Jerome R. Tiger
Jerome R. Tiger was a notable Native American artist known for his evocative paintings and sketches that capture the cultural heritage and contemporary life of the Creek and Seminole people. Spending his early years in communal living at the West Eufaula Indian Baptist Church Camp, Tiger developed a deep connection to his cultural roots, which profoundly influenced his art. His artistic career began at a young age when he became head of the art department at a local business, and after serving in the Navy, he dedicated himself to creating a vast body of work focused on traditional Native American rituals, such as the stomp dance and stickball.
Tiger honed his artistic skills at the Cooper School of Art in Cleveland, funded by the Indian Relocation Act, and established a distinctive style characterized by delicate lines drawn on colored poster board. In addition to his artistic accomplishments, he was also a talented boxer, winning the Golden Gloves middleweight title in 1966. Tragically, Tiger's life was cut short by an accidental gunshot wound just days before completing his first clay sculpture for casting. Despite his relatively short career, he earned numerous awards at leading Indian art competitions and left behind a legacy that continues through the artistic endeavors of his family, including his brother Johnny and daughter Dana.
Jerome R. Tiger
- Born: July 8, 1941
- Birthplace: Tahlequah, Oklahoma
- Died: August 13, 1967
- Place of death: Eufaula, Oklahoma
Category: Painter
Tribal affiliation: Creek, Seminole
Significance: Tiger added emotion, subtle colors, and delicate strokes to traditional Indian painting
Jerome Tiger spent his first ten years in communal living with the numerous visitors to West Eufaula Indian Baptist Church Camp. Even after moving to Muskogee, Oklahoma, his family returned often to the camp and the stomp dances performed by the Creek. At fifteen, he became head of the art department at a local business, then left school to spend two years in the Navy. From 1962 until 1967, Tiger produced hundreds of paintings and sketches of the Creek stomp dance in all its phases (ribbon dance, stomp dance, taking medicine, stickball, meals), of Seminoles, of windswept Indians on the Trail of Tears, and of contemporary Indians in everyday activities. He learned about Indian art from his older brother, then attended Cooper School of Art in Cleveland (with funds from the Indian Relocation Act), where he developed his technical expertise. By 1966, his distinctive style—a delicate line on blue or brown posterboard using one or two tempera colors—was established. Tiger was also a boxer, and in 1966 he won the Golden Gloves middleweight title. His life was ended by a self-inflicted accidental gunshot wound days before he would have finished his first clay sculpture for casting. Before his untimely death, he won dozens of prizes at leading Indian art competitions. He rarely interacted with other Indian artists and never traveled outside Oklahoma. His brother Johnny and daughter Dana are artists.
