About the Artist

"Ernest Spybuck's painting is unique among well-known Oklahoma Native American artists for not being affected by the same influences that defined the Kiowa or Studio styles. Spybuck's work developed and matured before either of those dominant Native American painting styles were codified. It is infused with a sense of humor and personality rarely seen in naive painting of a similar style. Spybuck's meticulous attention to detail in the depiction of the ceremonial life of the Shawnee and other Oklahoma tribes is also unique. Often Spybuck depicts both formal and informal community gatherings. The composition usually provides an overall sense of the activity, very clearly read as a dance, a prayer meeting or a ball game. He is talented in subtly hinting at attitudes and personalities of the individuals he has portrayed. Spybuck's work evokes a special charm, as it reveals an insider's intimate perspective. This characteristic allows the work to appeal to both ethnologists as well as to the general public. His work is included in the following collections: Gilcrease Museum in Tulsa, Oklahoma; Heard Museum in Phoenix, Arizona; Oklahoma Historical Society Museum in Oklahoma City; Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C." excerpted from St. James Guide to Native North American Artists