Norman, OK – The Mahsetky-Poolaw family invites the public to Wendy Mahsetky-Poolaw: Memory and Presence, a posthumous retrospective honoring the life and work of acclaimed Comanche/Kickapoo artist Wendy Amber “Numu Petas” Mahsetky-Poolaw (1969–2006).
Opening July 10 at the Norman Depot, the exhibition gathers together a collection of Wendy’s mixed-media works, offering a rare opportunity to experience the depth and emotional resonance of an artist whose life and career were cut tragically short at the age of 37.
Working in layered mixed-media compositions that blended abstraction, texture, movement, and personal symbolism, Mahsetky-Poolaw emerged as a powerful voice in contemporary Native art during the 1990s and early 2000s. Her work explored identity, memory, culture, and Indigenous presence with a visual language that was both intimate and expansive. Though rooted in her Comanche and Kickapoo heritage, her work resisted categorization, moving fluidly between contemporary expression and cultural experience.
Born in Lawton, Oklahoma, Wendy studied art at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, D.C., before earning degrees from the University of Central Oklahoma and the University of Oklahoma. At the time of her passing, she was the founding librarian of the Oklahoma City Museum of Art and new mother to her son Tabe Poolaw.
A direct descendant of Comanche Chief Quanah Parker, Mahsetky-Poolaw remained deeply connected to community, ceremony, music, dance, and family throughout her life. Friends and fellow artists remember her not only for the power of her artwork, but for her warmth, quiet humor, her gentle way, her humbleness and generosity and her deep love of music.
“Memory and Presence” invites viewers into the family’s personal collection of art that continues to resonate nearly two decades after her passing. Seen together, these works reveal an artist still in conversation with the world and whose voice continues to echo through color, texture, and symbolism.
The exhibition will also feature selected works by her husband, Kiowa artist Thomas Poolaw, in the Depot’s south gallery. Thomas Poolaw (Kiowa/Delaware, b. 1959) is a contemporary Native artist based in Norman, Oklahoma, whose work spans painting, digital imagery, and mixed- media forms rooted in both innovation and tradition. Influenced by the photography of his grandfather, renowned Kiowa photographer Horace Poolaw, Poolaw explores Native identity through experimental processes that emphasize spontaneity, personal narrative, and visual poetry rather than straightforward documentation. Drawing from Kiowa artistic traditions while embracing contemporary expression, his work reflects the complexity, resilience, and spirituality of modern Indigenous life and has been exhibited in museums and galleries across the United States.
An opening reception will be held on July 10 from 6:00–9:00 PM and will include Indigenous food and music by Comanche flute player Tim Nevaquaya. The event is free and open to the public.
Exhibition Details
Wendy Mahsetky-Poolaw: Memory and Presence
July 10 – August 4, 2026
Norman Depot, 200 S Jones Ave, Norman, OK 73069
Opening Reception
July 10, 2026
6:00–9:00 PM
Links
- Norman Depot website