The Dr. Samuel R. Poliakoff Collection of Western Art

Beeler's connection to the west and to his Cherokee ancestry began to be realized artistically at an early age. As a child, he drew often, and continued to develop his skills in college at Kansas State Teachers College before attending the Art Center School of Design in Los Angeles, CA. After finishing his studies, Beeler worked as an illustrator for the University of Oklahoma Press. A 1960 exhibition at the Gilcrease Museum helped launch his career as an artist. In 1962, he and his family moved to Sedona, AZ.