Joanna Underwood Blackburn

Chickasaw Potter & Sculptor

Artistic designs inspired by ancient Native American culture

Joanna's artwork is inspired by early tribal culture and ancient designs of the Southeast. She combines these design elements with her own modern style. Some of her artwork also includes butterflies, turtles, gourd-shaped pots, possum grape designs and floral.

Joanna studied graphic design at the University of Oklahoma where she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. While there she was introduced to various art disciplines including pottery. In the beginning it was difficult to find anyone making Chickasaw pottery, which sparked an interest to learn more about the pottery that her ancestors had created. With the guidance and encouragement of tribal members, Joanna was able to recreate and help revitalize the art of pottery making for the Chickasaws.

In 2011, Joanna was commissioned by the Chickasaw Nation to create multiple large-scale bronze sculptures of her pottery and other southeastern inspired works for the Chickasaw Cultural Center and the Artesian plaza area in Sulphur, Oklahoma.

Joanna and her husband James reside near the Sulphur/Davis area on her family’s original allotment land where they both work as freelance artists.

Accomplishments

  • Commissioned to create large-scale bronze sculptures for the Chickasaw Cultural Center and Artesian Plaza area in Sulphur, Oklahoma – “Southeastern Pottery” water fountain, “Water Jar,” and “Sun Circles and Shell Ornaments.”
  • Participated in the Southeastern Art Show and Market, Tishomingo, Oklahoma
  • Participated in the Artesian Arts Festival in Sulphur, Oklahoma
  • Participated in New Identities in Chickasaw Art, Oklahoma City
  • Awarded First Place in the Santa Fe Indian Market, New Mexico
  • Awarded Best of Division in the Red Earth Art Competition, Oklahoma City
  • Participated in Festival of Fires, Atlanta, Georgia
  • Photographer’s Guide for Chickasaw: Unconquered and Unconquerable
  • Has work on display at the Chickasaw Cultural Center, the ARTesian Gallery & Studios, Exhibit C, and the Chickasaw Arts & Humanities Art Gallery
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Joanna Underwood Blackburn Videos

17 Items

Joanna Underwood Blackburn is a Chickasaw artist whose pottery is influenced by traditional Chickasaw forms and ancient design.
1m

Chickasaw Artist Joanna Underwood Blackburn

 Jerod Tate
Jerod Tate notes that this accomplished Chickasaw potter and sculptor brought her artistic eye to the task of designing the Lowak Shoppala’ tattoos.
1m

An Artist's First Art Show

 Joanna Underwood Blackburn
Chickasaw artist and potter Joanna Underwood Blackburn shares her first art show experience.
1m 30s

A Chickasaw Potter

 Joanna Underwood Blackburn
Joanna Underwood Blackburn shares some of her family history and reflects back on her early artistic inspirations.
1m 30s

Woodland vs. Mississippian Eras

 Joanna Underwood Blackburn
Joanna Underwood Blackburn explains the difference between pottery created during the Woodland and Mississippian eras.
1m 30s

Pottery: Drawn to Chickasaw History

 Joanna Underwood Blackburn
Joanna Underwood Blackburn was introduced to pottery as a college student at the University of Oklahoma.
2m 30s

Introduction to Pottery

 Joanna Underwood Blackburn
Joanna Underwood Blackburn discovered her passion for pottery during an introductory class at the University of Oklahoma.
2m

Pottery: Experimenting With New Techniques

 Joanna Underwood Blackburn
Joanna Underwood Blackburn describes some of the techniques she uses to create her pottery.
1m 30s

Pottery: The Butterfly Design

 Joanna Underwood Blackburn
Joanna Underwood Blackburn shares one of her pots with a butterfly design.
3m

Research: Chickasaw Pottery, Ancient Designs

 Joanna Underwood Blackburn
Joanna Underwood Blackburn reflects on how she researched traditional Chickasaw pottery and ancient designs, materials and techniques.
2m 30s

Coil-Building Pottery: Ancestral Technique

 Joanna Underwood Blackburn
Joanna Underwood Blackburn explains that she learned the ancestral technique of coil-building pottery in college.
2m 30s

Reviving Southeastern Pottery Design

 Joanna Underwood Blackburn
Joanna Underwood Blackburn shares a story about meeting other artists who are also reviving the pottery designs of the southeastern tribes.
1m 30s

Santa Fe Indian Market

 Joanna Underwood Blackburn
Joanna Underwood Blackburn describes her experiences at the Santa Fe Indian Market, the largest Native American art market in the country.
1m 30s

An Artist's Chickasaw Upbringing

 Joanna Underwood Blackburn
Joanna Underwood Blackburn describes her Chickasaw upbringing and some of the traditions that were passed down to her.
1m

Pottery: Evolving My Designs

 Joanna Underwood Blackburn
Chickasaw artist and potter Joanna Underwood Blackburn describes some of her favorite pottery designs.
3m

Chickasaw Pottery at Tupelo Archaeological Site

 Joanna Underwood Blackburn
Joanna Underwood Blackburn describes her visit to the Tupelo, Mississippi, archaeological site where Chickasaw pottery was being excavated.
1m 30s

Putting Prayer Into My Pottery

 Joanna Underwood Blackburn
Joanna Underwood Blackburn shares a recent fond memory from SEASAM and describes her tradition of praying over her pottery.
1m 30s

Linda Hogan Admires Joanna Underwood Blackburn's Pottery

 Joanna Underwood Blackburn
Joanna Underwood Blackburn shares a story about Chickasaw writer Linda Hogan at the Southeastern Art Show and Market.

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