Dana Tiger (born 1961) is a

Muscogee The Muscogee, also known as the Mvskoke, Muscogee Creek or just Creek, and the Muscogee Creek Confederacy ( in the Muscogee language; English: ), are a group of related Indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands Here they waged war again ...

artist of

Seminole The Seminole are a Native American people who developed in Florida in the 18th century. Today, they live in Oklahoma and Florida, and comprise three federally recognized tribes: the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, the Seminole Tribe of Florida, ...

and

Cherokee The Cherokee (; , or ) people are one of the Indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands of the United States. Prior to the 18th century, they were concentrated in their homelands, in towns along river valleys of what is now southwestern ...

descent from Oklahoma. Her artwork focuses on portrayals of strong women. She uses art as a medium for activism and raising awareness. Tiger was inducted into the

Oklahoma Women's Hall of Fame Oklahoma Women's Hall of Fame was established in 1982 by Oklahoma Governor George Nigh "to honor Oklahoma women who are pioneers in their field or in a project that benefits Oklahoma; who have made a significant contribution to the State of Oklaho ...

in 2001.

Biography

Dana Irene Tiger was born in 1961 to Jerome Tiger and Peggy Richmond. Her father was a full blood Native American of Muskogee-Seminole heritage and her

mother A mother is the female parent of a child. A woman may be considered a mother by virtue of having given birth, by raising a child who may or may not be her biological offspring, or by supplying her ovum for fertilisation in the case of ges ...

is a member of the Cherokee Nation. Tiger's father died of an accidental gunshot wound when she was 5 years old and she was raised by her mother. To promote her father's work, keep his legacy alive, and be taken seriously as an art dealer, Tiger's mother ran the business pretending to be a man. Jerome's brother,

Johnny Tiger Jr. Johnny Moore Tiger Jr. (Muscogee Creek-Seminole), (February 13, 1940 – August 5, 2015) was a Native Americans in the United States, Native American artist from Oklahoma.Lester, 557 Background Johnny Moore Tiger Jr. was born on February 13, 194 ...

, acted as the family patriarch, told stories of their father to his children, and surrounded them with art. Tiger attended

Oklahoma State University Oklahoma State University (informally Oklahoma State or OSU) is a public land-grant research university in Stillwater, Oklahoma, United States. The university was established in 1890 under the legislation of the Morrill Act. Originally known ...

from 1981 to 1984 as a student in the College of Arts and Sciences. She later attended

Bacone College Bacone College, formerly Bacone Indian University, is a private college in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Founded in 1880 as the Indian University by missionary Almon C. Bacone, it was originally affiliated with the mission arm of what is now American Bapt ...

. Tiger first began painting at age 24, after she left Oklahoma State University. Dana was inspired by the legacy of her father, Jerome Tiger, an exemplary artist who revolutionized the portrayal of Native Americans through his unique art style. Her themes of strong women grew out of personal experiences of discrimination and tragedy. She uses art as a medium to empower women. Dana's art is often centered around her sense of womanhood and the strength of those that surround her. Characteristics of her paintings are resilient Native women depicted in both historical and contemporary leadership positions, usually in watercolor or acrylic. Tiger often combines artwork and advocacy, promoting benefits for the AIDS Coalition for Indian Outreach, the

American Cancer Society The American Cancer Society (ACS) is a nationwide non-profit organization dedicated to eliminating cancer. The ACS publishes the journals ''Cancer'', '' CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians'' and '' Cancer Cytopathology''. History The society w ...

, the

National Organization for Women The National Organization for Women (NOW) is an American feminist organization. Founded in 1966, it is legally a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization. The organization consists of 550 chapters in all 50 U.S. states and in Washington, D.C. It ...

, and the Ozark Literacy Council among others. Native American health is a particular focus. While promoting healing and growth through art, she is also a mother, sister, and grandmother.

Personal life

Tiger had planned to remain single and dedicate her life to art, but when her brother was murdered in 1990 and her sister was diagnosed with

HIV/AIDS The HIV, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that attacks the immune system. Without treatment, it can lead to a spectrum of conditions including acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It is a Preventive healthcare, pr ...

two years later, her view of the world changed. She felt that she could honor her siblings by bringing new life into the world. Tiger married Donnie Blair on 7 November 1992. They have two children: a daughter Christie, born 1 September 1993, named after her brother, and a son, Coleman Lisan, born 16 July 1995, named for her sister. Both of her children are award-winning artists. In 1999, Tiger was diagnosed with

Parkinson's disease Parkinson's disease (PD), or simply Parkinson's, is a neurodegenerative disease primarily of the central nervous system, affecting both motor system, motor and non-motor systems. Symptoms typically develop gradually and non-motor issues become ...

. Soon after her diagnosis, Tiger's sister Lisa was also diagnosed with Parkinson's. In 2002, she founded a non-profit organization, Legacy Cultural Learning Community, to foster arts development for Native youth.

Notable works

Tiger's painting ''We Ride Again'' was chosen as the cover art for the 2006 Oklahoma Women's Almanac. A collection of Tiger's work was shown as a part of the ''Oklahoma Painters'' exhibition at the

Grand Palais The (; ), commonly known as the , is a historic site, exhibition hall and museum complex located in the 8th arrondissement of Paris between the Champs-Élysées and the Seine, France. Construction of the began in 1897 following the demolitio ...

, Paris in 2011. She was one of 11 Native American artists who was selected to show at the exhibition. Some of Tiger's other notable works include: *''Totkv'' 2017 Apex Magazine Cover *''Changing The Face of Leadership'' 2006 *''Patrol of the Light Horse'' 1990 National Police Chiefs Convention, Tulsa, OK. *''Courage and Culture'' 1992 AIDS Coalition for Indian Outreach *"Circle of Life" 1993 American Cancer Society, Breast Cancer Awareness Project for Native American Women *''Under Control'' 1993 American Indian College Fund *''Beautiful New Worlds'' 1993 Ozark Literacy Council *''Keeping Cultures Fires Burning'' 1993 National Organization for Women, Oklahoma State Conference *''The Healing Dream'' 1994 Follies, Inc., AIDS Benefit *''Wisdom from the Past, Strength for the Future'' 1995 Conference on the State of the American Indian Family

Awards

*Youngest Master Artist by

Five Civilized Tribes Museum The Five Civilized Tribes Museum in Muskogee, Oklahoma, showcases the art, history, and culture of the so-called "Five Civilized Tribes": the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Muscogee (Creek), and Seminole tribes. Housed in the historic Union Indi ...

*Two Best in Show awards at the Five Civilized Tribes Museum Annual Student Art Show *First Place, Watercolor Division, 1988 Tulsa Indian Art Festival,

Tulsa, Oklahoma Tulsa ( ) is the List of municipalities in Oklahoma, second-most-populous city in the U.S. state, state of Oklahoma, after Oklahoma City, and the List of United States cities by population, 48th-most-populous city in the United States. The po ...

*Special Merit Award, 1988 Trail of Tears Art Show,

Tahlequah, Oklahoma Tahlequah ( ; , ) is a city in Cherokee County, Oklahoma located at the foothills of the Ozark Mountains. It is part of the Green Country region of Oklahoma and was established as a capital of the 19th-century Cherokee Nation in 1839, as p ...

*Featured Artist, 1989 Tulsa Indian Art Festival, Tulsa, Oklahoma *

Creek Nation The Muscogee Nation, or Muscogee (Creek) Nation, is a List of federally recognized tribes, federally recognized Native American tribe based in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The nation descends from the historic Muscogee Confederacy, a large grou ...

Artist of the Year *First People's Fund Community Spirit Award, 2001 *Inductee,

, 2001

References

External links

Artwork by Dana Tiger from Tiger Art GalleryOklahoma Native Artists Oral History Project -- OSU Library
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tiger, Dana 1961 births 20th-century American artists 20th-century American women artists 20th-century Native American artists 20th-century Native American women 21st-century Native American artists 21st-century Native American women Feminist artists Living people Muscogee artists Muscogee people Muscogee women artists Native American activists Native American painters Native American women painters