Invited artist:Jeremy Colbert

“Dawes Act-Colbert Land” 2024, Engraved and Patina Steel

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The work Dawes Act-Colbert Land is a record of the original land allotment for my great-grandfather Willie Colbert and great-grandmother Maud Colbert for the Chickasaw Nation in Johnson County Oklahoma in the late 1890’s. On one side of the sculpture is an engraved image of the land allotment scan from the original document and the other side is an engraved image of a dream catcher created by my father. Both images are historical images of my family heritage and recordings of Native History. The work also represents cultural beliefs and craftsmanship as well as retaining knowledge and family stories.

 

Jeremy Colbert is a Senior Lecturer of Art in Sculpture, Ceramics, and Foundations at The University of Kentucky. Born and raised in Oklahoma he received his B.A. in Studio Art from Southeastern Oklahoma State University in 1999 and his M.F.A. in Sculpture and Ceramics at Florida State University in 2002. He taught sculpture at Florida State University, The University of South Alabama, before becoming the Facilities Specialist in Sculpture and Ceramics at the University of Kentucky from 2008 to 2015. In 2016, he was promoted to a Lecturer of Art and gives lectures and demonstrations in a variety of process including patinas, powder coating, molding and casting techniques to sculpture classes. He also teaches Metal Casting, Blacksmithing, Drawing, and Three-Dimensional Design, as well as BFA practicum course to prepare students for technical assistantships, as well as maintain sculpture and ceramic facilities, including equipment, and operation budget for Sculpture Area. 

 

 Jeremy’s art has been shown nationally and internationally including Oklahoma, Texas, Florida, Alabama, Indiana, Louisiana, New Jersey, Georgia, Iowa, Missouri, Mississippi, Illinois, Iowa, Delaware, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Tennessee, Germany, and Paraguay. His art has always been about personal expression with multiple levels of communication. The right material and image in the right context say the right thing. It is all about connecting to the viewer in a visual conversation."