Unity, spirituality, and connection to the earth are at the center of my culture, and these are the teachings that I want to continue. Storytelling is the way that we keep these traditions alive.
I frequently incorporate tribal language and traditional stories into my paintings with the hope of inspiring the Native youth to keep creating and continue our traditions of storytelling in painting.
Ray Donley – Gallery Owner
J. NiCole is of the Comanche and Kiowa tribes. A self-taught contemporary painter, from Apache, OK, currently residing in Norman, OK. She loved drawing at an early age, which lead to painting at the age of 15. “Painting is medicine, its very healing to me.” Hatfield draws her inspiration from old historical photographs of tribal people. She frequently incorporates tribal language into her paintings in hopes of keeping the native languages alive.
Hatfield attended the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico, for one semester. Where she transcended her art into a range of different mediums. Her preferred medium is acrylic which translates bold colors to canvas. Her artwork has been featured across the country, which also includes murals. Of which is located in Anadarko OK on the Lacey Pioneer Building, and also downtown OKC on E. Sheridan St. underpass titled “See The Woman.”
Hatfield also travels the U.S. and locally creating live works of art for special events or fundraisers for organizations such as the Native American Student Program of the University of California in Riverside, CA, along with many other organizations throughout Indian Country. You can find her newest work on her website at www.jnicolehatfield.com.
NiCole Hatfield painted Medicine Bluff in response to a request for a landscape. Nicole’s description of Medicine Bluff: “This piece is based on our sacred Medicine Bluff in southwestern Oklahoma where many tribes in that area came for ceremony and to pray.
NiCole Hatfield’s Elk Tongue blasts red on red. NiCole created this piece based upon a black and white photograph of Elk Tongue (Kiowa) located in the Oklahoma Native American Photographs Collection in the Gilcrease Museum in Tulsa, Oklahoma. NiCole lives in Oklahoma. Her work is included in the permanent collection of the Comanche National Museum in Lawton, Oklahoma.
NiCole Hatfield’s somber Sacred celebrates Native American women, but in the gloomy context of studies showing that Native American women are more than ten times more likely than the rest of the population to be murdered. NiCole lives in Oklahoma. Her work is included in the permanent collection of the Comanche National Museum in Lawton, Oklahoma.
If you have any questions about how you can view and visit the beautiful artwork, please call us at 512.657.6583 or you can stop by the office at 805 Brazos St. Austin, TX 78701.
