June 15, 2014

In this issue of This Land, we remember Allan Houser, one of Oklahoma’s most well-known Native artists, who would have been 100 this year. Christina Burke details the Chiricahua Apache artist’s 70-year career. Brooks Nickell illustrates the story behind Artificial Cloud, downtown Tulsa’s landmark statue created by Houser’s son Bob Haozous. Plus, Mike Boettcher invites us for a closer look of Bryant Baker’s Pioneer Woman statue in Ponca City. New poetry from Michael Daugherty addresses the stigmas and stereotypes of Native culture. And, LeAnne Howe shares a story of a tiff in an OKC airport cafe. STORIES CARVED IN STONE: Christina Burke paints a portrait of Allan Houser, a Chiricahua Apache artist born in Oklahoma whose illustrious career spanned seven decades and whose centennial is being celebrated this year. SKY MADE OF STEEL: Brooks Nickell provides an illustrated exegesis of Bob Haozous’ iconic sculpture in downtown Tulsa, giving insight to the artist’s commentary on the importance of preserving Earth. LADY OF THE PLAINS: Mike Boettcher gives us a behind-the-scenes look at the making of Ponca City’s Pioneer Woman statue. ONLY INDIANS CAN TALK TO ANIMALS: New poetry on the nuances and hypocrisy of Native culture and stereotyping by Michael Daugherty. CHOCTALKING ON OTHER REALITIES: LeAnne Howe remembers a scene from an Oklahoma City airport café in the 1970s, where she found herself surrounded by adolescent Vietnam draftees and memories of World War II. ORIGINAL OKIE: Kenneth emigrated from Germany when he was 14 and settled in Enid, Oklahoma. He volunteered for the Army when he was 17 and was wounded during the Omaha Beach invasion on June 6, 1944.