Local Artist's Sequoyah Sculpture Headed To Gilcrease Museum

A local artist with work in Broken Arrow, at Tulsa International and even at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point has a new piece headed for the Gilcrease Museum.

Broken Arrow Sculptor J. David Nunneley does a lot of historical figures, and he does lots of research so he understands as much as he can about his subject.

"I've read everything I could... just find anywhere, you know," he said.

Sequoyah's most famous accomplishment was his development of the Cherokee syllabary - like an alphabet which allowed the Cherokee people to communicate in writing and record their history.

"One thing they wanted at Gilcrease was to make sure this is accurate," Nunneley said.

So, he enlisted some help from Prentice Robinson who teaches, reads and writes in the Cherokee language.

"He's a friend of mine...I call him Prentice my apprentice," Nunneley said.

He had Robinson actually inscribe the 85 characters into the tablet Sequoyah is holding.

Nunneley said, "So I said when he finished it, I wanted him to sign it in Cherokee."

So, on the back of the tablet are the three characters that represent Robinson's Cherokee name, Dee-Hoo-Yee.

Nunneley said the sculpture is all but finished. In a week or so he'll have folks from the Gilcrease out for a final approval.

Once they give it a thumbs-up, it gets cut into pieces so molds can be made - then off to the foundry to be cast.

"I hope to have it back by October," Nunneley said.

Then it will be installed at the Gilcrease for all to enjoy.

You can find more of Nunneley's work here.