ART
Native art market on Main Story and Photos By Doug HILL Tribes Gallery is one of a kind in Norman
Oklahoma is home to an artistic tradition recognized around the globe . The Native peoples who populate this land have been creating art , crafts and adornments all the time they have been here . It ’ s a practice that continues vibrantly today among both old and young artisans . Patrons of these talented people are local , national and international . Tribes Gallery , 512 W . Main St . boasts a large selection of Native-made art from Oklahoma and all of the Americas . Leslie Pate is Tribes ’ longtime owner , gallerist and appraiser . Her daughter Terren Zinbi is Creative Director , influencer and responsible for the gallery ’ s social media presence . Pate had her first exposure to the gallery world in 1985 at age 19 . She apprenticed under the “ Grand lady of Native American art in Oklahoma ” Doris Littrell ( 1929- 2020 ).
“ Doris asked me to help hang a Red Earth Festival show which is a really big event ,” Pate said . “ I told her I ’ d never hung anything before but she left the keys and took off .” Pate was horrified and debated with herself whether she should just leave or get to work . She went to work .
“ When Doris came back two days later she said it was one of the nicest shows she ’ d seen and told me I was a natural ,” Pate said . “ She then offered me a six year apprenticeship .”
That entailed working for 40-60 hours a week learning everything Littrell knew . When Littrell closed her own gallery in 2005 , The Oklahoman wrote a piece about her remarkable presence in the Native art scene . She ’ d furthered the careers of countless artists , did appraisals for museums and later in life donated art to institutions including OU ’ s Fred Jones Jr . Museum of Art . Littrell changed Pate ’ s life and indeed the protégé is following in her mentor ’ s footsteps .
“ I didn ’ t just learn about the art but the also the culture through her in-depth knowledge ,” Pate said . “ That ’ s what ignited the passion in me for this business during that time period with her .”
Tribes Gallery ’ s owner Leslie Pate showing ceramic art .
Much of Pate ’ s work at Tribes Gallery now involves searching for specific art that her clients are seeking . “ Currently I have a collector looking for Kiowa artist Dennis Belindo originals , three are on a waiting list for Kiowa Six pieces , two of them want work by Lois Smoky , that ’ s taking a few years , they don ’ t just pop up ,” Pate said . “ It ’ s mainly people who have a collection going and want to add pieces to it .”
The Kiowa Six are the celebrated half dozen artists from that Nation who led to an increased interest in Native art in the USA and Europe during the 1920s after residencies at the University of Oklahoma . OU ’ s Fred Jones Jr . Museum of Art presented a large exhibition about them called “ Kiowa Agency : Stories of the Six ” in 2020 . “ When we find a piece collectors want invariably they want more ,” Pate said . “ It ’ s mainly older work by deceased artists that are hard to find . Presently I have a gentleman who wants a Ghost Dance shirt .”
That would be a rare artifact circa 1890s . A Norman collector was recently delighted to be shown at Tribes
8 NormanMagazine . com | MAY / JUNE 2022