Tahnee Ahtone facts for kids

Tahnee Ahtone is a talented artist and museum expert. She is known for her beautiful beadwork and for creating special clothing called regalia. Tahnee is from the Kiowa, Muscogee, and Seminole tribes, and she grew up in Mountain View, Oklahoma. Since 2024, she has been a curator of Native American art at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City.

About Tahnee Ahtone

Tahnee Marie Ahtone Harjo is Tahnee's full name. Her father, Amos Harjo, is from the Seminole and Muscogee tribes. Her mother, Sharron Ahtone Harjo, is a Kiowa artist known for painting and ledger art. Tahnee is an official member of the Kiowa Indian Tribe of Oklahoma.

Tahnee's grandparents also had important roles. Her grandfather, Jacob Ahtone, was the Kiowa tribal chairman from 1978 to 1980. He also worked for the United States government. He helped create important laws like the American Indian Religious Freedom Act. This law protects the religious rights of Native Americans. He also helped with the Indian Arts and Craft Act of 1990. This law helps protect Native American artists and their work.

Tahnee was named after her great-aunt, Ah-stom-pah Ote. This name means "The One Chosen to Lead In." Her family has a long history of art and education. Many members of the Ahtone family have earned advanced college degrees.

Tahnee's Education

Tahnee Ahtone studied museum work in college. In 2015, she earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree from the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Later, she continued her studies at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She earned her Master of Liberal Arts degree there. Her master's degree focused on museology, which is the study of how museums are managed.

Tahnee's Artwork

Tahnee Ahtone is a skilled beadwork artist. She also sews special dance clothing called regalia. She is a dancer herself and often performs at powwow events.

Besides making regalia for her community, Tahnee also shows her art at big Native American art events. These include the Santa Fe Indian Market and the Red Earth Festival. Her beadwork has won many awards at these shows. She is especially known for creating pictures and figures using beads.

Her art has been featured in several exhibitions. These include Generations in 2013 and Current Realities: A Dialogue with the People in 2007. She also had her own art show at the Southern Plains Indian Museum in Anadarko, Oklahoma, in 2008.

Museum Work and Curation

Tahnee Ahtone is a professional in the museum field. She is currently the curator of Native American art at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, Missouri. A curator is someone who manages and organizes museum collections and exhibitions.

Before this role, Tahnee was the director of the Kiowa Tribal Museum in Carnegie, Oklahoma. She also worked at the Oklahoma History Center. There, she helped connect the museum with Oklahoma's 38 federally recognized tribes. She also managed the museum's textile and American Indian collections.

Tahnee also worked at the Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center in Ledyard, Connecticut. While there, she organized an art show called Without a Theme. This show featured art by First Nations and Native American artists.

Tahnee has also advised other museums. She was a cultural adviser for an exhibition in Germany. She also helped with a research project about Kiowa and Comanche cradles at Brown University.

Tahnee's main area of research is textiles. However, she knows a lot about all kinds of Native American textile art and beadwork. This includes beautiful beaded medallions.

Tahnee and her husband, George Growing Thunder, also own a company called GT Museum Services. This company helps museums with different projects.

Awards and Recognition

Tahnee Ahtone has received several awards for her work in museums.

• In 2021, she was given a fellowship from the Center for Curatorial Leadership.
• She also received a Journalism Fellowship for Curators in 2021.
• In 2019, the Oklahoma Museums Association gave her the Service to the Profession Award.

Tahnee's Family Life

Tahnee Ahtone is married to George Growing Thunder. He is from the Assiniboine tribe. Tahnee's married name is sometimes listed as Tahnee Ahtoneharjo–Growingthunder.

Her mother-in-law is Joyce Growing Thunder Fogarty, who is also a very talented beadwork artist. Tahnee has three step-children and two daughters with her husband.