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, t ...
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 Oklahoma ...
in 2001.
Biography
Dana Irene Tiger was born in 1961 to
Jerome Tiger
Jerome Richard Tiger (July 8, 1941 – August 13, 1967) was a Muscogee Creek-Seminole painting, painter from Oklahoma. 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 childbirth, birth, by raising a child who may or may not be her biological offspring, or by supplying her ovum for fertilisation in the cas ...
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 American artist from Oklahoma.Lester, 557
Background
Johnny Moore Tiger Jr. was born on February 13, 1940 in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. His parents ...
, acted as the family patriarch, told stories of their father to his children, and surrounded them with art.
Tiger attended
Oklahoma State University
Oklahoma (; Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a state in the South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the north, Missouri on the northeast, Arkansas on the east, New ...
from 1981 to 1984 as a student in the College of Arts and Sciences. She later attended Bacone College.
Tiger first began painting at age 24, after she left Oklahoma State University. Dana was inspired by the legacy of her father,
Jerome Tiger
Jerome Richard Tiger (July 8, 1941 – August 13, 1967) was a Muscogee Creek-Seminole painting, painter from Oklahoma. 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 voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer. Established in 1913, the society is organized into six geographical regions of both medical and lay volunteers operating in more than ...
, the National Organization for Women, 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
Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual ...
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 long-term degenerative disorder of the central nervous system that mainly affects the motor system. The symptoms usually emerge slowly, and as the disease worsens, non-motor symptoms becom ...
. 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 Grand Palais des Champs-Élysées ( en, Great Palace of the Elysian Fields), commonly known as the Grand Palais (English: Great Palace), is a historic site, exhibition hall and museum complex located at the Champs-Élysées in the 8th arro ...
, 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 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 ...
*Special Merit Award, 1988 Trail of Tears Art Show, Tahlequah, Oklahoma
*Featured Artist, 1989 Tulsa Indian Art Festival, Tulsa, Oklahoma
* Creek Nation Artist of the Year
*First People’s Fund Community Spirit Award, 2001
*Inductee,
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 Oklahoma ...