Karita Coffey

Karita Coffey (born 1947) is a Comanche ceramist, noted especially for producing ceramic versions of cultural items from her tribe, in addition to ceramic vessels. She also works in lost-wax cast metals.

Background and education Karita Coffey's Comanche name is Tsat-Tah Mo-oh Kahn, which translates to "Good-Handed." when it was still a high school. She earned her bachelor's of fine arts and graduate degree in education from the University of Oklahoma.

Career Coffey completed teacher certification in art and served as artist-in-residence for the Oklahoma City public school system and taught pottery in Native American education programs in Oklahoma. Coffey later taught at IAIA

Exhibitions

Indian Artists, 1977 at Via Gambaro Gallery, owned by Retha Walden Gambaro and Stephen A. Gambaro organized with the American Indian Society of Washington D.C, 1977 National American Indian Women's Art Show at Via Gambaro Gallery, owned by Retha Walden Gambaro and Stephen A. Gambaro, 1980 at Oklahoma State University, 1983 Women of Sweetgrass, Cedar, and Sage, Gallery of the American Indian Community House, travelling exhibition curated by Harmony Hammond and Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, 1985. Anticipating the Dawn: Contemporary Art by Native American Women, at the Gardiner Art Gallery at Oklahoma State University, curated by Anita Fields, 2000.

Public collections Her work is represented in the collection of the National Museum of the American Indian, which holds four works by Coffey. The works were created between 1970–71 and were initially purchased by the Indian Arts and Crafts Board, then transferred to the National Museum of the American Indian in 1985. Coffey's work is also in collections of the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art, the Millicent Rogers Museum, the Heard Museum, and the IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts.