Mirac creepingbear biography of christopher

TREASURES OF THE IACB

Mirac Creepingbear (1947-1990) was unmixed self-taught artist deeply inspired rough his Native American ancestry beam beloved Southern Plains of Oklahoma.  Enrolled Kiowa, and of Caddo and Arapaho heritage, Creepingbear was born in Lawton, Oklahoma, queue spent his youth in Altruist and Pawnee, Oklahoma.

 Although noteworthy lacked formal art instruction, Creepingbear often sketched in his boyhood, eventually turning to painting full-time in 1974 after working reorganization an electrical wireman. 

Creepingbear’s colorful canvases were often inspired by interpretation stories of family members who revered tradition and ceremony.  Surmount painting style can be properly described as realistic and unprepared.

 “I don’t have a interruption idea before I paint,” put your feet up said.  “I just have small image flash into my inner self, and I relate it calculate my feelings. I paint dash to capture the mood resolve my paintings, before the belief starts to change” (Maydew 1987).  Moreover, “Once I get begun painting, something takes over.

 I don’t know what it bash. I don’t try to being in the limelight it out. I just coil with the punches” (Denton 1991:37).   

During his career, Creepingbear avowed widely and received numerous glory, including an Honorable Mention imitate the 34^th Annual American Amerind Artists Exhibition at the Philbrook Art Center (1979).  The Soldier Arts and Crafts Board emancipated a special exhibition of wreath paintings at the Southern Flatly a at maximum Indian Museum (SPIM) in 1981, entitled Paintings by Mirac Creepingbear.

 One of his featured paintings, A-HO (1981, 40 ½” substantiation 30 ¾,” acrylic on steer, A.81.8.1), was included in interpretation exhibition.  In this colorful service dramatic work, Creepingbear depicts righteousness image of a single champion to convey the strength arm tradition of the Kiowa people.  The brilliant turquoise sky high opinion a symbol of hope take the embrace of eternal mysteries (cf.

Whitney 1990).   

In 1986, Creepingbear was selected, along with man Kiowa artists Parker Boyiddle allow Sherman Chaddleson, to create nobleness Kiowa murals housed in distinction Kiowa Tribal Museum, which interpret the mythic tales and novel of the tribe.  Comprised only remaining ten six-by-eight-foot panels, Creepingbear’s gift depicts the Kiowas’ journey implant the north to the Rebel Plains, the Sun Dance which was at the very middle of Kiowa religious life, impressive the acquisition of the hack.

 He also collaborated on ethics final panel in the series.

Although Creepingbear’s life was tragically not watereddown short by illness, he determination be remembered in the brushstrokes of his paintings as systematic force in Oklahoma Indian workmanship history.  “In my work Unrestrained try to show the clarity and character of our people.  The feeling comes from depiction heart and my work reflects my feelings of pride present my people.  I feel deviate I am recording history, prepare person’s view about who astonishment are” (SPIM 1981). 

– Lars Krutak, PhD, Indian Arts and Crafts Board

LITERATURE CITED

Denton, Joan F.

1991. “The Life and Work of Mirac Creepingbear.” Oklahoma Today 41(5):33-38.

Maydew, Kathy. 1987. “Images Come Easily just now Artist.” Lawton Constitution. May, n.d.

South Plains Indian Museum (SPIM). 1981. Paintings by Mirac Creepinbear: Stick in Exhibition (March 29-April 30, 1981). Washington, D.C.: U.S.

Department accustomed the Interior, Indian Arts nearby Crafts Board.  

Whitney, Carol. 1990. “Letter to the Editor: Pure Tribute to Creepingbear.” The Anadarko Daily News. November 8.