User:Yeseniacx/Lisa Rutherford (artist)

Lisa Rutherford, born April 18,1958, is a Cherokee artist who specializes in Native American art, prominently in pottery and sculpture. Rutherford's art is exhibited in museums, sold and presented in Native American art shows. Her work is a mix of traditional with her own twist.

Early life and Education
Lisa Rutherford was born and raised in a cattle ranch outside of Tahlequah, Cherokee County, Oklahoma, helping her dad take care of the horses, cattle, and the dairy. At the age of 12 her family sold their dairy and continued to raise the cattle. Her Grandmother painted and introduced her to paint at the age of 5, painting mainly horse. When she reached her junior year of high school she enrolled in an art class. In this art class, Rutherford was never expected to go to college but her teacher was the only person who encouraged her to attend. She never had any formal training in art until college. In college she was told her artwork was not good enough. Through those odds, she is now familiar with most types of art and has done about every single form of traditional art, such as, weaving, carving, and pottery.Lisa decided to attend Northeastern State University and majored in Art at first. She later switched to Office Administration and received her Bachelor's degree, later working a few years for the college. She did not pursue a career in art until 2004.

Career
Rutherford was introduced to Bill Glass and voluntarily helped him work on The Passage in Chattanooga in 2004. After four months of working with him, she received an honorable mention and has her name on the plaque where her ancestors walked through. Bill Glass then taught her some of his techniques and influenced her to begin ceramics. At the time, she was working a full-time job and dedicated her free-time to art. She worked 3 years at the Cherokee Nation Entertaintment She was later laid-off for for a few months and transitioned full-time to art, and decided to rent a studio to have a free space in which he can dedicate to art. Since then Lisa Rutherford has been selling her artwork and has acquired knowledge on other forms of art such as, incising, carving, appliqué work, cords, shells, sticks, glass and textile. She has spoken at dozens of conferences, encoring others to do art. She has been able to travel around the country showcasing and selling her work. She heavily encourages others to join Native American art studios and do artistic work. Rutherford is apart of the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington D.C. and studied Smithsonian art. Her speciality is ceramics, but she has done about every traditional work possible: incising, carving, appliqué work, cords, shells, sticks, glass, textile, twining, and ceramics. The clay used for her ceramics is dug and processed by her, although she has boughten it pre-made. Lisa Rutherford has been a part of the Santa Fe Indian Market Show for several years now.

Eastern Little Miss Cherokee Contestant
Lisa created a feather cape for

Group Exhibtions
The Passage at Chattanooga, 2004

Awards and Honors

 * Best of Division, Cultural Items, Eiteljorg Indian Market 2013
 * First Place, Cultural Items/Accessories, Eiteljorg Indian Market 2013
 * Best of Division, Pottery, Eiteljorg Indian Market 2013
 * First Place, Pottery, Eiteljorg Indian Market 2013
 * First Place, Beadwork, Cherokee Art Market 2009, Cherokee, NC
 * Honorable Mention, Traditional Pottery, Cherokee Homecoming Art Show 2009, Tahlequah, OK
 * Judges Choice, Traditional Pottery, Cherokee Homecoming Show 200, Tahlequah, OK
 * Judges Choice, Traditional Pottery, Cherokee Holiday Art Show 2009, Tahlequah, OK
 * First Place, Traditional Pottery, Southeast Tribes Cultural Arts Celebration 2009, Cherokee, NC
 * Second Place, Beadwork, Southeast Tribes Cultural Arts Celebration 2009, Cherokee, NC
 * Third Place, Traditional Pottery, Red Earth Festival 2009, Oklahoma City, OK
 * Third Place, Cultural Utilitarian, Red Earth Festival 2009, Oklahoma City, OK
 * Second Place, Traditional Pottery, Cherokee Art Market 2008, Catoosa, OK
 * Second Place, Traditional Pottery, Southeast Tribes Festival 2008, Cherokee, NC
 * Honorable Mention, Pottery & Beadwork, Cherokee Homecoming Show 2008, Tahlequah, OK
 * Second Place, Traditional Pottery, Cherokee Holiday Art Market 2008, Tahlequah, OK
 * First Place, Beadwork, Cherokee Art Market 2008, Cherokee, NC
 * Honorable Mention, Traditional Pottery, Eiteljorg Indian Market 2008, Indianapolis, IN
 * Second Place, Traditional Pottery, Red Earth Festival 2008, Oklahoma City, OK
 * Second Place, Traditional Pottery & Beadwork, Five Civilized Tribes Museum/Art Under the Oaks 2008
 * Second Place, Traditional Pottery, Southeast Tribes Cultural Arts Celebration 2007, Cherokee, NC
 * Third Place, Traditional Pottery, Eiteljorg Museum Indian Market 2006, Indianapolis, IN
 * First Place & Honorable Mention, Traditional Pottery, Cherokee Homecoming Art Show 2005, Tahlequah, Oklahoma