McEachern Art Center hosts third annual 'From Ocmulgee to Okmulgee' art exhibit

Mercer University's McEachern Art Center (MAC) welcomed a crowd of over 100 people on the opening night of the third-annual "From Ocmulgee to Okmulgee" art exhibit on Friday, Sept. 12. Attendees included Mercer students and faculty, members of the Ocmulgee Mounds Association, family and friends of the exhibited artists and Macon locals.

Held in conjunction with the Ocmulgee Indigenous Celebration at Macon’s Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park, the event featured three Indigenous artists and their multimedia craftsmanship. Offering fellowship, artistic expression and cultural appreciation, the exhibit offers “a truly powerful and meaningful experience,” MAC Director Johnny Cohen said.

Cohen expressed that From Ocmulgee to Okmulgee is a poignant reflection of the perseverance of Indigenous peoples in the modern day, as well as throughout history. The namesake of the exhibition connects the removal of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, which is also referred to as the Mvskoke, and other Indigenous peoples from their original homelands in Georgia (Ocmulgee) to present-day Oklahoma (Okmulgee).

“We’re excited to present Ocmulgee to Okmulgee at the McEachern Art Center for the third year, celebrating Indigenous creativity and resilience,” Cohen said. “This show continues to make a meaningful impact in Macon by reconnecting the Macon community to its ancestral roots and the Ocmulgee Mounds.”

Featured artists include jewelry artisan Amanda Rutland, painter Carly Treece and woodworker Dan Beaver; each of whom emphasizes their culture and the land of their ancestors in their works. Many of their techniques integrate traditional methods and motifs in a contemporary light.

Dan Beaver, of Oklahoma, is one of the last contemporary Mvskoke artists who creates traditional gun stock war clubs. Beaver utilizes traditional Southeastern designs from the Mississippian Mound period and incorporates various types of wood to create motifs and traditional weaponry.

“When I worked in law enforcement, I began creating art as an outlet to connect with my heritage and the community I was serving,” Beaver said. “As I got more into my craft, the symbol behind each piece connected to me more and more.”

Artist Carly Treece, a citizen of the Mvskoke Nation in Oklahoma, featured works that focus on exploring her spiritual and emotional connection to her native lands. Treece shows this through the mediums of oil and cold wax. Her method, titled intuitive painting, consists of grasping the colors, textures and aura of her paintings, and then expressing all that she feels in this process. 

“A few of my paintings on display here today depict what I call ‘my beloved women,’” Treece said. “I include them in my work to advocate for female – particularly Indigenous female voices. They represent my connection to my ancestors and my community today.” Treece also uses her artwork to advocate for land and body sovereignty efforts within Indigenous communities.

Amanda Rutland, a featured jewelry artist and Mvskoke citizen, was inspired by the iconography and symbolism of nature that her ancestors used while attending Mvskoke churches growing up. She said that she incorporates these symbols into each piece of jewelry she creates, using copper and gemstones to weave Indigenous tradition into her craft.

“There's a story behind every engraved piece I create, whether it be one I remember from my childhood or one that I connect to my life today as an Indigenous woman in America,” Rutland said.

More information about the From Ocmulgee to Okmulgee exhibition or its 2025 artists can be found on the MAC's website. The Ocmulgee Mounds Association encourages art and cultural enthusiasts to engage with the Indigenous community and offer support for artists at similar events.