14 Facts About Doris Littrell

Doris Littrell was a gallerist from central Oklahoma who promoted Native American art.

Doris Littrell was born on April 28,1929, on a farm near Apache, Oklahoma.

Doris Littrell attended powwows with her maternal uncle and admired the paintings he collected from his neighbor George Geoinety.

Doris Littrell worked the night shift at the telephone company and attended school during the day.

In 1947, Doris Littrell was hired by Southwestern Bell in Oklahoma City and met her future husband, Bob McCabe.

Doris Littrell bought paintings primarily from Kiowa and Comanche artists in Apache, Anadarko and Carnegie, and resold their work to businesses and individuals.

Doris Littrell's breakthrough occurred in 1969 when she mounted a Native art show in the Sales and Rental Gallery at the Oklahoma Arts Center in Oklahoma City.

Also in 1969, Doris divorced Bob McCabe and married jewelry dealer, Mel Littrell.

Doris Littrell opened Oklahoma Indian Art Gallery in 1979 after her retirement from Southwestern Bell.

Doris Littrell handled sculpture by Sherman and Allie Chaddlesone, Charley Pratt, Bill Haney, and Ted Creepingbear.

Doris Littrell was largely responsible for the brief commercial success enjoyed by Mirac Creepingbear prior to his premature death.

Doris Littrell played a decisive role in the careers of Merlin Little Thunder and Robert Taylor.

In 2004, Doris Littrell was honored with the Governor's Arts Award.

Doris Littrell's gallery closed in 2010, after a series of downsizings, and she retired to Plainview, Texas.