Jamie Okuma

Địa điểm: La Jolla

Sinh ra: 1977

Tiểu sử:

Jamie Okuma is a Native American visual artist and fashion designer from California, known for her exceptional beadwork, mixed-media soft sculpture, and fashion design. She is Luiseno, Wailaki, Okinawan, and Shoshone-Bannock, and an enrolled member of the La Jolla band of Indians in Southern California.

Early Life and Education

Born in 1977 in Glendale, California, Okuma began learning beadwork at a young age, encouraged by her mother, Sandra Okuma (Luiseno/Shoshone-Bannock), a painter and bead artist. Okuma's family moved to the La Jolla Indian Reservation in Pauma Valley, California, when she was five years old. She attended Palomar College in San Marcos, California, and later studied at the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Career and Artwork

Okuma's artwork is characterized by her intricate beadwork, which can include entire families or horses and riders, all with fully beaded regalia. She uses antique Venetian beads, as small as size 22°, about the size of a grain of salt. Her beaded dolls have been exhibited in numerous art institutions throughout the United States, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Okuma has won several awards for her artwork, including seven Best in Show awards at the Heard Indian Market in Phoenix, Arizona, and the Santa Fe Indian Market in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Her work is included in the permanent collections of the Minneapolis Institute of Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Nelson-Atkins Museum, and the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of the American Indian.

Awards and Recognition

In 2020, Okuma's art was exhibited in the landmark exhibition Hearts of Our People: Native Women Artists at the Smithsonian American Art Museum. In 2023, she was inducted into The Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), becoming the first Native American designer to receive this honor.

• Best in Show awards: Seven awards at the Heard Indian Market and Santa Fe Indian Market
• Awards: First Place distinction in the textiles category at the 2012 Heard Museum Indian Fair & Market
• Recognition: Inducted into The Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) as the first Native American designer

Okuma's artwork can be found on https://Wikioo.org/@/Jamie-Okuma, where her beaded dolls and high-end fashion designs are showcased. Her official website and YouTube channel provide more information about her work and inspiration. As a renowned artist, Okuma continues to inspire and influence the world of fashion and art with her unique and innovative designs.