ADA, Okla. – Ryan Rico started taking pictures when he was 13.
"I like photography," he said. "I like taking pictures of things and plants."
A year later, he has sold three pictures, two of which are now hanging at the new Chickasaw Nation Medical Center located at 1921 Stonecipher Blvd. in Ada, Okla.
The 14-year-old is one of the five students, who completed an eight-week design and marketing course offered by the Chickasaw Nation Division of Arts and Humanities.
"I learned how to market myself as a young artist and sell my art," Mr. Rico said.
Other students in the course were Micah Hart, Addison Manning, Michaela Milligan and Mercedes Milligan.
The course provides the students with hands-on experience in every aspect of the design and marketing process of their artwork, including conception, creation, promotion and distribution, said Graphic Arts and Design Coordinator Rachel Westmoreland, who leads the class.
"They are all very talented kids," Ms. Westmoreland said of the students. "They showed up every week working hard and even took stuff home and had extra work to do during the week."
An important component added to this year's course was the opportunity for students to develop their own artist portfolio book, she said. The students also created a DVD, containing their resume, biography, examples of their artwork and their headshots.
The DVD can be mailed out to museums, art galleries and art competitions, Ms. Westmoreland said.
The works of the five aspiring Chickasaw artists are being showcased at the "Design and Marketing Class Artists" exhibit at the McSwain Theatre Art Gallery until Aug. 20.
Chickasaw Nation Governor Bill Anoatubby said the exhibit created by the students is "very impressive" for several reasons.
"These students should be commended for their talent and their strong work ethic," said Gov. Anoatubby. "These young men and women have put in a great deal of effort to hone their artistic talents and develop skills that could help them turn those talents into a rewarding career."
Also available at the exhibit are the greeting card packets created by the students.
Each packet contains five greeting cards, featuring artwork of each student, and cost $10.
The gallery is located at 130 W. Main in Ada, Okla. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday – Friday.
To learn more about the design and marketing course and the application process, please contact the Division of Arts and Humanities at (580) 272-5520.
About the artists:
Micah Hart, of Chickasaw and Cheyenne heritage, enjoys studying Chickasaw history and culture, and then writing or creating art pieces describing what he has learned. He has also created art pieces depicting his Cheyenne heritage. Mr. Hart's primary mediums are colored pencil, watercolor paints and markers on Bainbridge illustration board.
Addison Manning is involved in several artistic disciplines including drawing, photography and speech. Her artwork has been displayed at the Chickasaw Summer Arts Academy Showcase and Red Earth Youth Art Show. She placed third at a regional speech tournament and qualified for the state competition.
Ryan Rico, of Chickasaw and Creek heritage, has entered many art contests like Red Earth Festival and Southeastern Art Show and Market.
Mercedes Milligan began selling her artwork at age five. Her work "Nannola' Olachi" (Making Music) was featured as the album cover of the recently released music CD OSHTALI ("divided into four parts.") She received the Juror's Award in the 2009 Southeastern Art Show and Market and won the first place at the 2010 State of Oklahoma Johnson O'Malley Art Contest.
Michaela Milligan won the second places in the 2009 Southeastern Red Earth Youth Competition for her beaded collar and the 2010 Chickasaw Nation Creative Writing Contest in poetry. She is an honor student, who plans to attend a culinary school after graduation.
