Albert Harjo, a full-blood Creek, was born in Hanna,
Oklahoma, September 25, 1937.  He attended Jones
Academy, a Federal Indian school in Hartshorne, Oklahoma
and later transferred to Chilocco Indian School near Ponca
City, Oklahoma where he graduated from high school in 1956.

Harjo entered the United States Marine Corps, honorably
discharged in 1959.  He married and worked on the west
coast as a laborer.  After the death of his wife in 1973, he
found it necessary to stay home with his four daughters and
this is when he decided to "try my hand at drawing and
learned so by doing."

Lack of financial support denied Harjo his ambition to attend
art school but he was not discouraged.  "That made me try
that much harder to be an artist and I am learning on my
own."  He listened to his inner voices and began to paint.  
While he has no formal eduction in the arts, his natural talents
and feel for his ancestors and contemporaries is leading him
into the company of many outstanding Indian and Western
artists.

Many of Harjo's paintings depict the lives of Indians from the
Five Civilized Tribes.  However, other tribes are included in
his work.  Ideas for his paintings come to him from time to
time as inspirations and visualizations while others are
researched for authenticity.

Harjo's paintings are held in private collections throughout the
United States and in Europe.  Mr. Harjo paints on mat board
with tempera and water color; this fine art medium is
considered Indian Art only when done by Native American
artists.