Among Oklahoma painters, Mike Larsen is a living legend. His work–from a twenty-six-foot mural in the Oklahoma state capitol to a painting appearing on the U.S. postage stamp honoring the Oklahoma centennial–is visible and prominent. In 2005, leaders of the Chickasaw Nation commissioned Larsen to create twenty-four oil portraits of living Chickasaw elders. After those paintings were completed, the Chickasaws commissioned a second series of twenty-four portraits–showcased in this handsome, full-color volume.

In Proud to be Chickasaw, the Chickasaw master artist and his wife, Martha Larsen, have again teamed up to offer insights into and insider perspectives on the lives of two dozen tribal elders, including a storyteller, a longtime contributor to music education in Oklahoma, and a World War II code talker. This book follows the critically acclaimed They Know Who They Are, which exhibits Mike Larsen’s first twenty-four paintings in the series, each accompanied by a biographical sketch of the elder by Martha Larsen.

Proud to be Chickasaw captures the spirit of the most revered members of Chickasaw and American Indian society: the elders. This book is an exciting addition to the growing body of literature about American Indians, by American Indians.