JENKS – The Muscogee (Creek) Nation’s longstanding matrilineal heritage and culture is available to view at the Mvskoke Waters Gallery. The exhibit “Mvskoke Matriarchy: Women of Our Nation” opened on Tuesday, April 7, and runs until Saturday, Aug. 1. It features work by 25 artists across different disciplines.
“Mvskoke Matriarchy” marks the gallery’s second exhibit and features 30 works. Its first and inaugural exhibit was “Mvskokvlke: Road of Strength”, which reflected the Tribe’s history, culture, and sovereignty. The facility is still relatively new, opening in December of 2025. It is the first Tribally-owned art gallery in the Tulsa area.
The exhibit is co-curated by Mvskoke Waters Gallery Tech Shelley Patrick (Mvskoke) and artist Carley Treece (Mvskoke/Tsalagi). Artists featured in the exhibit include Andrea Day, Leslie Deer, Phyllis Fife, Bette “Jody” Foshee, Joy Harjo, Faith Harjo-Jones, Breanna Hill, Brittany Hill, Robin Fife Jenkins, Amanda Rutland, Melinda Schwakhofer, and Okcate Smith McCommas.
Artwork came from on and off the Mvskoke Reservation, including one from Exeter, England. The exhibit features paintings, prints, baby moccasins, dresses, quilts, and jewelry.
An Este Cate Hokte Suletawv (Mvskoke Women’s Honor Guard) uniform is on display in the center of the exhibit, recognizing Mvskoke women who have served in the armed forces.
To co-curate the gallery is a dream come true for Patrick. She is currently pursuing her master’s degree in arts administration. Her contribution to the exhibit is a modern, non-form-fitting sundress.
According to Patrick, visitors have connected with the exhibit on some level.
“Everyone who comes in, regardless of whether or not they are Muscogee or just a member of the community or somebody visiting from out of state or out of country, they all find some rapport with this artwork, with the meanings of it, the themes,” Patrick said.
“They all have something to say. Especially those in our community that have grown up around, either in Muscogee Nation or around Muscogee Nation.”
One corner of the exhibit features a kitchen with items commonly found in homes, on the grounds, and in churches. It features kitchenware, including a pounding stone for corn, a sofkee spoon, and a dipper from Thlewarle Indian Baptist Church. A recipe book from the 1970s includes traditional recipes for wild onions and blue dumplings.
One of the exhibit’s largest pieces is a map designed by Mary Edwards Smith. She was well-known for revitalizing the Creek Double False Braid rim, a method unique to traditional Creek basketry.
Patrick has personal connections to many of the works on display. Four of her aunts, her mother, and her grandmother all contributed artwork. An image of her great-grandmother is also included.
Patrick said each artist was chosen based on how the Nation’s history and culture influenced their works.
One of the oldest pieces in the exhibit is a swing jacket made by Patrick’s grandmother, Carmen Griffen Fife. Next to the jacket is a case full of wooden buckles and hand-carved buttons. Fife passed when Patrick was still young but left a major impact on the gallery tech.
“It’s special to share our legacy, to share everyone’s legacy, to share the importance of the matriarchs in our lives. It’s something we talk about all the time, all of us. It’s the importance of the people in our Nation and to ourselves and to each other, and especially the women because we are a matrilineal society, our clan system, descended from our mother’s bloodlines,” Patrick said.
After “Mvskoke Matriarchy” concludes its run at the gallery, Patrick said an exhibit featuring Mvskoke men co-curated by Randy Kemp and Johnnie Diacon will be on display in August. A date and title for that exhibit will be announced soon.
Mvskoke Waters Gallery is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and is located at the Jenks Riverwalk, Suite 115. To stay up to date on events, visit their Facebook page, Mvskoke Waters Gallery.
