Keeping Our Heritage: Choctaw People, Life, and Animal Kinship
Exhibit ran April 11 through Oct. 14, 2023
The exhibit included themes related to Choctaw culture, history, and lore. From harvesting Choctaw squash to commemorating the bravery of our Choctaw code talkers, Carole Ayers’ works depict several different facets of Choctaw life and history. Carole’s art often expresses her love for animals and the natural world, illustrating the close connection that Choctaw people have long held with the world around them. Throughout her artwork, Carole emphasizes the importance of relationships between Choctaw people and the land, animals, or each other, illustrating various aspects of Choctaw heritage and celebrating Choctaw culture in its many diverse forms.
About the Artist
Carole Ayers is a registered Choctaw artist, a respected District 9 elder, and an active community volunteer. As her 35-year nursing career ended, her husband, Don, inquired as to how she thought she would spend her retirement. She told him she wanted to learn more about her heritage and pursue her passion for painting. From this, she grew into the prominent Choctaw artist she is today. Carole sees her art less as a business and more as sharing her culture, while also preserving it for future generations. With her husband’s support, Carole found her footing in the art world and has since produced many incredible works of art, including the 18 watercolor pieces selected for this exhibition.
Early Evening Romp, 2010
Watercolor on paper
Choctaws watch from their chukka (houses) as one of their beloved Choctaw horses takes an “Early Evening Romp.” Our Choctaw ancestors utilized local raw materials to build their chukka. These thatched roof chukka were strong buildings which provided Choctaw people with shelter, protection, and storage space. Like our homes today, these chukka were central to family life. While the specific type of chukka built has changed over time and would have been dependent upon several factors, namely the time of year and materials available, Choctaw people always adapted to the needs and tastes of their community. In this piece, the artist depicts a quiet community setting interrupted only by a galloping Choctaw stallion.
