Muscogee Creek
The Muscogee, also known as the Mvskoke, Muscogee Creek, and the Muscogee Creek Confederacy ( in the Muscogee language), are a group of related indigenous (Native American) peoples of the Southeastern WoodlandsNative American artist from Oklahoma known for his paintings, murals, and illustrations.
McCombs worked as a muralist for the U.S. Treasury Section of Fine Arts in 1942 and as an illustrator and designer for the
United States Department of State
The United States Department of State (DOS), or State Department, is an United States federal executive departments, executive department of the Federal government of the United States, U.S. federal government responsible for the country's fore ...
from 1956 until 1973. His paintings and murals often embraced the "Flatstyle" of painting with outlined shapes and natural colors, featuring traditional Muscogee Creek themes and narrative. He lived between Tulsa, Oklahoma and Arlington, Virginia.
Early life and education
McCombs was born 1913 in Eufaula, Oklahoma to a Baptist minister. McCombs was of Muscogee Creek,
Cherokee
The Cherokee (; chr, ᎠᏂᏴᏫᏯᎢ, translit=Aniyvwiyaʔi or Anigiduwagi, or chr, ᏣᎳᎩ, links=no, translit=Tsalagi) are one of the indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands of the United States. Prior to the 18th century, th ...
, and Irish descent and a member of the
Muscogee (Creek) Nation
The Muscogee Nation, or Muscogee (Creek) Nation, is a federally recognized Native American tribe based in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The nation descends from the historic Muscogee Confederacy, a large group of indigenous peoples of the So ...
. He grew up in eastern Oklahoma on a ranch and attended school in the Oak Grove community. As a child, McCombs was injured and confined to his bed, it was then he started to take an interest in fine art. By 1934, he was painting in a traditional-style.
William McCombs, Solomon's paternal great uncle was a founding member of
Bacone College
Bacone College, formerly Bacone Indian University, is a Private college, private Tribal college and university, tribal college in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Founded in 1880 as the Indian University by missionary Almon C. Bacone, it was originally affil ...
and his cousin,
Acee Blue Eagle
Acee Blue Eagle (17 August 1907 – 18 June 1959) was a Native American artist, educator, dancer, and Native American flute player,Wyckoff, 92 who directed the art program at Bacone College. His birth name was Alexander C. McIntosh, he also ...
(Muscogee, 1907–1959) was an early leader within the Art Department at the school. Solomon McCombs attended Bacone College and Tulsa University's Downtown College, studying painting, Native American customs and traditions, as well as related history of the Muscogee Creek Nation. He studied with Acee Blue Eagle and
Mary Stone McLendon
Mary "Ataloa" Stone McLendon (1896–1967) was a Native Americans in the United States, Native American musician, storyteller, Humanitarianism, humanitarian, and educator, who was a member of the Chickasaw Nation. McLendon was an important figur ...
at Bacone College.
Career
In 1941, McCombs work was in an exhibition at
Museum of Modern Art
The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is an art museum located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, on 53rd Street (Manhattan), 53rd Street between Fifth Avenue, Fifth and Sixth Avenues.
It plays a major role in developing and collecting modern art, ...
(MoMA) in New York City. McCombs illustrated a book for author
Caroline Dormon
Caroline Coroneos "Carrie" Dormon (19 July 1888 – 21 November 1971) was a naturalist, ethnographer, and writer in Louisiana. She was a pioneer conservationist and was involved in the establishment of the Kisatchie National Forest and was also ...
in the 1940s.
U.S. Treasury
Section of Fine Arts
The Treasury Section of Painting and Sculpture was a New Deal art project established on October 16, 1934, and administered by the Procurement Division of the United States Department of the Treasury.
Commonly known as the Section, it was rena ...
commissioned McCombs to paint the mural at the
Marietta
Marietta may refer to:
Places in the United States
*Marietta, Jacksonville, Florida
*Marietta, Georgia, the largest US city named Marietta
*Marietta, Illinois
*Marietta, Indiana
*Marietta, Kansas
* Marietta, Minnesota
*Marietta, Mississippi
*Ma ...
, Oklahoma Post Office titled, ''Chickasaw Family Making Pah Sho Fah (Pashofa)'' (1942). This mural depicts four women and two men cooking a meal of
pashofa
Pashofa, or pishofa, is a Chickasaw and Choctaw Indian soupy dish made from cracked white corn, also known as pearl hominy. The dish is one of the most important to the Chickasaw people and has been served at ceremonial and social events for c ...
, an important dish to the Chickasaw people and part of their cultural identity. The mural was one of the last commissions by the Section of Fine Arts and was restored twice, in 1960 and again in 2006.
Starting in 1956, he was an illustrator for the
United States Department of State
The United States Department of State (DOS), or State Department, is an United States federal executive departments, executive department of the Federal government of the United States, U.S. federal government responsible for the country's fore ...
within the audio-visual services division. With his work with the Department of State, McCombs was able to travel extensively to the Middle East, Africa, and India in order to lecture about Native American art and his work.
In 1961, he was married to artist Margarita Sauer McCombs (1925–1998).
In 1963 McCombs was a founder and president of the American Indian and Eskimo Cultural Foundation of Washington, DC.
In 1965, he won the ''Waite Phillips Trophy for Outstanding Contributions to American Indian Art'', presented by the
Philbrook Museum of Art
Philbrook Museum of Art is an art museum with expansive formal gardens located in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The museum, which opened in 1939, is located in a former 1920s villa, "Villa Philbrook", the home of Oklahoma oil pioneer Waite Phillips and his w ...
(previously known as the Philbrook Art Center).
In 1973, he retired from working for the federal government. Before retiring, McComb's designed on the first logo for the American Indian National Bank of Washington D.C founded in 1973.
In 1978, McCombs was elected Second Chief by the
Creek Nation
The Muscogee Nation, or Muscogee (Creek) Nation, is a federally recognized Native American tribe based in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The nation descends from the historic Muscogee Confederacy, a large group of indigenous peoples of the So ...
.
Death and legacy
He died on November 18, 1980, due to a stroke that occurred after surgery in the hospital in
Tulsa
Tulsa () is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 47th-most populous city in the United States. The population was 413,066 as of the 2020 census. It is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with ...
, Oklahoma. He was buried in Tuskegee Cemetery in Eufaula, Oklahoma. After his death there was a two-person memorial exhibition was held for
Fred Beaver
Fred Beaver (2 July 1911 – 18 August 1980) was a prominent Muscogee Creek- Seminole painter and muralist from Oklahoma.Lester, Patrick D. ''The Biographical Directory of Native American Painters.'' Norman and London: The Oklahoma University Pre ...
and Solomon McCombs at Gilcrease Museum (March 7 through April 19, 1981).
His work is featured in various public art museum collections including
Gilcrease Museum
Gilcrease Museum, also known as the Thomas Gilcrease Institute of American History and Art, is a museum northwest of downtown Tulsa, Oklahoma housing the world's largest, most comprehensive collection of art of the American West, as well as a gro ...
,
Southern Plains Indian Museum
Southern Plains Indian Museum is a Native American museum located in Anadarko, Oklahoma. It was opened in 1948 under a cooperative governing effort by the United States Department of the Interior and the Oklahoma state government. The museum fe ...
, among others
The Muscogee (Creek) Nation has a building dedicated to McCombs, the ''Solomon McCombs Building''.
References
Further reading
*
*Morand, Anne, Kevin Smith, Daniel C. Swan, and Sarah Erwin. ''Treasures of Gilcrease: Selections from the Permanent Collection.'' Tulsa, OK: Gilcrease Museum, 2003. .