ABOUT THE TIGER ART GALLERY
The Tiger Art Gallery was founded in memory of legendary Muscogee Creek artist Jerome Tiger, whose groundbreaking work left a lasting impact on Native American art despite his life being tragically cut short at the age of 26. Following his passing, Peggy Tiger and Jerome’s family were inspired to preserve and celebrate his legacy by creating a space dedicated to his artwork and vision. This effort eventually grew into a T-shirt printing business featuring the artwork of Jerome’s brother, Johnny Tiger Jr., which became one of the most successful Native-owned printing companies in the country, securing major contracts with JC Penney. The success of the business not only revitalized interest in Jerome Tiger’s art, but also helped foster the flourishing artistic careers of his daughter, acclaimed artist Dana Tiger, and the entire Tiger family.
However, tragedy struck again in 1990 when Jerome’s youngest son, Chris Tiger, was murdered. In the aftermath of this loss, the t-shirt screen printing business came to a halt. Still, Dana and her family continued to create independently, and sold Tiger Art prints, while carrying the weight of grief, resilience, and the hope that one day the screenprinting would revitalize.
In 2023, Dana and her son Lisan printed their first T-shirt inside the long-defunct gallery space — a moment unexpectedly captured on camera by Director Loren Waters and Cinematographer Robert L. Hunter. That moment became the foundation for the award-winning documentary short TIGER, which reignited public attention and community support around the Tiger family legacy and the urgent need to preserve this cultural space.
Today, that renewed momentum is helping transform the gallery into more than a restoration project. Tiger Art Gallery is a living space for storytelling, healing, cultural transmission, and creative survival. Through exhibitions, community gatherings, workshops, and art sales, the gallery continues the Tiger family’s commitment to Native art and community wellness. Sales directly support the artists and ongoing restoration efforts as the dream of Tiger Art Gallery comes back to life.
Thank you for being part of this journey and for believing that ART SAVES LIVES.