Kirk Honored for Artistic Contribution to Center

Reprinted from Bartlesville Examiner Enterprise 2/13/18

The South Coffeyville Native American Fellowship center (NAFI) for Cherokee Nation activities recently honored Mary Kirk of Coffeyville, Kan., for providing the symbol of the Cherokee Nation she painted on the floor at the entrance of the center.

Kirk, who is Cherokee and Delaware and a 25-year member of the Bartlesville Indian Women’s Club, painted a Cherokee Medicine Wheel, with a camp fire and feathers, which is her own artistic design and colors. The painting is five feet in diameter and entitled, “Ancient Flame.”

Bill Davis, president of NAFI, asked Kirk to provide this artistic work where hundreds of Cherokee and non-Cherokee citizens pass through this entrance every month for regularly scheduled business meetings, cultural activities and more.

Davis said, “Mary is a member of NAFI and volunteered her time and talent at no charge to the center. It’s all about giving back.”

He then added, “I am so pleased with her work. This center is for all the tribes around here and we have the Cherokee, Delaware and Shawnee tribal flags flying outside the center.”

The NAFI center is a building built in 2004 through grants, financial help from the Cherokee Nation and from volunteers who helped with the construction.

Kirk is an artist who has studied and worked with acrylics, oil, textiles, jewelry-making, paper art and clothing design. She especially enjoys her five children, 21 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren. She has been a teacher of her heritage among the family and Indian organizations. The name of Kirk’s art business is Pachis Pakay O

Kirk painted an expansive mural surrounding the Bartlesville Indian Women’s Club exhibit at the Dewey Hotel Museum Second Floor East Room. She has chaired the Bartlesville Indian Summer Youth Art Show for eight years. The show has grown from 40 entries to over 160.

As an active member of the Bartlesville Indian Women’s Club, Kirk participates in all the fundraising, community work and style shows.

For information about times and dates of activities at the NAFI in South Coffeyville, call 1-918-255-4035.

— Annette Ketchum, BIWC publicity chairman