Timeline

1914

Born in Oklahoma, a member of the Chiricahua Apache tirbe. Born June 30 to Sam and Blossom Haozous on the family farm near Apache, Oklahoma

1934 - 1938

Studied under Dorothy Dunn at the Painting Studio of the Santa Fe Indian School, Santa Fe, New Mexico.

1939

Exhibited paintings at the World’s Fair, New York, New York.
Participated in the Golden Gate International Exposition, San Francisco, California.
With Navajo painter Gerald Nailor, commissioned to paint murals in the Department of the Interior Building, Washington, D.C.
Paintings exhibited at the World’s Fair, San Francisco; the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D. C.; and the Art Institute of Chicago.

1940

Commissioned to paint life-size murals in the Department of the Interior Building Penthouse, Washington, D.C.
Studied with Norwegian muralist Olle Nordmark in a special program for outstanding students and teachers at the Fort Sill Indian School in Lawton, Oklahoma. Encouraged by Nordmark to explore sculpture.

1947

Commissioned by the Haskell Institute, Lawrence, Kansas, to create a monumental marble sculpture, Comrade in Mourning, honoring the Native Americans whom died in World War II. The sculpture was dedicated in 1948.

1949

Guggenheim fellowships for painting and sculpture

Awarded the Grand Award, third annual competition, Philbrook Art Center, Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Received a Guggenheim Fellowship in painting and sculpture. Worked on his projects in a studio set up on the family farm in Oklahoma.

1950

Commissioned by the Southern Plains Indian Museum, Anadarko, Oklahoma, to create four dioramas.

1951 - 1962

Professor at the Intermountain Indian School, Brigham City, UT

Artist-in-Residence and teacher at the Inter-Mountain School, Brigham City, Utah.

1954

Awarded the Palmes d'Academique by the French government

1958

Commissioned to design the 59th medal for the American Society of Medalists.

1962 - 1975

Professor at the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, NM

1967

Received a Certificate of Achievement from U.S. Department of Interior for his work as artist and educator. The citation recognized him as “one of the nation’s foremost sculptors.”

1968

Sacred Rain Arrow (wood) wins “Grand Award” at the Philbrook Art Center, Tulsa, Oklahoma.

1969

Waite Phillips Trophy, Philbrook Art Center, Tulsa, Oklahoma

1973

Gold Medal, Sculpture I Exhibit, Heard Museum, Phoenix, Arizona

1979

Received “Governor’s Award for the Visual Arts”, State of New Mexico.

1980

Elected to Heard Museum's National Advisory Board

Governor's Award for the Visual Arts, New Mexico

1983

Governor's Award for the Visual Arts, New Mexico

1984

Governor's Award for the Visual Arts, New Mexico

1985

Inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame

1987

Honorary Ph.D. in Fine Arts, University of Maine

1989

American Indian Distinguished Achievement Award, Lifetime Achievement Award presented by American Indian Resources Institute, Washington, D.C.

1992

Awarded National Medal of Arts by President George Bush Senior

1993

Prix de West, National Academy of Western Art

Ellis Island Medal of Honor

Ph.D. Humane Letters, University of Oklahoma

1994

On August 22, Allan Houser died at his home in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

1995

Posthumously awarded the inaugural “Lifetime Achievement Award”, Southwestern Association for Indian Arts, Santa Fe, New Mexico. The award is intended to honor masters of contemporary Indian art for their artistic achievements, personal integrity and impact on Native American arts.

1996

Posthumously awarded first annual Visionary Award, Institute of American Indian Arts Foundation, Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Private Collections: Smithsonian Institution, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Museum of Modern Art, and The White House, among others.