Oreland C. Joe Sr.

Master sculptor Oreland C. Joe Sr. is world-renowned for his work in stone and bronze sculptures. His works can be found in private, corporate and museum collections in the United States and abroad. Oreland is a native New Mexican and is of Diné (Navajo) and Ute descent.

The influences in Oreland’s life include his family and his travels abroad to France, Italy and Japan. Studying European art and culture, seeing and feeling the impressive artistic works of the masters in Greek, Roman, Renaissance and Baroque periods were significant life-changing experiences.

Oreland’s love for art has placed him in an elite class of stone and bronze sculptors. His accomplishments are numerous and one of them is being the first Native American to be admitted as a member to the prestigious Cowboy Artists of America. In two decades of CAA membership, he has won four Gold and three Silver medals for his sculptures. Oreland was awarded the Gold Medal at the Masters of the American West Fine Art Exhibition and Sale at the Autry National Center in 1999 and 2006. In 2002, the Lewis & Clark Bicentennial Committee of Fort Calhoun, Nebraska, commissioned Oreland to create The First Council—five life-size figures and a dog. At the Prix de West Invitational Art Exhibition in 2006, Oreland received the Purchase Award for his sculpture Buffalo Sunrise. Orland’s work is part of the prestigious Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum collection.

He says he finds strength, faith and dignity through his heritage, and from other cultures, and also derives inspiration and motivation from them, finding himself in a unique place of receiving blessings from two worlds.” His goal and desire is to have more Native American artists to be in this place.