1. Virginia Stroud was an enrolled citizen of the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians and a Muscogee descendant.
13 Facts About Virginia Stroud
1. 2.
Virginia Stroud was born in Madera, California, on March 13,1951.
3.
Virginia Stroud's mother died when she was eleven, so Stroud moved to Muskogee, Oklahoma, to live with her sister.
4.
Virginia Stroud sold her first painting at the age of 13.
5.
Virginia Stroud went on to win the title Miss National Congress of American Indians in 1970, and in 1971, she was crowned Miss Indian America XVII.
6.
When Virginia Stroud competed for the title of princess in 1969, Cherokee women wanted her to represent the tribe in a "traditional" Cherokee outfit, which was problematic since Cherokee women wore contemporary mainstream fashions for at least two centuries and wore very little clothing before that.
7.
Virginia Stroud painted with tempera and gouache and was a fine art printmaker.
8.
Virginia Stroud drew inspiration from Bacone school Flatstyle painting and historical ledger art, as well as ancient pictographs.
9.
Over her career, Virginia Stroud developed a narrative style with minimal facial details in her people and lavish floral backgrounds.
10.
Virginia Stroud painted kinetic wooden sculptures and fine art furniture.
11.
Virginia Stroud's work is in such public collections as the Gilcrease Museum, Millicent Rogers Museum, Philbrook Museum of Art, Fred Jones Jr.
12.
Virginia Stroud died in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, on November 8,2024, at the age of 73.
13.
In 1970, Virginia Stroud became the youngest Native artist to win first place in the Woodlands division of the Philbrook Museum's annual juried art show.