"Dance Feathers"
This original oil painting on board, framed in suede, is of a feather
bustle which is worn by Native American men when dancing in ceremonies or
festivals.
Native Americans have always used feathers for many different purposes and
for different meanings. American Indian people are the only people allowed
to possess American eagle feathers by United States law. |
"Rattle and Pouch"
This original oil painting on canvas is of a leather rattle often used in
Native American dances. The pouch is one I made to wear myself when I have
the privilege and honor to dance in the circle at Native American Pow Wows |
"Corn Maiden"
This original oil painting on canvas is of a Native American woman
shucking corn.
Native Americans propagated corn from different regions and cultivated a
crop that would grow and produce abundantly almost anywhere.
Native Americans consider corn to be vital for life, using it for many
different uses. They have ceremonial dances and celebration of the corn. |
"The Bride"
This original oil painting on canvas is of a young brave and his bride
wrapped in their “courting blanket”. Young Native American braves were shy
to tell a young maiden how they felt about them; often they would play
love songs on their flute while perhaps the maiden was doing her wash in
the river. If the maiden had similar feelings for the brave she would
invite him to stand in front of her families tee pee and while wrapped in
the privacy of her blanket they would talk softly and tell each of their
feelings and perhaps plan their future together, thus “The Bride”. |
"Sunrise on the Village"
This original oil painting on canvas is a typical early Native American
village. The nomadic Native Americans were on the move to find food to
sustain themselves. But wherever they camped they would always face the
“door” of their tee pee toward the east to receive the morning blessing
from the Great Spirit. |
"Leaving Their Homeland"
This original oil painting on canvas board is my interpretation of the
“Trail of Tears” which in no way shows what the Native Americans had to
endure. They were driven from their homeland; their way of life was taken
from them. Many thousands died on the ‘Trail of Tears”. But happily they
as a people have survived and are now able to educate non-native people
about how beautiful they are as a people. |
"Wood Bearer"
This original oil painting on canvas is of a Native American woman
gathering wood. It was the women of the Native American tribes who always
gathered the wood for cooking and for warmth. |
"Navajo Weaver"
This original oil painting on canvas is of a Native American Navajo woman
weaving a wool rug. The Navajo people are famous for their beautiful hand
woven rugs. They raise the sheep, shear them, spin the yarn and dye it
with beautiful colors from natural plants which they gather and then they
weave the rugs. Weaving is a beautiful art that the Navajo people hand
down from generation to generation. |
"Sunlight on Taos Horno"
On the Taos Reservation or Pueblo in New Mexico they still bake bread in
their outdoor ovens called hornos. I caught the sunlight hitting one of them and just had
to paint it. |
"Proud American"
I have a photograph taken in the early 1940s of an Indian Chief riding in
the Intertribal Ceremonial Parade in Gallup, New Mexico ( which is still
held every year in August in Gallup )And I took an artist liberty and
painted him coming out of the reservation going to the parade. |
"White Buffalo"
This original oil painting on canvas is of a “white” buffalo. Buffalos
have always been extremely important to Native Americans. In years past
they hunted the buffalo not only for food but they used ever single part
of the animal. One buffalo would provide not only food but clothing,
bedding, tools and many other things, nothing was wasted. A white buffalo
is very rare and has sacred meaning to the Native American people. |
"The Beader"
Cherokee Indians lived in the mountains in what today is called
Appalachian highlands. Until around 1800 they lived in pit homes, about
that time they learned to build more comfortable, practical houses. Some
were log cabins, some were even lived in large manor houses with a
fireplaces. Some were and still are wonderful bead workers, this is my
concept of a Cherokee woman on an animal skin rug beading by the warm
fireplace.
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