Charlene Teters New! -

Teters' artistic journey is rooted in a desire to use visual media as a tool for social justice.

In her seventies now, Teters continues to paint, teach, and speak. Her recent works have turned toward environmental justice, connecting the desecration of Native land to the desecration of Native bodies and symbols. The through-line remains clear: all extraction—of oil, of images, of identity—is one act. And standing against it, in silent witness or in vibrant paint, is the artist’s highest calling. Charlene Teters did not set out to be a symbol. She set out to be a mother protecting her children’s reflection in the world. In doing so, she became a mirror for America—one that reflects not what we want to see, but what we must, at last, acknowledge. charlene teters

Teters began holding one-woman protests, standing silently with a sign outside the football stadium during games. She was met with hostility, jeers, and indifference from fans. Teters' artistic journey is rooted in a desire

Her story was captured in the documentary film In Whose Honor? , produced by Jay Rosenstein, which showcased her emotional journey to demand the removal of the mascot. Activism and Impact The through-line remains clear: all extraction—of oil, of

Today, Charlene Teters serves as a Professor at the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where she mentors the next generation of Indigenous artists. She holds an Honorary Doctorate from Mitchell College and continues to exhibit her work nationally.