biography of Joyce Lee Tate NEVAQUAYA (1932-1996)

Birth place: Apache, OK

Death place: Lawton, OK

Addresses: Apache

Profession: Painter, teacher, flutist, lay minister, lecturer, dancer, composer, singer

Studied: Fort Sill Indian School, Lawton, OK, 1951; Haskell Indian Nations Univ., 1951-52.

Exhibited: WMAA; Indianapolis Mus. of Art; Southern Methodist Univ., Dallas, TX; Rose State Coll., Midwest City, OK, annually (awards); American Indian Expo, Anadarko, OK, annuals; "Trail of Tears Art Show," Cherokee National Mus., Tahlequah, OK, annuals (prizes, 1981-82); Franco-American Inst. Exh., Rennes, France, 1992; Heard Mus., Phoenix, AZ; Inter-Tribal Ceremonials, Gallup, NM, annuals (prizes, 1979, 1985-86, 1988, 1990-92, 1994); National Mus. of the American Indian, Smithsonian; Owensboro Mus. of FA, KY; Native American Center for the Living Arts, Niagra Falls, NY; New Mexico State Fair, Albuquerque, NM; Oklahoma Mus. of Art and OK Art Center Gal., Oklahoma City, OK (annuals); Oklahoma City Trades Fair, 1971 (prize); All-American Indian Art Show, St. Charles, IL (Grand Award); Oklahoma Hist. Soc. (solo); Philbrook Mus. of Art, Tulsa, OK (prize, 1971); Southwestern Indian Art Festival, Albuquerque, NM, 1973 (Grand Award); Scottsdale National Indian Art Exh., AZ,annually (prize, 1975); Southern Plains Indian Mus. and Craft Center, Anadarko, OK (prizes, 1958, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, also solo); Univ. of OK, Norman; Wheelwright Mus. of the American Indian, Santa Fe, NM

Work: Gilcrease Inst.; Woolaroc Mus., Bartlesville, OK. Commissions: Smithsonian Inst., des. and executed a Comanche shield to honor the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier during the National Folk Festival; Southern Plains Indian Mus., Anadarko, OK, full size Comanche tipi; Oklahoma Diamond Jubilee Commission, des. for two coins, 1982.

Comments: Member of the Comanche tribal nation. Also known as Doc Tate. Preferred media: oil, acrylic, watercolor, tempera.

Sources: info. courtesy of Donna Davies, Fred Jones Jr. Mus. Art, Univ. of Okla.