ABOUT JAMIE OKUMA
Jamie Okuma, a Luiseno, Shoshone-Bannock, Wailaki, and Okinawan who is also an enrolled member of the La Jolla band of Indians in Southern California where she lives and works. She specializes in one-of-a-kind pieces that are hand-executed exclusively by the artist herself in all details of process, while also designing ready to wear fashion.
As early as Okuma can remember her life has been in the art world in one way or another. Her mother Sandra was a graphic artist and worked at MCA records when Jamie was a child. During her time there she produced album covers for Lynard Skynyrd and Cher to name a few.
After high school Okuma took graphic design classes at Palomar collage in San Marcos, CA before attending the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe NM.
From the age of 18 she has been a professional artist completley devoted to her art. Exhibiting her work at the Heard Indian Art Market in Phoenix AZ, and at the Santa Fe Indian Art Market in Santa Fe NM. She has garnered a total of seven Best in Show awards. Four from the Heard, and three from the Santa Fe Indian Market. One of only two artists to achieve this distinction.
Since that time her work has traveled the globe. She has most recently became the first Native American inducted into The Council of Fashion Designers of America otherwise known as the CFDA.
Okuma has work in the permanent collections of Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, The Minneapolis Institute of Art, The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, The Denver Art Museum and the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian and many more.