Heidi Bigknife
| Heidi Bigknife | |
|---|---|
 Heidi Bigknife Shawnee tribe | |
| Born |
May 13, 1967 Enid, Oklahoma, United States |
| Nationality | Shawnee Tribe |
| Education |
Beloit College, Institute of American Indian Arts, University of Illinois |
| Known for | jeweler, sculptor, and collage artist |
Heidi Bigknife (born May 13, 1967) is a Native American artist living in Oklahoma. She is well known for her unique jewelry, a talent she developed at the Institute of American Indian Art.
Early life
Heidi Bigknife was born in Enid, Oklahoma and grew up in Denver, Colorado where her mother worked in the interior design field.[1] Bigknife's father trained pilots at the Vance Air Force Base in Enid and later went on to work as a commercial pilot. Her mother's artistic eye influenced Bigknife's later career throughout her childhood. She remembers doing countless arts and crafts projects with her mother and developed the skill to "create something out of nothing."[1] While in grade school, Bigknife was placed in a gifted and talented program through which she was afforded the opportunity to tour various museums and view art that she would have otherwise not had the opportunity to do. In junior high, Bigknife was the only female in the drafting and shop classes.[1] During her high school years, Bigknife developed a love for photography that continued with her into college. Shawnee on her mother's side, Bigknife's heritage began to play a large role in her life during her college years. After graduating from the Institute of American Indian Arts, Heidi adopted her maternal grandmother's maiden name.[2]
Education
After graduating from high school, Bigknife attended Beloit College in Beloit, Wisconsin. Bigknife received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in photography from Beloit. In the early 1990s, Bigknife earned an associate degree in two- and three-dimensional design from the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She obtained a master's degree from the University of Illinois in color photography, digital imaging, and videography.[2] She continued to study photography at the Institute under Meridel Rubenstein. She also took her first jewelry class with Lane Coulter while studying in Santa Fe.
Style and notable works
Bigknife works in jewelry design, often gathering found items for inspiration. Her work attempts preserve her Native American culture, but at the same time recycle images of the past into new forms and shapes via materials and techniques.[3] She is also a skilled metalsmith and combines political and social messages into her pieces.[2]
Some of her works are featured in the permanent collection of the Museum of Contemporary Native Arts.[4]
Awards and achievements
Bigknife was awarded the Helen Hardin Memorial Scholarship with which she primarily purchased jewelry supplies. Her work has appeared in Tulsa People magazine and has been reviewed by Metalsmith magazine. Her work won a competitive award for jewelry at the Tulsa Indian Art Festival.[1]
References
- 1 2 3 4 Pearson-Little Thunder, Julie (December 2, 2012). "Oral history interview with Heidi Bigknife". Oklahoma Native Artists. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
- 1 2 3 "Heidi Bigknife". Art Focus Oklahoma. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition. 21 (2): 13. March–April 2006.
- ↑ "here and now artist, heidi bigknife". 108contemporary. Tulsa, Oklahoma: 108contemporary. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
- ↑ "War Department: Selections from MoCNA's Permanent Collection". Institute of American Indian Arts. Santa Fe, New Mexico: Institute of American Indian Arts. Retrieved 2 June 2015.