DURANT, OK – The art gallery at Sky Tower inside Choctaw Casino & Resort – Durant has been updated with a special collection in honor of Native November. The gallery is part of art walk, an interactive exhibit used to tell the stories of the Choctaw people. The most recent installment is called “Our Moccasins, Our Journey,” which highlights the significance of the footwear in Choctaw culture and history.
A monitor inside the gallery guides viewers through the exhibit, from the design and evolution of the shoe to the significance of Choctaw dancers continuing to wear them to this day as a way to honor and acknowledge a connection with the earth.
“Moccasins hold importance in Native history, including that of the Choctaw Nation, and this exhibit showcases all the ways in which they’re a part of our story,” said Kaley Green, Durant Regional Marketing Director. “We are honored to host this exhibit, which shows how moccasins have been a part of our journey all the way back to the Trail of Tears, and they continue to be a part of our journey today as we work to keep our traditions alive and honor those who came before us.”
The artwork on display includes originals from Judith Durr, Lauretta Newby-Coker, Courtney Siseros, Norma Howard, Connie Phillips, Jane Semple Umsted and Gwen Coleman Lester. There are also reproductions of Nancy Rhoades, Lester and Umsted. The exhibit includes a special touch – handmade moccasins by Brad Joe.
Durr produces oil paintings and received the Governors Choice Award at Cowgirl Up 2022, while Newby-Coker handcrafts stained glass mosaics, which won the Grand Award at the 2020 Red Earth Festival. Rhoades’ pieces are oil paintings on canvas, and Howard paints scenes of family stories and Choctaw life. Sisneros creates large, modern acrylics inspired by Choctaw traditions, and Phillips captures the strength of womanhood in Native and Western inspired paintings. Lester creates illustrations of contemporary Choctaw culture and was Master Artist at the Five Civilized Tribes Museum’s annual art competition in 2007. Umsted works with various mediums and was recently appointed to the Institute of American Arts Board of Trustees by President Joe Biden.