Katherine Santos

M.A., 2023, Art History and Graduate Academic Certification in Art Museum Education
B.A., Art History with minors in French and Studio Art: Metalsmithing and Jewelry

Santos’ graduate research includes contemporary material culture, dress and adornment, gender and feminist studies, museum methodologies, and museum decolonization. 

Aside from academics, Santos has worked as a part-time museum educator with the Museum of Geometric and MADI Art in Dallas as an intern and with the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth, Texas. Santos also has worked with the UNT Special Collections Library in the UNT Libraries as a student assistant in the preservation lab. 

She is passionate about object preservation and making artwork relatable and accessible to diverse audiences of all backgrounds and abilities. Santos’ goal in completing a graduate education is to enter the art museum field and provide the artistic world with a unique and individual perspective.   

Santos has been awarded The Contemporary Indigenous Art Internship with the Tozzer Anthropology Library and the Fine Arts Library at Harvard University. This specific internship is centered on increasing the representation of contemporary Indigenous art in North America within the research collections of both libraries. Through this experience, Santos can engage in complex issues such as decolonizing library spaces through collections work. She will also undertake collections analysis to identify what each library is collecting related to contemporary Indigenous art of North America and to identify gaps in existing collections. This internship aligns perfectly with Katherine’s M.A. research project, written under the supervision of Art Education faculty Paula Lupkin, Jennifer Way, Laura Evans, and Robert Smith. 

Can you tell us a bit about yourself? 
Halito! Sv hochifo yvt Katherine Santos. Chahta-Apache sia hoke. 
[Hello! My name is Katherine Santos (she/they). I am a member of the Choctaw-Apache Tribe of Ebarb.]

My Nation resulted from the displacement of the Choctaw and Lipan Apache people. I am an art historian and artist who is informed by the Indigenous art of Turtle Island (currently recognized as the continent of North America). I am originally from the Houston, Texas, area (land traditionally stewarded by the Karankawa people), but I have traveled to many places in my studies. I have been employed in museums, libraries, and archives, and I enjoy working in collections and education in these spaces.

What is the most rewarding aspect of being a creative professional? Are you happy as a creative professional? 
I have always seen creative culture as the epitome of humanity. While that may seem dramatic — it really makes sense. What we make defines what we need, what we do, what we love, and who we are.

Studying the driving forces behind creative culture and the waves that shape our experience of the world is so valuable to me. My particular focus on contemporary Indigenous art is healing for me as a person who grew up separated from their Indigeneity. I found my community and myself in the work I engaged with. Spending my days doing work that enriches my spirit is a gift. Even more so, it is a gift to pour back into my community.

What would you do differently if you were starting a creative career today? 
If I were starting my career today, I would want to be more confident in doing what feels right. As a novice, I spent a long time receiving information without ever challenging it. Always work to expand your mind and know that your thoughts and feelings are valid and of academic merit. I would let down my guard and allow myself to work with others instead of allowing the field to fuel a competitive spirit. "Community" is the center of creativity. Working together should be standard practice.

If you could go back in time, would you choose the same profession, specialty, etc.? 
I want to decolonize and bring Indigenous perspectives into museum and library spaces. This work feels meaningful and authentic, and I always choose it. The intersection of passion and impact is the ideal foundation for a career, and I’m fortunate to have found that for myself!

We often hear about learning lessons – but, frequently, un-learning a lesson is just as important. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson? Can you tell us that story? 
Growing up in a Westernized world, I had to unlearn just about everything I thought I knew. Notions of ownership, knowledge stewardship, and making are so divergent from the American mainstream. Reorienting my values and decolonizing my mind has been the most amazing exercise of flexing and healing. There are no 'objects' in Indigenous art. These works have spirit; they are our relatives. They live and pass on as we do. 

'Art' in itself is a Western concept. It has diffused and gained meaning for many contemporary Indigenous people like myself. Still, the institutions associated with this concept have created a hierarchy that never existed in the Indigenous world. Even gender is colonized. The way we live under patriarchy, reward conquest and force our world and its people into foreign shapes are not Indigenous systems. While Indigenous communities are not a monolith (there are currently 574 federally recognized tribes, more state-recognized tribes, and counting), there are some common experiences. These experiences are the most significant driving forces behind what I do. I will continue to learn and implement my teachings in a reparative and celebratory way.

Is there something you think non-creative people struggle to understand about your journey as a creative in an arts- or design-related field? 
I think non-creatives often struggle to understand the level of opportunity or need in creative fields. Everything is designed. Everything is intentional. Everything is impactful. There is always a huge team behind everything you interact with daily, both in the physical and digital worlds. If you feel drawn to the creative world, go for
it. There is a place for everyone.

Did you participate in an internship or apprenticeship while you were in college? What lessons did you learn there that have proven helpful in your career? 
I participated in a variety of learning-based positions during my college career. I was a preservation assistant at the UNT Special Collections Library, a collections fellow at the Texas Fashion Collection, and a museum educator at the Kimbell Art Museum. Each of these opportunities taught me something new. The diversity of my experiences informed my enjoyment of positions where I exercise various skills. I learned how many different jobs may suit many different personalities. There is a place for everyone in the creative world!