Board

Board Members

Cray Bauxmont Flyn

Founder | Executive Director

Cray Bauxmont-Flynn stands as a prominent figure in the realm of Native American heritage and contemporary design. As the Executive Director and Founder of the Indigenous Arts Alliance, Cray dedicates his expertise to nurturing and promoting Indigenous arts through strategic leadership and visionary programming. His commitment extends to offering educational resources, scholarships, and mentorships in various art fields including music, fashion, film, and pottery, aiming to empower the youth of Indigenous communities.

Cray is also the founder of Amatoya, a design studio and furniture collection deeply rooted in the traditions of the Cherokee Nation, Delaware Tribe of Indians, and lineages tracing back to the Mohawk, Wyandotte, and Muscogee Creek tribes. Each piece at Amatoya is a narrative of Native American culture, blending ancestral wisdom with modern aesthetics, showcasing the seamless fusion of form and function.

Cray has cultivated his craft on an international stage, drawing from three decades of experience across continents. His work is marked by a deep reverence for traditional craftsmanship enriched by a global perspective, resulting in designs that resonate with timeless elegance.

 

Tama Roberts

Board Chair

Tama Roberts, a proud citizen of the Cherokee Nation, was born and raised in Northeastern Oklahoma, where she continues to call home. Her artistic journey is driven by a deep-seated duty and necessity to create beauty from the strangest of objects, using nature as her resource and guide. Tama’s unique approach involves rescuing gourds, scraping away mold and dirt to reveal their splendid colors and shapes, each piece becoming a one-of-a-kind creation.

Tama’s introduction to gourds came at a critical time in her life, rekindling her childhood passion for drawing and painting. Balancing her life, work, and family, she now joyfully dedicates herself to her art. As a versatile Cherokee Nation artist, Tama works primarily in ceramics, sculpture, photography, and gourd pyrography. Each piece she creates is an original representation of her heritage and the emotional connection she feels with the earth.

Drawing inspiration from the four elements—fire, water, wind, and earth—Tama’s work embodies the interconnection and respect for Mother Earth and all her inhabitants. Her designs feature contemporary characteristics that reflect the “Art of Today,” married with the connections of the past, allowing her to innovate while honoring her heritage.

Tama’s award-winning art has been published and featured in numerous private collections and commercial spaces, showcasing her ability to blend modern principles with historical perspectives. Her journey is a testament to the importance of understanding our roots, acknowledging past struggles, and embracing the promise of the future to achieve greatness.

Cathy Abercrombie

Board Secretary

Cathy Abercrombie is a distinguished third-generation Cherokee loom weaver and the Co-Chair of the Indigenous Arts Alliance (IAA) Board. Her journey into weaving began at the tender age of 8, when she created her first set of place mats under the guidance of her grandmother, Pearl Abercrombie. This early start laid the foundation for a lifelong passion and dedication to the art of weaving.

Cathy’s exceptional talent lies in her ability to document, replicate, and preserve original Cherokee designs, utilizing historically accurate yarns that reflect the authenticity of each decade. Her work is not only a preservation of tradition but also an exploration of innovation. Cathy creates modern textiles with unique, intricate designs that seamlessly blend the old with the new, showcasing her deep connection to her heritage and her innovative spirit.

Her craftsmanship is characterized by its meticulous attention to detail and quality, making each piece a testament to the rich history and culture of the Cherokee people. This dedication to her craft has earned her a revered place in the art community.

Cathy’s legacy of weaving extends through her family. Her children are award-winning, fourth-generation weavers, and her grandchildren are continuing the tradition on antique looms. This multi-generational commitment to the art form underscores the enduring nature of her influence and the importance of cultural preservation.

Cathy is a designated Cherokee National Treasure, whose work is a celebration of Cherokee heritage and an embodiment of the art’s evolution. Through her efforts, she not only keeps traditional weaving techniques alive but also breathes new life into them, ensuring their relevance and beauty for future generations.

Nocona Burgess

Board Treasurer

Nocona Burgess, serving as Treasurer of the Indigenous Arts Alliance, presents contemporary depictions of Indigenous men and women from diverse tribal Nations of North America. His paintings blend meticulous research, firsthand knowledge, and passionate expression, combining vivid shapes with crisply outlined facial features and traditional attire. Through this fusion, Burgess delves into the cultural context, life narratives, and identities of his subjects, challenging outdated perceptions of Native people and exploring the politicized realm of Native American portraiture.

A member of the Comanche Nation of Oklahoma, Burgess draws inspiration from his familial ties to former tribal leadership, including his great-great-grandfather, Chief Quanah Parker. Raised in an artistic environment, with a father trained in drawing and painting and grandmothers skilled in quilt-making and beadwork, Burgess developed a deep appreciation for art from an early age.

For Burgess, painting is a means of forging connections with his subjects, striving to intimately understand their personalities. Through his art, he expresses gratitude to his ancestors for their contributions to shaping contemporary Native identity.

Tricia Fields

Community Engagement chair

Tricia (Fields) Alexander, Mvskoke/Yuchi/Pawnee/Choctaw/Chickasaw is delighted to serve on the Indigenous Arts Alliance Board of Directors as Community Engagement Chairperson. Tricia is born & raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma & raised in a family of Indigenous artists, storytellers, singers, textile artists & hunters of the land as well as cooks of traditional foods. Tricia is a proud mother of five, Serena, Jacob, Ryan, Katie, adopted daughter Shalayna & granddaughter, Eden. She has served on Tulsa & Glenpool Indian Education Parent Committees for nearly 20 years throughout her children’s public school education since they began school.

Tricia’s began cooking & participating in traditional ceremonies at a very early age & learned from her parents as well as grandparents, great-grandparents & other elders in the community. She is the owner of Autumn Star Catering specializing in traditional Native American foods where she works as a caterer, educator, consultant as well as event organizer highlighting Indigenous artists of all disciplines. Her goal is to highlight artists & promote small business owners while showcasing up & coming emerging artists while giving them confidence & providing a space to market their art however they wish to express themselves. She, along with her daughter were asked to join the Pawnee Service Club & the Pawnee War Mother’s Organization as an Angel.

Tricia has her Associate’s Degrees in Tribal Services & Native American Studies from College of the Muscogee Nation and has been employed by the Muscogee Nation in Behavioral Health as Director of Youth Wellness Program. She has worked as a presenter & consultant to the Smithsonian’s National Monument of the American Indian, served multiple years from the beginning of the Mvskoke Art Market as a Committee Member as well as consultant & caterer to numerous pow-wows, gourd dances, art shows & festivals, fundraisers & Indian Education programs.

She is very honored to be extended this invitation and excited to accept this wonderful title & position. “I’m very excited to be a part of this new journey with like minded individuals who share a deep passion to focus on representation of our community & giving a voice to artists of all ages while also helping to pass knowledge down from seasoned artists to new budding artists. I look forward to continue serving the community on a grander level then I could alone while also learning from my fellow board members & artists we will be working for”.