amazing artists. They included Spencer Asah, James Auchiah, Jack Hokeah, Stephen Mopope, Lois Smoky Kaulaity, and Monroe Tsatoke. James Auchiah was the last artist to join the group at the University of Oklahoma in 1926.

The Kiowa Six first became famous around the world in 1928. This happened at the First International Art Exposition in Prague, which was then in Czechoslovakia. Dr. Jacobson helped arrange for their artwork to be shown in many other countries. He also helped publish a special book called Kiowa Art in France. This book showed prints of their paintings using a method called pochoir.

Monroe's Other Interests

Monroe Tsatoke continued to learn more about art. He took extra classes at Bacone College. He also worked as a guide at Indian City USA in Anadarko.

In 1924, Tsatoke married Martha Koomsa. They had four children: Jewell, Lee Monette, Ross Maker, and John Thomas. One of his children, Lee Tsatoke, also became a respected Kiowa artist. Monroe and Martha lived in Red Rock, Oklahoma. Besides painting, Tsatoke also farmed. He sang at Kiowa ceremonies and took part in the fancy war dance.

Monroe Tsatoke became sick with tuberculosis. He then joined the Native American Church. He painted pictures about his religious experiences. He is known for creating special designs for symbols of the Church. These symbols included water, birds, and feathers.

Where to See His Art

You can find Monroe Tsatoke's artwork in many public art collections. These include:

Later Life and Passing

In 1934, the Oklahoma Historical Society asked Tsatoke to paint several large murals. Even though he was sick with tuberculosis, he kept working on these murals. Monroe Tsatoke passed away on February 3, 1937, from tuberculosis. He was only 32 years old.