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Virginia Stroud
Cherokee/Muscogee (Creek)/adopted Kiowa, 1951 - 2024
Place ActiveOklahoma, United States, North America
Birth PlaceMadera, California, United States, North America
BiographyVirginia Stroud is of Creek and Cherokee descent however, her artwork most reflects the plains tribes and her adoptive Kiowa upbringing. Stroud’s paintings weave Native American traditional stories together with experiences from her own life. Stroud was born in Madera, California. After the death of her mother when Stroud was 11 years old, she moved to a children’s home in Oklahoma. Renowned Cheyenne painter W. Richard “Dick” West, Sr. was an early influence on her artistic practice as he visited the children’s home often. He encouraged Stroud to paint, and she sold her first painting at the age of 13. Stroud went toBacone Junior College in Muskogee and also studied elementary education at the University of Oklahoma.
Stroud paints with tempera and gouache on canvas and paper. She draws inspiration from ancient pictographs and historical ledger art as well personal experiences. Her paintings tell stories of Native American women performing traditional everyday tasks while they also mirror her own modern day life. Throughout her career, Stroud has developed a narrative style of painting that incorporates minimal facial features with lavish floral backgrounds. Her use of color has progressed during her career, from the traditional earthy pictorial images of the early eighties to the more brilliant colors she utilizes today.
Oklahoma Arts Council
Person TypeIndividual
Kha'p'oo Owinge (Santa Clara Pueblo), 1904-2001
