To promote her father's work, keep his legacy alive, and be taken seriously as an art dealer, Tiger's mother ran the business pretending to be a man.
Jerome's brother, Johnny Tiger Jr., acted as the family patriarch, told stories of their father to his children, and surrounded them with art.
[5] Dana was inspired by the legacy of her father, Jerome Tiger, an exemplary artist who revolutionized the portrayal of Native Americans through his unique art style.
[9] Characteristics of her paintings are resilient Native women depicted in both historical and contemporary leadership positions,[10] usually in watercolor or acrylic.
[11] Tiger often combines artwork and advocacy, promoting benefits for the AIDS Coalition for Indian Outreach, the American Cancer Society, the National Organization for Women, and the Ozark Literacy Council among others.
[12] Tiger had planned to remain single and dedicate her life to art,[8] but when her brother was murdered in 1990 and her sister was diagnosed with HIV/AIDS two years later, her view of the world changed.