deCoy Gallerina: Chiricahua Nde’(Apache), the group Geronimo was from) is a direct descendent of Cochise. Widely known for her bead-work, installation and performance art, she began her training under the tutelage of her grandmother, Minnie Nicholas (full blood Chiricahua Nde’) at the age of 5 in beadwork & painting. She has also been influenced in music and costuming by her aunt and mother, and was costume apprentice at the Santa Fe Opera many summers. She has received an AFA from The Institute of American Indian Arts, BFA’s from College of Santa Fe, CCA; Oakland and San Francisco Art Institute in the areas of: creative writing, printmaking, theater/dance/voice, video, installation and performance art. She has also trained extensively privately and on her own in dance and voice.
Her accomplishments over the course of her artistic career include: presentation of ‘Coytotess Tails Troupe’ Performance & Screening of Real Faces Artivist Interview Project at the DeYoung Museum (San Francisco), completion of a commission by Bob Haozous to produce and exact replica of one of Geronimo’s walking sticks owned by the tribe, commissions for walking sticks by Allan Houser, collaborations and exhibits with Steven Johnson Leyba and Caleb Duarte. She was Coordinator of Komotion International’s gallery and performance space (San Francisco), has done extensive exhibitions and performances (solo and group) including SOMARTS Day of the Dead Exhibition, POW POW POW; currated by Guillermo Gomez Pena (San Francisco), Blood of the Sun Exhibition (Santa Fe). She has been personal assistant for the executive director of the Santa Fe Independent Film Festival and has produced many video and audio projects of her works and interview series and is published and self-published. Does costuming for her own and other’s projects. She has works in many collections. She has performed extensively individually in dance, movement, spoken word, performance art , as well as in tandem with artists such as Bad Unkl Sista Butoh, Jill Parker Tribal Fusion Belly Dance.  She has taught extensively in dance, visual arts, creative writing and comics.

Presently she is exhibiting her various forms of beadwork at the Allan Houser Sculpture Garden Gallery (Santa Fe) and BUS Stop Gallery (San Francisco). She is working on the Chiricahua Nde’ Cultural Restoration Project, which includes deep analysis of cultural artifacts resulting in her producing replicas and originals of these items for the tribes own collection.  She rewrites and performs /embodies the tribe's Coyote Tales (COYOTESS TAILS). 

She grew up between San Francisco and where the tribe is located in Northern New Mexico and Oaklahoma.


ARTIST’S RESUME 2012
deCoy Gallerina aka Lynn Celeste Conner
decoygallerina@yahoo.com
Youtube & Facebook: 
deCoy Gallerina & decoygal REAL FACES 
ONGOING: 
•	EXHIBITION OF ART WORKS @ Allan Houser Sculpture Garden Gallery, Santa Fe
•	CHIRICAHUA N’D BEADWORK RESEARCH & ACCESSIBILITY PROJECT - We are in the process of building our own collection of our tribe’s artifacts so they will be accessible to the members of our tribe. Most of our tribe’s historical objects are owned and presently stored at various museums and not readily or easily available to us. My part in this is to research, analyze & produce as many items for our collection as possible. This project is in collaboration with tribal historian/genealogist/linguist; Michael Darrow. I am also working on rendering contemporary versions of our tribe’s ‘Coyotess Tails’ through updating, rewrites & performance.
•	decoygal REAL FACES ARTISTIVIST INTERVIEW SERIES on Youtube. Presently there are approximately four hundred videos on the site. The project has over 250,000 viewer hits in three years, no formal PR: Community in action! “Subverting main-stream media’s projection of who exists & matters.”
•	COSTUME DESIGN (for my own and other’s projects)
•	BAD UNKLE SISTA BUTOH LIBERATED: performances & dance
•	ARTWORK SALES, EXHIBITIONS & PERFORMANCE
2012: 	
•       Producer of & Performance (Coyotess Tails Troupe) 'Gary Farmer & the TroubleMakers & Friends Show' @ CellSpace, San Francisco
•       Participant in Guillermo Gomez-Pena & La Pocha Nostra Performance Art Workshop
UPCOMING: 	Indigenous Brilliance Show, London; Summer 2012: Exhibit
			EDELO galeria experimental, Chiapas; Winter 2012: Residency
2011:
•	EXHIBITION OF ART WORKS @ Allan Houser Sculpture Garden Gallery, Santa Fe
•	EXHIBITION OF ART WORKS in Presentation Space of & Assistant to the Executive Director: 
	SANTA FE INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL
•	SPOKEN WORD & COYOTESS TAILS: Poetica, El Farol, Santa Fe
•	TRANSPARENT PASSION INTERACTIVE PERFORMANCE & INSTALLATION 
	for BLOOD OF THE SUN EXHIBITION 	@ Ahalenia Gallery, Santa Fe
•	COYOTESS TAILS PERFORMANCE for Bob Hoazous Birthday Celebration, Santa Fe
•	GYPSY DANCE with Pedro Sedena Romero on accordion: Santa Fe Plaza
2010:
•	COYOTESS TAILS PERFORMANCE for CATS PAJAMAS @ The Make Out Room, San Francisco
•	COYOTESS TAILS PERFORMANCE & SPOKEN WORD for POETRY FEEDS @ 
	First Congregational Church, Oakland
•	“NUTURING RITUAL” & COYOTESS TAILS PERFORMANCES for INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR ELIMINATION OF 	VIOLENCE TO WOMEN & GIRLS @ Mission Cultural Center, San Francisco
•	COYOTEEZ TROUPE PERFORMING “NUTURING RITUAL” for INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR ELIMINATION OF 	VIOLENCE TO WOMEN & GIRLS @ San Francisco City Hall 
•	COYOTESS TAILS PERFORMANCE for DIA de los MUERTOS @ Mission Cultural Center, San Francisco
•	COYOTESS TAILS PERFORMANCE for INDIGENOUS ARTS COALITION @ San Francisco Art Institute
•	COYOTESS TAILS PERFORMANCES + interview by KALX, KPFA & PIRATE CAT RADIO STATIONS
•	CO-ORGANIZER for LEONARD PELTIER’S BIRTHDAY PARTY @ La Pena, Berkeley
•	COYOTESS TAILS PERFORMANCE for LUNADAS @ Galleria de la Raza, San Francisco
•	TRANSPARENT PASSION INTERACTIVE INSTALLATION & PERFORMANCE for POW POW POW! 
	(curated by Guillermo Gomez-Pena & Gomez Gallindo) @ Virarocha, San Francisco
•	BUTOH LIBERATED DANCER for BAD UNKL SISTA @ Nightclub venues, San Francisco
•	GOGO DANCER for BLACK BALLOON @ Nightclub venues, Oakland
•	GOGO DANCER  for SCAR PINK @ Stork Club, Oakland
•	BUTOH LIBERATED DANCER with BAD UNKL SISTA for HARVEST BLACK BALL 
	@ the old bankers building, San Francisco
•	VIDEO FILMING & MOVIE PRODUCTION + REAL FACES INTERVIEW SERIES
	for the WINTU COMING OF AGE CEREMONY with AIM WEST: 	
•	TRANSPARENT PASSION INTERACTIVE INSTALLATION & PERFORMANCE for DAY OF THE DEAD EXHIBITION 
	@ SOMARTS, SF 
•	TRANSPARENT PASSION INTERACTIVE INSTALLATION & PERFORMANCE for TRUE ART SHOW 
	@ Warehouse Gallery, Oakland
•	COYOTESS TAILS TROUPE PERFORMANCE + REAL FACES ARTIVIST INTERVIEW SERIES SCREENING  
	@ DeYoung Museum, San Francisco
•	GROUP EXHIBITION OF CHIRICAHUA ND’E TRIBAL MEMBERS ART WORKS 
	@ Deming Art Museum
•	BUTOH LIBERATED DANCER for Promotional Video of BAD UNKL SISTA & TOTTER TODD
•	DANCER for CHEB I SABBAH @ Supper Club, San Francisco
•	BUTOH, DANCE & ROAMING for BAD UNKL SISTA @ Steinhart Aquarium, SF
•	TRANSPARENT PASSION INTERACTIVE INSTALLATION & PERFORMANCE @ Warehouse Gallery, Oakland
•	METAMORPHICA PERFORMANCES + TRANSPARENT PASSION INSTALLATION @ BUS Stop Gallery, San Francisco
•	ORGANIZER OF AIM WEST BENEFIT + COYOTESS TAILS PERFORMANCE
	@ Submission Art Space, San Francisco
•	COYOTESS TAILS PERFORMANCE for BENEFIT FOR HAITI @ Noodle Factory, Oakland
•	PERSONAS MODELING @ Massive Black & Trion
2009:
•	REAL FACES ARTIVIST INTERVIEW PROJECT @ Venice Biennale’ 2009 
•	TRANSPARENT PASSION INSTALLTION @ BUS Stop Gallery
•	TRANSPARENT PASSION INSTALLATION & MODEL for MISS VELVET CREAM FASHION SHOW 
	& DRAWING SALON @ BUS Stop Gallery, San Francisco
•	SPOKEN WORD/AUDIENCE CONTACT PERFORMANCES for TRUTH BE TOLD (HIP HOP & NOT NIGHT) 
	@ La Pena, Oakland
•	AMBIENT DANCE PERFORMANCE for VERBOBALA/BAD UNKLE SISTA  @ BUS Stop Gallery, San Francisco
•	DANCE DUET @ SUB-MISSION/Balazo 18 Gallery, San Francisco
•	DEBUT EXHIBITION OF VISUAL 2-D WORK + SPOKEN WORD & MOVEMENT for
	18 GALLERY MIX 18 GROUP SHOW @ Sub/Mission Balazo 18 Gallery, San Francisco 
•	GROUP DANCE PERFORMANCE with Jill Parker Student Dancers @ Pulang Salon, San Francisco 
2008:
•	SPOKEN WORD /MOVEMENT & SONG for The Last American Painter Show (Steven Leyba & KayTwo) 
	@ Sub-mission/Balazo 18 Gallery, San Francisco 
•	TRANSPARENT PASSION; COLOR VERSION: INSTALLATION for DAY OF THE DEAD SHOW 
	@ Somarts, San Francisco
•	PERFORMANCE OF TRANSPARENT PASSION POEM, SPOKEN WORD MOVEMENT, SONG, DANCE
	for ART OF DEMOCRACY, WAR & CONQUEST POSTER SHOW @ Venus of Delta, Sacramento
•	READING OF TRANSPARENT PASSION POEM + INTERVIEW @ KPFA Radio, Berkeley
•	TRANSPARENT PASSION TRANCE DANCE + WORD & REAL FACES INSTALLATION 
	for FROM THE FOUR DIRECTIONS GROUP EXHIBITION @ Somarts, San Francisco 
•	CONSIGNMENT OF SALABLE WORKS @ rock paper scissors collective, Oakland, CA 
•	RECLAIMING POWER SERIES: DVD, CD & CHAPBOOK COMPILATION OF VIDEO, INSTALLATION, 	PERFORMANCE, DANCE, WORD PROJECTS
•	TRANCE DANCE PERFORMANCE IN FOUR PARTS @ HAFLAs in Pleasant Hill  
2007:
•	Gathering Tribes Gallery - Solo Show "Transparent Passion" installation/performance/beading demonstration in 	conjunction with  Performances by collaborating performers at Solano Ave Plaza
•	Red Poppy Art House - Dance/Movement Performance
•	Guillermo Gomez Pena's Spring Party, S.F - Performance & Word
•	WOME (Weapons of Mass Destruction), Oakland, CA. Performance/ Word "Indoctrination"   
•	Spring Hafla, Pleasant Hill, CA.  - Solo Dance
2006:
•	WOME (Weapons of Mass Destruction), Oakland, CA. Performance/ Word "Packages & Passages" with Emily 	Gonzales   
•	ARTSF - Performance & Installation "Media Maze Medusa" 
•	"Authenticity" Exact Replication of Geronimo's original cane to in collaboration with Bob Hoazous / Michael Darrow and 	our tribe
•	Spring & Fall Haflas, Pleasant Hill, CA.  - Solo Dance
2005:
•	SF Bay Area Biennale - Performance & Installation "Media Maze Medusa"
•	Smithsonian Museum - Letter of Recognition, 
•	ARTSF: Hell is Other People Show - Installation, Performance "Media  Maze Medusa" & Spoken Word
2004:
•	Mission Cultural Center/Galleria de la Raza - S.F., CA - Borderland 2004, Video Installation, Performance "Burial of the 	Body, Birth of Self" collaboration with Caleb Duarte  
•	Fort Sill  Apache Exhibit Space - Apache, Oklahoma - One Person Show
2003:
•	Black Box, Oakland -Performance "Prayers & Penance
•	"Mei Vanita'  Eccentrica" (My Eccentric Vanity) Anthology of written and visual works
•	McBean Gallery, San Francisco - Installation, Performance
•	IMG Gallery, Sacramento - Installation, Performance, Dance
•	Running  Stream Gallery, Sacramento - Performance, Installation, Wall Pieces,  Wearables, Poetry
•	Brainwash, San Francisco - Performance "Prayers & Penance: Spinning: Drum & Horn 
•	Native American Health and Wellness Center, Oakland - Instructor, Dance & Beadwork
2002:
•	Diego Rivera Gallery, San Francisco Art Institute - "Public Behavior, Private Dreams - " Installations - "In the Garden" and 	“Anxiety Meditation" Performance.-  "Prayers and Penance: Spinning a Place of Peace on Earth", "Reading", 	"Mock & Mock",  
•	other SFAI performances - "Not for Tourists", "Poison", "Wailing"
•	Galleria de la Raza - group show - video of "Wailing"
•	Washington Square Park,  SF - Performance. "Prayers & Penance"
•	Museum of Anthropology, Lawrence,  Kansas, MO – exhibit
•	SF Bay Area - Artist In Residence

2001:
•	Alameda Arts Council, Oakland Main Library 50th Anniversary & other locations - Curation & Installation of Youth Exhibit
•	SF Bay Area - Artist In Residence/Instructor for University of San Francisco Upward Bound Program, Visual 	Arts/Language Arts, Opera Picolla/Art  Gate , San Ramon Community Center, Dolphin Club Del Rey School 	and  Privately
•	St. Martin De Pores, SF - Performance -  "Ceja" Dance &  Drum Duet
2000:
•	Yerba Buena Center for the Arts/American Indian Contemporary Arts, SF - Performance and Exhibit
•	Pop Corn Anti-Theater, SF - Performance Art & "Ceja"
•	SF Bay Area - Artist In Residence1999
•	Opera Picolla, East Bay - Artist in Residence
•	Naughty Santa, SOMAR, SF - Exhibit, Performance. Art & "Ceja"
•	Pop Corn Anti-Theater, SF - Performance. Art and "Ceja"
•	Gallery Nomad, SF - "Ceja"
•	Opera Picolla, East Bay - Artist in Residence
•	American Indian Contemporary Arts  
•	Food for the Homeless, 
•	Amira 
•	Aswan Party 
•	 various benefits         
•	Bay  Area - Performances - "Ceja"
1998:
•	Unity '98 Festival, SF -  Performance - "Ceja"
1997:
•	Vorpal Gallery, SF - "Cross Cultural Group Show"
•	Transmission Theater, SF - with Charming Hostess - Performance – Dance
•	Institute of American Indian Arts Alumnae Show, Santa Fe, NM – Exhibit
•	Self Published  - '96, Poetry and Art Booklet
•	Studio J, No Sweat, Funkworks, East Bay - Dance Instructor
•	Free the Need Benefit, San Mateo, CA - Performance -  "Ceja"
1996:
•	AICA, SF - "Native American Beadwork, the Continuum", Group Exhibition
•	Free the Need Benefit, Marin - Performance - "Ceja"
1995:
•	AICA, SF - "From the Earth", Group Exhibition
•	Opera  Picolla, East Bay - "Chak" (a play), Choreograph & Costume  
1990-'95:
•	Komotion International, SF (Artist/Performance Collective) - Booking Committee, Art Gallery & Poetry Coordinator, Board 	of Directors, Artist, Poet, Performer
•	Opera Picolla, East  Bay - Dance, Act, Costume
1993-'94:
•	Second Skin Dance Troupe (Dance Chorus for Fat Chance Belly Dance) at Rakasha, Dance Brigade Benefit, Ethnic 	Dance Festival San Francisco Bay Area 
1993:
•	Native American Film Festival, SF - Dedication of one of my beaded walking sticks to  Floyd Westerman on behalf of the 	Bay Area's Native Artist's Community, AICA, Turtle Island Ensemble
•	Native Youth and Aids, Women's Building, SF - Performance &  Spoken word
•	Santa Domingo  College, CA -  Beadwork Workshop Instructor
•	Blackhawk Museum Craft Fair – Exhibit 
•	Beyond Survival, International Indigenous Artists &  Performers Conference, Ottawa, Canada - Workshop Leader
1992:
•	Turtle Island Ensemble, SF (Native Performance Group) -  Member, Principal Actress, Costumer in "Watershed" (a play 	by Steven Most re: Klamath River Native's fishing rights struggle) Project of Tail Spinners, American 	Conservatory Theater and TIE
1991 & Prior:
•	Children's Multi-Cultural Museum, SF – Workshops\
•	California Academy of  Sciences, SF – Workshops\
•	Festival at the Lake, Oakland - Judge and  Demonstrator
•	Nuba Dance Theater, Oakland - Guest Artist (Writer & Performer)
•	Santa Fe Opera, NM - Costume Apprentice







EDUCATION:
•	Extensive Dance Training
•	Fort Sill Chiricahua N’de Tribe; under the tutelage of tribal historian Michael Darrow:
	Beadwork and Cultural Education
•	Teacher Training through Opera Picolla/Art Gate, Susannah Wood
•	San Francisco Art Institute - New Genres (3rd BFA)
•	California  College of Arts and Crafts -  Print Making (2nd BFA)
•	Laney College and Privately - Dance and Voice (no degree)
•	College of Santa Fe, NM - Music Theater (1st BFA)
•	Institute of American Indian Arts -  Creative Writing (AFA)
•	Upward Bound Program at San Francisco State College
•	Minnie Nicholas Zurega, grandmother - preliminary Art, Beadwork & Writing training
•	Caroline Zurega: Mother, Mary Zurega: Aunt - Dance, Music Appreciation & Costuming
•	Guillermo Gomez Pena: some mentoring
 

COLLECTIONS: 
•	Floyd Westerman 
•	Fidel Castro Collection
•	Bonnie Ring
•	Janine Antoine of 
American Indian Contemporary Arts
•	Penny Opal Plant of 
Gathering Tribes Gallery
•	Bob Haozous
•	Chiricahua N'de Tribe (Fort Sill Group)
•	American Indian Contemporary Arts
•	Guillermo Gomez-Pena
•	Renee & Rio Yanez
•	U.S. Arts and Crafts Board
•	Steven Johnson Leyba
•	Institute of American Indian Arts
•	Museum of the Plains Indians
•	Richard Mansfield
•	John Waddell
•	Allen Houser
•	Caroleena Nericio of Fat Chance Belly Dance
•	Jill Parker of Ultra Gypsy, Fox Glove Sweethearts

Followers of Lain Graves