Brittany Bendabout

Born 1995, Tulsa, Oklahoma

I am currently a resident of Tulsa, Oklahoma. As a member of the Cherokee Nation, arts have always been a part of my cultural ways. Photography is the medium which I have used to propel to the next thing -- a sense of becoming, per se. I began my photographic journey at 15 years old, where I would capture moments with my friends, taking portraits in a field somewhere in small town, Oklahoma, and taking landscape photos. It took me a long time to recognize that the hunger for art and creativity has been intrinsically tied to the land I stood on and from which I came. I specialize in portrait photography. For me, portrait photography perfectly marries the unique attributes of people and my admiration for detail. Some would say my work is “dark” and “moody,” but I believe it is an accurate reflection of who I am as an artist. The scope of my work is ever-changing as I evolve and become. I always try to tie-in photography in all of my creative projects. In Tulsa, I have organized and coordinated a networking function for Native American people in the area. The scope of Native Meetup, as it is called, is to build community with Native American artists, creators, educators, entrepreneurs, etc., in the area. I have hopes and dreams for Native Meetup, but most importantly I have hopes and dreams for my people. Native Meetup is to encourage First Nations people to thrive, exist, and prosper in all facets of life --my team and I are just giving them a place to get started and build community.