Comanche Nation Museum, Cultural Center Invites Artist

Comanche Nation Museum and Cultural Center held an artist meet and greet with Dukon Harris on Saturday, April 11.

Museum Assistant Tisha Sullivan said it was exciting to invite Harris to give his story about his artwork and see what pieces he’s done.

Her favorite piece was of Geronimo.

“All of Dukon’s art is amazing. I love all of his,” Sullivan said. “It's just the Geronimo and Fire Dance was just my favorite.”

She said it’s important for the community to see Comanche artwork.

“So that they learn about the art from the Comanches, know the stories behind the art, and keep Comanche art alive,” Sullivan said.

She said each exhibit tells a different history from their time.

Harris is a multimedia artist and created a lot of his work while living in the Northeast.

“Just the ability to do art, I didn't want to just put art on paper or canvas,” he said. “I wanted to explore, put art on wood, on shoes, on anything that I could get my hands on, pretty much.”

Harris said a lot of his earlier works are his favorite.

“The charcoal drawings that you see behind me, I like doing the wood burning,” he said. “That's probably my most favorite style of medium of art.”

Harris said wood burning is unique.

“I put a lot of time into doing that type of art. It's very unforgiving. I've had a lot of burnt fingers, a lot of failed pieces,” he said. “So, when you see a wood-burning piece, just know that it had to be perfection to be a finished piece.”

Harris’ grandfather, Doc Tate Nevaquah, was his inspiration.

“He was kind of like the father figure in the equation,” he said. “He raised me, and I just became inspired by his lifestyle, how he created, and art was a way of expression.”

Being around the community as an artist is important, according to Harris.

“It inspires people to take this journey as an artist,” he said. “When you see your peers, you see people that you've normally seen through your tribe, it gives you a sense of, ‘if they can do it, I can do it too,’ and it gives inspiration to people.”

Harris’s favorite part was meeting the people and sharing his background.

“My story and everyone's story is very unique, and when people get to…hear what they don't get to put down in words, it just makes the story even more personal, and to me, when you hear, I like hearing people's personal stories,” he said. “It's like you get to see something about them that you normally not get to see, and I hope that my story inspired, shared, and got to take a look into my life.”

Harris said when visitors see his artwork, he wants them to also see his journey as an artist from locations to thought process, as well as his love for creating.

His exhibit will run until May 2.