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Upcomming Future Panel Discussions Events
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Book Readings "Finding Balance The The Geneaology of Massasoit's People and the Oral and Written History of The Seaconke Pokanoket Wampanaog Tribal Nation". www.amazon.com finding balance "Four Directions at Weybosset Crossings " by Deborah Spears Moorehead www.amazon.com four directions at Weybossett Crossings Call 401-301-3691 f
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Art Exhibits and Openings 2024
As an emic observer immersed in her own cultural heritage and community she sees, comprehends, and observers her people’s behaviors through an insiders cultural perspective without outside cultural biases.
Deborah is a 2023-2024 Distinguished Scholar and Artist in Residency at Bunker Hill Community College in Boston, Massachussets. Part of her work in the residency is to create a mural to commemorate Native Americans’ and People of Colors’ role in the battle of Bunker Hill in the Revolutionary War.
Presently her painting “Granny Squant” is on exhibition throughout 2023 at The Mashantucket Pequot Museum Gallery in a show, called “Our Moons” Deborah is presently illustrating a book cover for a professor of academia. Deborah wrote a piece of literature for the just published book called 400 Stories Project Glouster 400 Our People Our Stories 1623-2023 by Terry Weber .
In “2021-22” Spears-Moorehead was an “Artist in Residency " at Brown University’s John Nicholas Brown House where she created a four panel mural addressing colonial and contemporary issues of racism. Also in 2021, Deborah completed two community and historic murals for non profits; one in Wakefield, Rhode Island on a outdoor wall for The Collective Museum and another for a The Nolumbeka Project of Turner Falls, Massachussets. The Nolunbeka Project commission was to create a mural called '‘Fifty Mishoonash” A printed image of the painted mural traveled to forty nine educational institutions and the original oil painting was recently purchased by Deerfield Memorial Museum for their permanent collection.
In 2023 Deborah created two embellished original murals for the Quinnipiac Valley Museum in Guilford Ct. The murals are called Mystic Wolf, and Quinnipiac Village. They will be on permanent display in the entrance of the Quinnipiac Valley Museum in Guilford Ct. Recently in 2024 Deborah was a finalist in the Bristol Port Marker sculpture competit
In 2019 Deborah was awarded a Master/Apprentice Grant from the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts. From 2019 through 2021, she taught her apprentice Traditional Eastern Woodland Native American music as a Folk-Art Master. In “2020” Deborah was honored with a “Princess Redwing Arts Award “by The Tomaquaug Museum. Also in “2020” she collaborated with, Artist Alison Newsome , on a sculptural piece for the Art, Culture and Tourism Department of the City of Providence’ R.I. ’s PVD fest called “The Three Sisters”. It was exhibited at the Empire Plaza in Providence and in 2021 Three Sisters Sculpture was procured by New England Historic and now is part of Casey Farms permanent collection in Narraganset, R.I. In 2019, Deborah painted two murals in Providence, Rhode Island. The first one is a 16 foot “Land Acknowledgement Mural” on Cypress Street. The second one is the “The Providence River Mural” funded by a Sites and Stories Grant from the Providence Preservation Society. The Providence River Mural was displayed at Providence City Hall in January 2021. In 2019 her rendered drawing named “Whoosh” won “The National Congress of American Indian Art Award”and was the artwork selected for Cultural Survival’s fiftieth anniversary tee shirt. In 2015 the Rhode Island State Council for the Arts honored Deborah with a “Community Leadership Award “for her pioneering work in creating the “First Ever” State Native American Art Exhibit. In 2013 her painting “Good Energy“ was displayed in Congressman David Ciciline’s office. In 2012 the University of Rhode Island honored her as a “Woman of Distinction.” In 2005, she won the “Youth Mural Award “ from the National Museum of the American Indian Smithsonian Institute. In 1992, she co- founded Nettukkusqk ( my sister) an all woman Native American traditional healing., learning , teaching and music performing group, who have performed regionally for over thirty years., They are available to sing at your event.
To contact Deborah, call 401-301-3691 on Facebook Deborah Spears Moorehead. She can also be reached at email dspearsmoorehead@gmail.com or paintedarrow2@yahoo.com
If you purchase any of Deborah Spears Moorehead’s art you will recieve a signed certificate of authenticity from her to go along with your purchase.
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Meet Deborah Spears Moorehead aka, Talking Water Kutoo Seepoo
who Is an internationally known Wampanoag Artist, Scholar , Author, Historian, Entrepreneur, Native American Consultant, Cultural Bearer, Story Teller, Tour Guide, Music Composer, and Performer. She holds a Masters in Arts in Cultural Sustainability “2013” from Goucher College and a Bachelors of Fine Arts from Swain School Of Design “1981”
She is a Seaconke Pokanoket Wampanoag of Massachussets and Rhode Island and descends from Eastern Woodland Native American historic leaders. For example she is the direct descendant of Massasoit of the Pokanoket Wampanoag Tribal Nation, who in 1620 saved the lives of the PIlgrims from stravation upon their first arrival to Pokanoket Wampanoag homelands. She also descends from Pequot, Massachussett, Narragansett , Nipmuc, and Mohawk Tribal Nations. Deborah authored the books “Finding Balance The Oral and Written History and Genealogy of Massasoit’s People .” published by Blue Hand Books. She also authored and illustrated “ Four Directions at Weybossett Crossings” Both books are available at amazon.com. She owns and operates Painted Arrow Studio, Talking Water Productions. At Painted Arrow Studio, Deborah teaches, and produces a line of products that includes original art, sculpture, murals, prints, illustrations, music CDs and greeting cards. She also designs clothing, jewelry, fragrances, and soaps. She has recently begun roasting her own brand of “Good Energy” coffee.
Deborah is the owner and Director of Turtle Island Native American Tourism Company. TINATC provides homeland tours in a Indigenous person’s perspective and culture, at places of significant historic matter.
Her Art and Oral history is homeland based and every piece of her work has a unique story. She is interested in the values, strength, and beauty of Eastern Woodland Native American people and their ability to thrive into the future through adversity. Dispelling negative stereotypes as well as promoting awareness, and dialogue on the subjects of social and economic inequities, and environmental reform and justice are some of her goals. Creation, Oral Tradition, and stories of resistance, resilience and fortitude, inspire her.
