Diana Beach-Stamper’s Native American roots are portrayed through her work at the Museum of the Western Prairie’s sixth annual “Holiday Market in the Museum” event. Among her accolades, the Indiahoma artist has won more than 150 awards and has 32 permanent collections in museums across the country.
ALTUS - More than a dozen talented Oklahoma artists met at the Museum of the Western Prairie Tuesday, Dec. 3, to display some of their latest pieces.
Over the past six years, the “Holiday Market at the Museum” event has given local artists the opportunity to market their work. Growing in popularity, this year’s event hosted six new artists and seven returning favorites, said Executive Director Jennie Buchanan. While many of the artists call the Altus area home, this year, others traveled from as far as Yukon and Norman to be part of the event.
Holiday shoppers and art enthusiasts perused through artworks while visiting with friends and neighbors. Many who attended the annual event found unique holiday gifts for their friends and family. But with a variety of works ranging from paintings and mixed media to glass-beaded jewelry and woodcrafts, deciding what to put under the tree proved to be quite difficult.
Among the artists were Indiahoma’s Diana Beach-Stamper. A graduate of Cameron University’s Design Engineering program, Ms. Beach- Stamper also earned degrees in psychology, education and fine arts from North Texas State University, in Denton. As a child, she received training from her Native American elders.
She has won more than 150 awards through her career and is listed in the Who’s Who of Contemporary Artists of America, the Who’s Who of Native American Indian Contemporaries, and the Indian Artists of Oklahoma.
Ms. Beach-Stamper presently has 32 permanent museum collections across the country and draws inspiration from her best friend, favorite critique and husband, David. “Each of us have our own gift; I’m just doing art for the fun of it,” said Ms. Beach-Stamper. Retiring from Jackson County OSU Extension Office, Don Proctor has found a purpose for the evasive trees he helped local farmers and ranchers try to eliminate from their land for more than 20 years.
During a trip to New Mexico several years ago, Proctor saw bowls made from mesquite and began researching ways to work with the hard wood.
Now, Proctor’s Out on a Limb Woodworks, located at 15927 S. County Road 207, in Altus, has expanded to working with various woods and other materials to make works of art. While there has been quite a calling for his turquoise-in- layed cutting boards and serving trays, Proctor also makes wooden duck calls for hunters and makes use of deer antlers and bison horns to create custom cartridge and inkwell-style pens.
Also featured was self-taught mixed media artist Angie Ellis. A little more than six years ago, Ms. Ellis opened Olga’s Nest, located at 310 3rd Street, Chattanooga, where she also teaches mixed media art classes.
By adding old photos and book pages to watercolor and/or pas- tel-covered canvasses, she creates one-of-a-kind pieces.
“People give me old books and photos and I like to incorporate that in my art,” she said. “It’s all about mixing it up!” she said.
It was estimated that between 60% and 70% of those who attended Holiday Market at the Museum were members of the Western Trail Historical Society; others came to shop and support local artists and the museum.
“It’s a great community-building event,” said Ms. Buchanan. “Everyone was so happy to see everyone else; people were hugging each other like they were family!”
Seeing an increase in total sales and attendance over the past few years, Ms. Buchanan explained that the event has provided a venue for artists to sell their pieces while helping support the museum and the community.
“The event brings people to the museum and provides an opportunity for local artists to market their work, she said. “And since a portion of the sales are donated to support the museum, it’s a win-win!”