Benjamin Harjo  Jr. (born 1945  ) is an internationally-known Absentee Shawnee-Seminole painter and printmaker from Oklahoma.Lester, 220-1 Background Harjo is half-Seminole and half-Shawnee and is enrolled in the Absentee Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma  . Harjo's father was the late Benjamin Harjo Sr., a full blood Seminole. Harjo's mother, Viola Harjo  was from Byng, Oklahoma. Viola's father was William F. Harjo, who graduated from Chilocco Indian School in 1939. Viola married Benjamin Harjo Jr. 's stepfather, Roman Harjo (1924–2006)  in 1954 at Clovis , New Mexico .Guin, Wayne. "Obituaries December 12, 2006." ' Ada Evening News ' . 12 Dec 2006 (30 Aug 2009). The name Harjo means "Crazy" in the Muscogee languageand is part of a military title, Chitto Harjo or "Crazy snake."Chitto Harjo. Chronicles of Oklahoma. Volume 13, Number 2, Page 139. June 1935 (retrieved 30 Aug 2009) Harjo was born on September 19, 1945 in Clovis, New Mexico. When his family moved back to Oklahoma, Harjo lived with his maternal grandparents, Emmett and Ruth Wood, from when he was aged 10 to 18.Painter, Bryan. Going Home: Ben Harjo Jr. 'NewsOK'. 23 Nov 2007 (30 Aug 2009) Education and military service Harjo's first passion was cartooning, and he sold comics to his high school newspaper. Interested in pursuing a professional career in cartoon animation, Harjo went to the Institute of American Indian Arts in 1966, only to discover that their animation program no longer existed . Little Thunder, 7 He stayed at IAIA anyway and earned his Associate of Arts degree. His classmates included such luminaries as T. C. Cannon and Linda Lomahaftewa  . Seymour Tubis was his most influential teacher, who taught him low-tech but highly effective printmaking techniques.Little Thunder, 10 In 1969  was drafted into the US Army and served honorably in the Vietnam War . from 1969 to 1971. Upon his release from the military, Harjo continuing his art education and attended Oklahoma State University and graduated with a BFA degree in 1974.Smiley, Lori and Stephanie Lusher. "Ben Harjo Jr." 'NDN Art Gallery.' (retrieved 30 Aug 2009 Harjo has said,  When you're traveling down the highway, you see an image whether it's dirt on the back of a truck or a splat on a windshield or two birds sitting by the side of the road picking at something. All those things have inspired me at some point in my creativity.  And he summarizes his artistic philosophy:  It has always been my contention that one's art speaks from the soul of the artist and remains viable and open to the influences of the artist's environment. Forms, colors, and movement keep it from stagnating and allow it to grow as the artist matures and develops. I feel that my art covers a wide range of emotions, from serious to humorous, and that the colors I used radiate a sense of happiness and joy.  Public collections His artwork can be found in the many public collections, including the following: Gilcrease Museum, Tulsa, OK Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art, Shawnee, OK Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, Norman, OK US Embassy, Mogadishu, SomaliaMcFadden and Taubman, 245 Sequoyah National Research Center, Little Rock, AR Oklahoma State University Museum of Art Stillwater, OK Awards and honors Harjo was the 2005 poster artist for SWAIA's Santa Fe Indian Market , where he has consistently won top awards , including Best of Show, since 1983. In 1987 he won the Red Earth Grand Award. He was the 1993 Heard Museum's 34th Annual Featured Artist, the Featured Artist in 1992 and 1993 for the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian's Annual Aspen Benefit, and the Gold Medal Award at the 1990 American Indian Cowboy Artists Wichita Show.Benjamin Harjo Jr. Mittie Cooper Gallery. (retrieved 30 Aug 2009) Oklahoma Governor David Walters honored Harjo for his selection by Absolut Vodka to represent Oklahoma in its USA Today advertising campaign. In  1992, Harjo showed his work at the Franco-American Institute in Rennes, France. In 1991, the Wichita Art Museum held a solo exhibition of his work , and the Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian hosted a major retrospective of Harjo's work, entitled " The Earth, the Moon, and the Stars Above. " At a January 2010  solo exhibition at his alma mater, the Oklahoma State University , Harjo donated all proceeds of his art sales to OSU's Art Department."OSU Alumnus Gives Back, Shows Art on Campus: Benjamin Harjo Jr. exhibiting, selling "Art and Soul." Oklahoma State University Foundation News. (retrieved 22 Jan 2010) External links Benjamin Harjo Jr.: American Indian Artist, official website The Earth, the Moon, and the Stars Above: Benjamin Harjo Jr., Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian Benjamin Harjo Jr.: We Are a Landscape of All We Know, OSU Museum of Art Oral History Interview with Benjamin Harjo Jr. at Oklahoma State University Native Artists Oral History Project
Benjamin Harjo , Jr. (born 1945 , Absentee Shawnee-Seminole Nation ) is an internationally known painter and printmaker based in Oklahoma.Lester, 220-1 Background Benjamin Harjo, Jr. is half-Seminole and half-Shawnee in ancestry; he is enrolled in the Absentee Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma ,, which are his mother's people . Harjo's father was the late Benjamin Harjo Sr., a full-blood Seminole. Harjo's mother, Viola Harjo , was from Byng, Oklahoma. Her father was William F. Harjo, who graduated from Chilocco Indian School in 1939. Benjamin Harjo Jr. was born on September 19, 1945 in Clovis, New Mexico. Viola married Roman Harjo (1924–2006) , in 1954 at Clovis ; he became the stepfather of Benjamin Jr .Guin, Wayne. "Obituaries December 12, 2006." Ada Evening News . 12 Dec 2006 (30 Aug 2009). The name Harjo means "Crazy" in the Muskogee language, which was spoken by both the Muscogee (Creek) people and the Seminole, who had formed from Creek and other peoples. The word is part of a military title, Chitto Harjo , meaning "Crazy snake."Chitto Harjo. Chronicles of Oklahoma. Volume 13, Number 2, Page 139. June 1935 (retrieved 30 Aug 2009) After his family moved back to Oklahoma, Harjo lived with his maternal grandparents, Emmett and Ruth Wood, from the age of 10 to 18.Painter, Bryan. Going Home: Ben Harjo Jr. 'NewsOK'. 23 Nov 2007 (30 Aug 2009) Education and military service Harjo's first passion was cartooning, and he sold comics to his high school newspaper. Interested in pursuing a professional career in cartoon animation, Harjo went to the Institute of American Indian Arts in 1966. There he discovered that they had discontinued their animation program at IAIA . Little Thunder, 7 He expanded his studies and earned his Associate of Arts degree. His classmates included T. C. Cannon and Linda Lomahaftewa , who have become noted artists . Seymour Tubis was his most influential teacher, and taught him low-tech but highly effective printmaking techniques.Little Thunder, 10 In 1969 Harjo was drafted into the US Army ; he served honorably in the Vietnam War from 1969 to 1971. Upon his release from the military, Harjo continued his art education . He attended Oklahoma State University and graduated with a BFA degree in 1974.Smiley, Lori and Stephanie Lusher. "Ben Harjo Jr." 'NDN Art Gallery.' (retrieved 30 Aug 2009 Harjo has said, " When you're traveling down the highway, you see an image whether it's dirt on the back of a truck or a splat on a windshield or two birds sitting by the side of the road picking at something. All those things have inspired me at some point in my creativity. " He summarizes his artistic philosophy: " It has always been my contention that one's art speaks from the soul of the artist and remains viable and open to the influences of the artist's environment. Forms, colors, and movement keep it from stagnating and allow it to grow as the artist matures and develops. I feel that my art covers a wide range of emotions, from serious to humorous, and that the colors I used radiate a sense of happiness and joy. " Public collections His artwork can be found in many public collections, including the following: Gilcrease Museum, Tulsa, Oklahoma (OK) Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art, Shawnee, OK Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, Norman, OK US Embassy, Mogadishu, SomaliaMcFadden and Taubman, 245 Sequoyah National Research Center, Little Rock, Arkansas Oklahoma State University Museum of Art Stillwater, OK Awards and honors Harjo was the 2005 poster artist for SWAIA's Santa Fe Indian Market . He has consistently worn top awards there , including Best of Show, since 1983. In 1987 he won the Red Earth Grand Award. He was the 1993 Heard Museum's 34th Annual Featured Artist, the Featured Artist in 1992 and 1993 for the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian's Annual Aspen Benefit, and the Gold Medal Award at the 1990 American Indian Cowboy Artists Wichita Show.Benjamin Harjo Jr. Mittie Cooper Gallery. (retrieved 30 Aug 2009) Oklahoma Governor David Walters honored Harjo for his selection by Absolut Vodka to represent Oklahoma in its USA Today advertising campaign. Exhibits 1992, Franco-American Institute in Rennes, France. In 1991, the Wichita Art Museum held a solo exhibition of his work . 1991, the Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian hosted a major retrospective of Harjo's work, entitled The Earth, the Moon, and the Stars Above. January 2010 , solo exhibition at Oklahoma State University : Harjo donated all proceeds of his art sales to OSU's Art Department."OSU Alumnus Gives Back, Shows Art on Campus: Benjamin Harjo Jr. exhibiting, selling "Art and Soul." Oklahoma State University Foundation News. (retrieved 22 Jan 2010) External links Benjamin Harjo Jr.: American Indian Artist, official website The Earth, the Moon, and the Stars Above: Benjamin Harjo Jr., Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian Benjamin Harjo Jr.: We Are a Landscape of All We Know, OSU Museum of Art Oral History Interview with Benjamin Harjo Jr. , Oklahoma State University Native Artists Oral History Project
A
,
A
, Absentee Shawnee-Seminole Nation
R
internationally-known Absentee Shawnee-Seminole
internationally known
R
from
based in
R
Harjo
Benjamin Harjo, Jr.
R
and
in ancestry; he
A
,, which are his mother's people
R
full blood
full-blood
A
,
R
Viola's
Her
D
Viola married
R
's stepfather,
was born on September 19, 1945 in Clovis, New Mexico. Viola married
A
,
R
, New Mexico
; he became the stepfather of Benjamin Jr
D
'
D
'
R
Muscogee languageand
Muskogee language, which was spoken by both the Muscogee (Creek) people and the Seminole, who had formed from Creek and other peoples. The word
R
or
, meaning
R
Harjo was born on September 19, 1945 in Clovis, New Mexico. When
After
R
when he was aged
the age of
R
1966, only to discover that
1966. There he discovered that they had discontinued
R
no longer existed
at IAIA
R
stayed at IAIA anyway
expanded his studies
D
such luminaries as
A
, who have become noted artists
R
who
and
A
Harjo
R
and
; he
D
.
R
continuing
continued
R
and
. He
A
"
A
"
R
And he
He
A
"
A
"
D
the
R
OK
Oklahoma (OK)
R
AR
Arkansas
R
, where he has consistently won top awards
. He has consistently worn top awards there
D
In
A
Exhibits
D
Harjo showed his work at the
R
, and
. 1991,
D
"
D
" At a
A
,
D
his alma mater, the
R
,
:
R
at
,