Clara Archilta

Personal life Clara Williams was born in Tonkawa, Oklahoma. Her parents were David Williams (Tonkawa) and Helen Tseeltsesah-Sunrise (Kiowa/Apache). Clara attended Boone School in Apache, Oklahoma, followed by two years at the U.S. Chilocco Indian School,

Art career Her husband died in 1956, and Archilta began to paint the following year as a means to support her family. Despite a severely injured arm, she soon began to sell her work and make a name for herself. She was the first woman to exhibit a collection of paintings at the American Indian Exposition (Anadarko, Oklahoma).

Death She died in 1994 at the age of 82 in Apache, Oklahoma. Her funeral was held at the Apache Tribal Complex in Anadarko. She was buried at Memory Lane Cemetery.