60: Yatika Starr Fields: Being Still Is In the Movement; Art Creates Dialogue; We Are Part of the Stars

Yatika Starr Fields (he/him) is a Painter, a Muralist, an Artist, a creative person, an ultrarunner, an advocate and an activist. He grew up in an artistic family in Oklahoma and is part of the Cherokee, Mvskoke (Misscogee) (Creek) and Osage Nations and is also a Bear clan member. He currently lives and works in Tulsa in conjunction with the Tulsa Artist Fellowship. While attending the Art Institute of Boston from 2000 to 2004, he became interested in Graffiti aesthetics, which has been integral to his knowledge and process, along with Landscape painting, and continues to influence his large-scale projects and studio works.  Yatika has been featured in Juxtapoz Magazine, American Art Collector, Cowboys & Indians, Art focus Oklahoma, ARTINFO, PASATIEMPO, The New Mexican, Phoenix New Times, Oklahoma Gazette and Vision Project. He has participated in over 43 solo and group exhibitions at venues across the U.S. and Europe. Through Yatika’s artworks, he encourages individuals to have an enhanced understanding on indigenous culture because of the way they are misrepresented in society. Yatika runs Ultramarathons several times each year. He has finished his first ultra the Holler 50k in Oklahoma. He has also completed the 90 mile Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) TDS trail race in the Alps with 9,100-meters of elevation change. He has also completed the Black Canyon 100k. In 2022, he completed the Western States 100 mile run. His experience at Western Sates is the subject of the short film, Know To Run produced by Rising Hearts. He says there is a connection between his running and his painting. Yatika is an image-maker and thinker. He is intentional, aware, curious, passionate, eloquent and a powerful voice.

Yatika speaks about how he doesn't like to prefabricate ideas prior to creating his pieces. He paints on instinct and lets his art unfold. We talk about how being still in the movement. Yatika says stillness doesn't need to be defined as static, but it is more of an internal mindset. He shares about Graffiti art taught him a lot about style and courage. His experience at Standing Rock was powerful and he was part of the solidarity in a profound way. Yatika speaks about how running helped him get better and feel better. Yatika says, "running is an art form; painting is an art form; your body is an art form; movement is an art form. These are all things that are both shared between the brush and the legs and the mind. Running is colorful; painting is colorful."

Yatika lives on Osage, Mvskoke, Quapaw, Caddo, Kiikaapoi, Očhéthi Šakówiŋ land.

Book recommendation:
Mutant Message Down Under by Marlo Morgan
The Red Man's Bones by William Tomicki

Check out Yatika at www.yatikafields.com IG @yatikafields Garth Greening Gallery in NYC

When in Tulsa, OK, check out Burning Cedar Sovereign Wellness  www.burningcedar.org  IG @burningcedartulsa