Terry Filer
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Terry Filer, doll maker, is a member of the Osage Nation. She was born in Pawhuska, Oklahoma. Her Osage/French heritage is on her maternal side and Irish heritage on her paternal side. Terry's Osage lineage is through a prominent Tsi Shu (peace) Chief, Chief Pawhuska, a leader of the Osage in the early 1800's. Her home town is named after him.
At the age of 5, Terry's family moved form Oklahoma to San Diego, California, where she was raised and went to school. She reared her own family in the eastern part of San Diego. Her sons and grandchildren relocated to Oregon, so Terry now resides in McMinnville, Oregon.
In 1984, Terry was introduced to corn husk doll making by her sister, Kathy Pickett, an artist and art instructor, who lives in California. Terry's first dolls were country style, but soon she was creating Native American dolls. She comes from a long history of artistic people in her family, which includes her mother, Frances, her sisters, aunts, uncles and cousins.
Terry is a self taught artist, but her doll art has been very influenced by her mother's doll creations. Thirty years ago her mother's doll art was published in "Miniature World" and "Women's Circle," craft magazines published in 1978 and 1979. In the November, 1979 magazine you will find an article entitled, "Dressing Dolls Indian Style" describing her art and story. As you can see, Terry had some moccasins to fit in. It was only natural for Terry to follow her own journey in art and creativity.
Terry's Osage heritage, her mother's art, her rich Native American library of numerous books and Native American culture has greatly influenced her art form. Several of her dolls are designed in Plains Indian dress, however, she dresses her dolls in other tribal influences. She uses corn husk, wood, yarn, cloth and leather for the bodies of her dolls. She dresses them in leather, gemstones, silver, glass beads, metals, ribbon, cloth, feather, bone and other natural materials. Terry dresses her dolls down to the smallest details, making sure she is true to the simplicity and beauty of Native American tradition.
Terry also uses other art forms to express herself, which includes but not limited to cutting out and painting on wood, mini drums, gourds, basket weaving and other Native American crafts.
Terry has sold her dolls and crafts at Craft shows in San Diego, California, she has displayed and sold her dolls at "The American Indian Store" and "Four Winds Kiva" store in San Diego, in past years. Her art can be found in homes of friends and family as well as being sent to other countries as gifts.
Terry enjoys sharing her art, which she teaches and sells at Hawks World Gallery. She hopes to share her heritage and love of Native American culture with the younger generation and other people.