Donna Courtney Welch (Fochik Hilha, “Dancing Star”) is an award-winning Chickasaw artist. A native Oregonian, Welch moved to Oklahoma in 2016, with her family, to connect more closely to her native ancestry and tribe. Though she dabbles in a number of mediums, including pencil sketches and sewing, her primary art form involves transforming gourds into unique vessels bearing traditional Southeastern designs. Her gourds often serve as functional pieces, in addition to being exquisite works of art.