Lance Straughn
I am a story-teller. When someone looks at my art, I want them to get just as involved with the story as I was while creating it. I am fascinated by Native American history and culture and because of my heritage, especially like telling the history of the Chickasaw people.
As the Chickasaws interfaced with Europeans early on, much of their history and culture was lost. I want to preserve as much of what is left as I can through my art.
Artist's Full Biograpy
Lance Straughn was first inspired to capture the inherent beauty of Native American culture very young while attending stomp dances with his Chickasaw grandmother. Later, while living in New Mexico, Lance was attracted to southwest art by the work of Nicolai Fechin and Ramon Kelley and honed his technique by painting portraits of the local Pueblo Indians.
While in Taos, Lance was introduced to sculpting by A. Kelly Pruitt and has used this three-dimensional medium to show the noble dignity of the Indigenous people.
Being Chickasaw, Lance's art gives the viewer a unique perspective of Native American culture and traditions. His use of brilliant colors and bold brushwork invokes in the observer a feeling of getting a glimpse of authentic Native American life.
Lance's sculptures and paintings have won awards at several Native American competitions, including The Five Civilized Tribes Museum, South Eastern Art Show and Market, and the Artesian Art Festival.
His art can be found in both private and public collections including two paintings in the Department of Interior Museum in Washington D. C.