benjamin harjo jr artist fund

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benjamin harjo jr artist fund

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benjamin harjo, jr.

(Absentee Shawnee/Seminole, 1945–2023) gave artists encouragement and confidence to bring their creative talents to the world through kind words, gentle nudges, and always big smiles.

10/08/2026

🎉 A HUGE MILESTONE FOR THE BENJAMIN HARJO, JR. ARTIST FUND! 🎉

We are beyond excited to announce that we have officially partnered with the Oklahoma City Community Foundation to establish the Benjamin Harjo, Jr. Artist Fund Endowment! ❤️

This is more than just a milestone. It’s a lasting investment in the future of Native artists, their creativity, and the preservation of their cultural legacies.

A very special thank you goes to Mike and Jane Lodes, longtime friends of Ben and Barbara Harjo, whose generous $10,000 gift helped lay the foundation for this incredible next chapter.

And to every single person who has donated, supported, shared, and believed in our mission over the past year — YOU helped make this possible!

✨ So, what does this mean for the future?

It means the opportunity to support Native artists for generations to come. Through this endowment, we’re building a lasting source of funding that can continue growing, creating more opportunities, providing greater financial support, and helping even more Native artists pursue their dreams.

What began as a mission to honor the legacy of Benjamin Harjo, Jr. is growing into something that will make a difference for years to come.

His legacy lives on through the artists we uplift. 🎨

We are incredibly grateful to everyone who has been part of this journey, and we can’t wait to share what’s next!

This is just the beginning! ❤️

10/07/2026

There’s something special about seeing an artist in the place where ideas became something tangible. 🎨

For Benjamin Harjo Jr., the studio was a space of imagination, humor, culture, color, and countless hours spent creating. Each brushstroke became part of a body of work that continues to speak, inspire, and carry his legacy forward.

The Benjamin Harjo Jr. Artist Fund exists to honor that legacy by helping create opportunities for Native artists to keep doing what Ben loved most—creating. 🤍

A glimpse behind the canvas, and into the life of the artist whose legacy continues to make room for others.

https://benjaminharjojrfund.org/

10/05/2026

🎨 MONDAY MASTERPIECE | Benjamin Harjo Jr.

Bold color, geometric pattern, and unmistakable personality—this piece is pure Benjamin Harjo Jr.

Look closely and the composition begins to reveal itself: layered figures, faces and forms emerge from vivid blocks of turquoise, pink, orange, red, green and blue. The checkerboard patterns and sweeping lines create constant movement, while the overlapping imagery invites you to find something new every time you look.

Harjo’s distinctive visual language brings together contemporary abstraction, humor, Native identity and storytelling in a way that is immediately recognizable as his own.

For today’s Monday Masterpiece, spend a little extra time with this one. 👀

What was the first figure or detail you noticed?

10/03/2026

80 years. Countless works of art. One incredible legacy. 🎨

As we step into October, we’re continuing to celebrate Benjamin Harjo Jr.—not only for the art he created, but for the opportunities his legacy continues to create for Indigenous artists today.

Every share, every gift, and every person who takes the time to learn more helps carry that legacy forward.

80 for 80 continues. 🤍

09/23/2026

The art of noticing. ❤️

Noticing the hands that create.
The stories held within the art.
The friendships built along the way.
The artists finding their place.
The moments at markets that become memories.
The legacy one person can leave behind.

Look closely enough and you’ll see it everywhere.

Ben’s legacy was never only about the art he created—it was also about the people, the community, and the artists around him.

That’s what 80 for 80 is about.

Celebrating Benjamin Harjo Jr. while continuing to notice, encourage, and invest in Indigenous artists whose stories are still being written.

Because sometimes giving back begins simply by noticing what is worth carrying forward. 🎨❤️

Checkout our website to learn how you can give back!⬇️

https://benjaminharjojrfund.org/give/

09/21/2026

MONDAY MASTERPIECE 🎨

Today’s masterpiece comes from Ruth Hallows, one of the Benjamin Harjo Jr. Artist Fund award recipients.

Chilkat dancing blankets have long carried clan histories through intricate hand-twining and Formline design. In this piece, Ruth uses those traditions alongside the Masked Portrait Face motif to tell a deeply personal story—one of unmasking and revealing personal identity.

And this work has been recognized. ✨

It debuted at Sealaska Heritage Institute’s Biennial Juried Art Show during Celebration 2024, where it received Honorable Mention for Chilkat Weaving from master weaver Kujuuhl, Evelyn Vanderhoop. It is now traveling with the Handweavers Guild of America’s 2025 Small Expressions exhibition, where it was awarded First Place.

THIS is why we do what we do.

80 for 80 isn’t simply about giving to a fund. It’s about giving back to Indigenous artists like Ruth—artists who are preserving tradition, telling stories, creating exceptional work, and carrying Indigenous art forward for generations to come.

When we invest in artists, we make room for more stories to be told.

That’s the heart behind the Benjamin Harjo Jr. Artist Fund. ❤️

Check out our website to see how you can help artists like Ruth today!⬇️

https://benjaminharjojrfund.org/give/

09/19/2026

Today, we celebrate Benjamin Harjo Jr. 🎂❤️

We celebrate the artist, the storyteller, the humor, the creativity, the countless works of art—and the impact that continues far beyond a canvas.

Ben spent his life creating something that would outlive him. Today, his legacy continues through every artist encouraged, every opportunity created, and every story given room to be told.

Happy Birthday, Ben. Your art lives on, and your legacy keeps giving.

In his honor, consider joining us in carrying that legacy forward through 80 for 80. 🎨⬇️
https://benjaminharjojrfund.org/give/

09/18/2026

Tomorrow, we celebrate Benjamin Harjo Jr. ❤️

His life gave us so much more than beautiful artwork. It gave us stories, laughter, inspiration, connection, and a legacy that continues to make room for other Indigenous artists.

As we head into Ben’s birthday, we’re celebrating all that he created—and all that continues because he did.

80 for 80 is a legacy that creates opportunities for indigenous artists to continue their stories.
See how you can impact these artists today.⬇️
https://benjaminharjojrfund.org/give/

09/17/2026

80 for 80. 🎨

Benjamin Harjo Jr. spent a lifetime creating, storytelling, inspiring, and leaving his mark on the world of Indigenous art.

Now, through the Benjamin Harjo Jr. Artist Fund, that legacy continues by creating opportunities for Indigenous artists to keep creating, growing, and sharing their own stories.

Over the next few weeks, we’re celebrating the art, the impact, and the legacy behind 80 for 80. We hope you’ll celebrate with us. ❤️

Check out the 80 for 80 campaign here on our website❤️⬇️
https://benjaminharjojrfund.org/give/

09/09/2026

You don’t have to purchase a piece of art every time you want to support an artist.

A follow introduces their work to a new audience.
A share can put their art in front of a future collector.
Learning their name honors the person behind the work.
Showing up reminds artists that what they create matters.

So here’s our challenge:

Find a Native artist whose work you love this week and tell someone about them.

Sometimes support starts that simply.⬇️

https://benjaminharjojrfund.org/give/

Address

9308 N Rockwell Avenue
Oklahoma City, OK
73132

Website

http://benjaminharjojrfund.org/

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