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Mikayla Patton

Tribal Affiliation: Oglala Lakota

Born: 1987, Pine Ridge, SD

Known for: Printmaking, beadwork, and papermaking.

Mikayla Patton Art

As a printmaker and painter, I am exploring matriarchal ideology by navigating its complexities through Lakota artistry, design, and geometric forms. To generate my work, I combine multiple processes of printmaking such as intaglio, embossment, lithography, and monotype as well as mixed media in painting. My work evokes cultural connection and personal navigation of my relationships to everything. — Patton

Mikayla Patton is a talented mixed media artist and proud member of the Oglala Lakota Nation. Her unique sculptural pieces, created through recycled papermaking and earth elements, explore Indigenous intimacies, personal narratives, and the transformative power of repurposing materials. Drawing on her Lakota knowledge of creative methodologies and adornment, Patton aims to address shared themes of healing, growth, and renewal.

In 2019, Patton received her BFA from the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Since then, her work has been exhibited at prestigious galleries such as the Texas Tech School of Art (Lubbock), All My Relations Gallery (Minneapolis), and the Contemporary Arts Center (New Orleans). Patton has been featured in prominent publications like Hand Papermaking Magazine, First American Art, and Pasatiempo. In recognition of her exceptional work, she has received numerous fellowships, awards, and residencies from esteemed organizations including the Roswell A-I-R Program, Ucross Foundation, The Studios at Mass MoCA, First Peoples Fund, and Native Arts and Culture Foundation. Most recently, Patton was awarded the highly coveted 2023 Joan Mitchell Fellowship and is currently based on the East Coast.