Kathy Whitman-Elk Woman comes from the Mandan-Hidatsa-Arikara Nation, on the Fort Berthold Reservation in North Dakota along the Missouri River. She is also of Norwegian descent from her mother. She credits her children and grandchildren for her inspiration and relishes their input. From them comes love and happiness. Her art echoes that love.

It was during a Sun Dance Ceremony in 1977, in South Dakota, that she received her Indian name, Elk Woman.

The ceremony transformed her life and guided her on a stronger path. That experience helped her to reconnect with her traditional spiritual ways and guided her toward a more positive direction.

She is a stone and metal sculptor, painter, jeweler, and fashion and furniture designer. Recycling materials is her latest endeavor which she is passionate about. It is also an ancient practice that she feels needs to be rekindled.

Knowledgeable buyers from around the world collect her work. She has received many prestigious awards and participated in numerous exhibitions. She is also a member of the Indigenous Sculptor Society.

“In creating art, it is continuously changing and growing, as in life. Every endeavor is an adventure!”

Tribal Affiliation

Mandan-Hidatsa-Arikara Nation, on the Fort Berthold Reservation in North Dakota