TAHLEQUAH, Okla. — Two Cherokee Nation citizens have been named Cherokee National Treasures for their work in preserving and promoting Cherokee art and culture.
The Cherokee National Treasure status is an honor presented by the tribe to individuals who are keeping art, language and culture alive through their crafts and work.
Ronald Mitchell, of Park Hill, and Mary Aitson, of Oklahoma City, were selected as 2025 recipients and were honored during an award ceremony Aug. 28 as part of the 73rd annual Cherokee National Holiday celebration.
“I’m honored to be here and see the recognition of these three Cherokee citizens for the Cherokee National Treasure award,” Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. said. “This honor not only celebrates their mastery and dedication of their art, but it also reaffirms the commitment we’ve made to cherish and preserve the Cherokee culture and artistry for generations to come. I know these three will be exceptional representations as Cherokee National Treasures for the tribe.”
Mitchell, award-winning Cherokee artist, was honored for his heritage and tradition inspired paintings. Born in Fort Benning, Georgia, he spent many summers with his Cherokee grandmother whose stories and legends of the Cherokee people inspired him. Mitchell has worked as a technical illustrator, a professional artist, and a mentor to beginning artists.
He creates paintings, drawings and sculptures that reflect his Cherokee heritage and traditions. Through his paintings, he uses the full spectrum of color, despite being red-green color blind, to create images that incorporate history and resonate with Cherokees today. His work has been displayed in museums across the globe, as well as Cherokee Nation properties across the reservation.
“Receiving this recognition is the highlight of my career,” said Mitchell. “It’s such an honor to keep telling our stories and now my granddaughter comes with me to share her art too. I first started doing art shows in 1971 and being colorblind made that difficult. I had people describe the saturation of colors so I could accurately represent what was in my mind. I don’t rely on color for a piece, I rely on values. You could turn any of my art works into black and white and they will still read the same.”
Aitson, honored for her traditional basket-weaving, was born and raised on her mother’s allotted land in Adair County in a community called Christie. She learned to weave baskets from master weaver Mavis Doering. After Aitson retired from school teaching, she practiced basket weaving on a full-time basis for 28-plus years and has shown her work at Cherokee National Holiday, Red Earth, and the Santa Fe Indian Market.
“It’s a cherished honor to be recognized tonight,” said Aitson. “After I retired from teaching, I wanted to get back to the Cherokee Nation. My mother was full-blood Cherokee and a speaker, so I learned to weave baskets, and I made sure they were authentic and traditional.”
The materials she uses for her traditional baskets are honeysuckle, buck brush, palm reed, and a mix of commercial and natural dyes, as she loves making traditional dyes out of black walnut, blood root, elderberries, pokeberries, red onion skins, blueberries and peach leaves. Art collectors have purchased her work across the globe. Today, she teaches basket weaving to Cherokee youth.