Solomon McCombs (1913-1980) was born in Oklahoma, the son of a Baptist minister. He was a member of the Creek tribe and served as vice chief of the Creek Nation. McCombs attended Bacone College in Muscogee, Oklahoma. At Bacone, he studied Indian symbols and the traditional flat style of Indian painting, which he described as a “flat, two-dimensional style, using symbols and choosing subject matter…one knows and loves.” McCombs’ fascination with the art of the Creek tribe was fueled by listening to his mother speak of the lore and traditions of her people. McCombs moved to the Washington D.C. area in 1950 and worked for the federal government until he retired in 1973. He worked as an illustrative draftsman, graphic designer, and illustrator. McCombs’ award-winning paintings were shown at the Smithsonian Institution, the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, the San Francisco Museum of Art, the Gilcrease Museum in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and the Tyron Gallery in London. His paintings also hang in American embassies in Madrid, Brazil, and Monrovia. McCombs earned the Grand Master’s Award conferred by the Five Civilized Tribes Museum in Muskogee, Oklahoma.