Sandy Fife Wilson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sandy Fife Wilson
Fife in 1971
Born	1950 (age 74–75) Dustin, Oklahoma
Nationality	American
Occupation	art teacher, artist
Years active	1976–

Sandy Fife Wilson (born in 1950) is a talented artist and teacher from the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. She is known for her amazing fashion designs and beautiful traditional Native American art.

After finishing her studies at the Institute of American Indian Arts and Northeastern Oklahoma State University, she became an art teacher. She first taught in public schools in Dewey, Oklahoma. Later, she taught design courses at the Institute of American Indian Arts.

In 1979, Sandy returned to Oklahoma. She taught at Chilocco Indian School until it closed. Then she worked in the Morris Public School system until she retired in 2009.

In 1976, Sandy and her sisters started the Fife Collection. They designed modern clothing using old Southeastern Woodlands styles and patterns. Their work was shown in many museums and festivals. These included the Coconino Center for the Arts, Southern Plains Indian Museum, and Red Earth Festival.

Later in her career, Sandy also made traditional Creek split-cane baskets, shell carvings, and fingerweavings. She has won many awards for her art. These include first place at the Scottsdale National Indian Arts Exhibition in 1972. She also won the Grand Heritage Award from the Five Civilized Tribes Museum in 1995. In 2016, she placed second at the Santa Fe Indian Market.

Sandy Fife Wilson's Early Life

Sandy Fife was born in 1950 in Dustin, Oklahoma. Her parents were Carmen (Griffin) and James Fife. She grew up on her grandfather's land. This land was on the border of Hughes County and Okfuskee County.

Sandy was the youngest of six children. Her family had many artists and teachers. Her grandfather carved wood and stone. Her father drew with colored pencils. When Sandy was ten, her mother, who was a teacher, taught her fingerweaving.

Sandy went to Graham High School in Weleetka, Oklahoma. Then she studied at the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She was there from 1965 to 1969. At the institute, she learned from famous artists. She studied painting, printmaking, and traditional design.

In 1969, Sandy started university at the College of Santa Fe. In 1970, she moved to Northeastern Oklahoma State University. She earned her bachelor's degree in art in 1973. She finished her graduate education there in 1978.

Sandy Fife Wilson's Career in Art and Education

After getting her first degree, Sandy taught art for two years. She worked at the Dewey Public School. In 1975, she married Lawrence A. "Al" Wilson, a math teacher.

That same year, the couple moved to Santa Fe. Sandy began teaching design courses at the Institute of American Indian Arts. She took over from Josephine Wapp, who had retired. Sandy taught both old and new art styles. Her classes included "Decorative Techniques" and "Traditional and Contemporary Fashion Design." She also taught "Traditional Techniques" and "Weaving and Basketmaking."

Sandy made sure her students understood the history of traditional clothes. She taught them how to use old patterns in new designs. Her weaving class used many different looms and methods. Students used materials like bone, feathers, leather, and porcupine quills. She also taught beadwork, showing students how to use a bead loom.

Full Moon Fashions: Student Art Shows

Wilson started a fashion group called "Full Moon Fashions." This group helped her students design and sell their art. It also helped them connect with the local community. Students even modeled their own designs and hosted the shows. One student, Wendy Ponca, hosted a show in 1977.

The fashion show was very popular. It became an annual event. Students also traveled to other states to show their work. In 1979, Sandy was offered a teaching job. It was with the Bureau of Indian Affairs at Chilocco Indian School. She moved back to Oklahoma. Her three children, Laura, Clint, and Dan, were born there.

When Chilocco closed in 1980, she started teaching art in the Morris Public Schools. She stayed there until she retired in 2009.

The Fife Collection: Family Fashion Designs

As a student, Sandy showed her art in several places. She gave a demonstration at the Wichita Art Museum. In 1969, she was chosen to be an artist at the Woodstock Music & Art Fair. In 1972, she won first place for contemporary textiles at the Scottsdale National Indian Arts Exhibition.

In 1976, Sandy started the Fife Collection, Inc. with her sisters Phyllis and Sharon. This company focused on fashion design. They used traditional patterns and techniques from the Southeastern Woodlands peoples.

Their designs included Cherokee fingerweaving and Delaware appliqué. They also used Muscogee themes from pottery and artifacts. Seminole patchwork designs were also part of their work. They put these old styles into modern clothes. They decorated them with beadwork, embroidery, and ribbonwork.

Exhibitions and Awards

In 1979, the Southern Plains Indian Museum showed the Fife Collection's work for a month. This exhibit also included art from their mother, oldest sister Jimmie Carole, and youngest sister Robin.

The show mainly featured Native American fashion. But it also had paintings by Jimmie Carol and embroidery by Robin. Sandy contributed handbags and jewelry. Other fabric arts like quilts and wall hangings were also displayed.

Throughout her career, Sandy has shown her art in many places. These include the Kirkpatrick Center and the Governor's Arts Awards at the Oklahoma State Capitol. She also showed work at Broadmarket Square in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Other venues include the Indian Paintbrush Gallery in Siloam Springs, Arkansas, the Coconino Center for the Arts in Flagstaff, Arizona, the Red Earth Festival, and the Santa Fe Indian Market. The Santa Fe Indian Market is the "largest juried Native American art market in the world."

In 2007, Sandy went back to school. She studied basketweaving, flute making, Muscogee hymns, pottery making, and shell carving. She learned these skills at the College of the Muscogee Nation in Okmulgee, Oklahoma. She used these new skills in her classrooms. After she retired, she gave demonstrations at the Northeastern State University Center for Tribal Studies.

Her later work focuses on traditional split-cane Creek baskets, finger-woven clothes, and shell carvings. Sandy has won many awards. In 1995, she won the Grand Heritage Award from the Five Civilized Tribes Museum in Muskogee, Oklahoma. In 2016, she placed second in the traditional objects category at the Santa Fe Indian Market.