Chief Calvin W. McGhee

Artist statement

Chief Calvin McGhee is a mixed-media commemorative work created for the Poarch Creek Indian Council building in Atmore, Alabama. The piece honors Chief McGhee’s leadership and legacy through a layered collaboration with members of the Poarch Creek community. Behind the sculpted bust is a laser-engraved map showing the historic territories once occupied by the Nation, grounding the work in memory, land, and identity. The surrounding patchwork was created by a Poarch Creek artist using the tribe’s colors, while the copper medallions were also made by a member of the community.

The background woodwork incorporates native wood varieties from the tribe’s ancestral land, including pieces salvaged from century-old wooden barrels once located beside the railroad in Atmore and donated specifically for this project by a Poarch Creek tribal member. The laser-cut feathers carry words that reflect the values most closely associated with Chief McGhee, including leadership, integrity, courage, perseverance, faith, honor, and spirituality. Together, these materials transform the work into more than a portrait. It becomes a collective tribute, built from place, memory, collaboration, and cultural respect.