Kevin Tafoya (Eastern Band Cherokee/Santa Clara Pueblo), a member of the Wolf Clan, is a digital and pencil artist who creates designs that incorporate Cherokee culture and history, and are infused with a contemporary aesthetic, representing a vibrant living Cherokee world. A longtime pencil artist, Tafoya incorporated digital design into his craft nearly four years ago. He learned drawing from several family members at a young age, including his father, Phillip Tafoya, who showed him technical skills, and proportions. Tafoya continued to learn a variety of techniques such as shading, line work, and expression from other artisan family members. He credits his artistically diverse family with motivating his continued growth in the medium. Tafoya enjoys seeing younger generations take interest in their culture and boldly express their identity through art. Tafoya recently won recognition from the National Rural Transportation Assistance Program (National RTAP) for an art piece representative of public transportation. This award highlights two of his tribal backgrounds as well as his passion for public transportation. Tafoya currently resides in the Wolftown Community of Cherokee.
Kevin Tafoya
