Bio
Billy Hensley brings modern Chickasaw culture and artwork into the mainstream by creating paintings that incorporate native Chickasaw culture with unique techniques. Hensley desires to help bring Chickasaw artists into the global art community through art that incorporates history and tradition with relevance to the present.
“I continuously strive to evolve in my work through experimentation with new techniques and processes.” Born and raised in Oklahoma, Mr. Hensley gains inspiration from his life, the history of his family and the Chickasaw people. He often incorporates objects and images of historical significance into his works. Mr. Hensley works mainly with acrylic paint, often using a variety of textures and striping techniques. More recently Mr. Hensley has also been experimenting with various mixed media projects.
Mr.Hensley has participated in The South Eastern Art Show and Market since 2015, The Artesian Arts Festival 2017 and 2018, and the Cherokee Art Market 2018.
Hensley was a featured artist at Exhibit C gallery in Oklahoma City, where he still has work on display today. He has also participated in The Red Earth Festival 2017, Santa Fe Indian Art Market 2017 and 2018 as well as being a part of the Chickasaw traveling exhibition; Visual Voices which will opened at the Fred Jones Museum of Art June 7, 2018 and will travel around the country for the next three years. He also recently had showings at The Vault Gallery in Pauls Valley, Ok. In 2019 Mr. Hensley’s work can be found at The Redlands Community College in El Reno in January and February. He will be a part of the Lines of Lineage show at the Chickasaw Cultural Center in Sulphur, OK as well as, The Artesian Art Show and Market in May, and Red Earth Festival in June.
Hensley placed three times in the SEASAM art competition; he received third place in 2016 and second place in 2017 in the Painting division as well as placing third in Painting and second in Mixed Media in 2018. He earned second place in mixed media at the 2018 Artesian Arts Festival and Market. In 2018 Mr. Hensley also entered the Cherokee Art Market competition where he earned third place in Mixed Media and second in Diverse Arts as well as receiving the Innovator Award. Most recently he placed second in the Diverse category at the Artesian Arts Festival in May 2019 with his piece entitled Imoshi'