Carl Woodring was born in Arkansas City, Kansas, and grew up in Pawhuska, Oklahoma. After completing his formal education, he worked in Tulsa as an architectural engineer. In Tulsa, Woodring met Acee Blue Eagle who encouraged him to paint and to enter his work in local Indian art competitions. Woodring's paintings were an unprecedented success. At the Philbrook's annual competitions, he won more prizes in a single year than any other artist in the history of the competition. During the 1960's, Woodring's paintings were exhibited in England, Germany, France and Belgium."Source: Patricia Broder, American Indian Painting and Sculpture