Nocona Burgess is a member of the Comanche Nation of Oklahoma and a direct descendant of Chief Quanah Parker. The son of former tribal chiefs, both father and mother, he grew up surrounded by art—his father studied drawing and painting, and his grandmothers created quilts and beadwork from their own designs. He received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma and a master’s in art education from the University of New Mexico, where he became fascinated by how traditional Native art evolved into contemporary movements—an interest that continues to define his work.

 

Burgess paints visual stories of Native people’s past and present, working primarily from historical photo references and occasionally staging photoshoots for contemporary subjects. Through extensive research, he ensures each subject carries a deeper narrative, moving away from stereotype to present a more authentic and nuanced story. It is the notion of the modern Indian that he seeks in his work and recognizes in himself.