Katie Dorame makes paintings depicting Native American, Indigenous & First Nations actors from various Hollywood roles. She renders her subjects in a purposefully unfinished style—referencing 18th century painters such as Gainsborough, Reynolds and Watteau—but employs a contemporary palette saturated with vibrant colors.

The artist is a member of the Tongva community, the local tribe of Los Angeles, and her work focuses on the cultural overlap of Hollywood on traditional Tongva lands. Her paintings make visible what is often lacking in the art world, film industry and greater society alike, a positive representation of Indigenous peoples. She merges these two storied histories of LA, the film industry and its’ depiction of Native Americans, while also situating her subjects more broadly in the context of Western art history, portraying them with well deserved respect and grandeur.