Nationality
American, Cherokee Nation
Preview
Date of Work
2023
Medium
Gouache, embroidery thread
Height
7"
Width
5"
Collection/Provenance
Contemporary Indigenous Art Collection
Status
Displayed
Location
Division of Research & Economic Development
Artist Bio
Hattie Lee Mendoza is a member of the Cherokee Nation. Mendoza was born in Fowler, Kansas. She now resides and works in Peoria, Illinois. In 2012 she earned her BA in Graphic Design from Tabor College. In 2021 she completed her MFA at Bradley University in Peoria, IL.
Mendoza looks at her process as, "a personal narrative of the Native American Diaspora."
From the artists website:
"I desire my art to open conversations and be a starting point to discussing tribes, Native Americans past and present, and the many nuances of being descended from Native cultures in a world growing increasingly diverse in numerous ways with every generation. For myself, this also includes my time in Southeast Asia and friendships I’ve made globally.
Cultivating and presenting a joy of cultural differences, influences, and histories allows hope to exist for where we might go in regards to tribes, countries, and personal communities in the future."
https://hattieleeart.com/about
Additional Information
Prairie Surrealism:
Mendoza's Soft Focus combines watercolor and embroidery to create a richly layered composition that resists a single interpretation. The interplay of painted color and stitched thread invites viewers to slow down, notice relationships, and embrace ambiguity. In the spirit of Prairie Surrealism, the work reminds us that discovery often emerges through careful observation and openness to multiple perspectives.
By bringing together traditional handwork and contemporary abstraction, the piece reflects the University's research mission, where innovation grows through collaboration across disciplines and ways of knowing. Like research itself, Soft Focus suggests that understanding is built layer by layer, revealing connections that become visible only through sustained attention.
Description: A non-representational, colorful piece that includes circular shapes in pink, green, and blue.
Condition
Excellent