Horned Drum

I have yet to paint a simple design for this drum. By I thought I should post it till a final motif is researched...

My Pigmy Bow

I have a mini bow set that's an accurate little stick thrower. My ill brother had made me the bow for Christmas one year and at summer rendezvous we spend all weekend shooting each other (with padded blunts). Anyways the legend of the little feller whom was found in the Pedro Mtns here in Wy by some gold prospectors. He had a full set of teeth when further inspected. I have walked the mountains where he was found. I often wonder if they exist because of the Plains Indian culture and tales.

Christmas Ornaments

Our family pulled out the annual Christmas decorating boxes and to my delight I found these little guys. I had made each of my boys one several years back and they get to play with them once a year...

Recycled Parfleche

I had seen an old original parfleche in a Wyo gallery and it held a horse hair rope. Needless to say I had to have one, Elk rawhide earth paints and I had my own.

Bear Head Bundle

This piece is a salvaged piece trying to save what I could. It was harvested legally skinned and frozen. Then it was taken to a taxidermist and his wife didn't put it in the freezer ... It was a chore to save what I could.. This is my end product, I beaded the mouth closed and added a strap and now i can carry my sacred pieces.

Bear Medicine Skull

A simple yet powerful piece, I bought this skull many many years ago for high school drawing project. It's been tossed around and beat up so I had to fix it Plains Indian style... Buffalo hair twisted rope, beadwork, and red ochre paint found here in Wyo..

Little Parfleche

Sinew sewn little parfleche I made 20 years ago.

Stone Knives

Here I have 2 stone knives that my father found years ago. He also beaded the pieces also. This is where my roots begin with the my reproductions.

Buffalo Priming Horns

Here are 2 horns I completed, one I rubbed with red ochre and the other with cadmium blue oil paint. After looking at a George Catlin book studying the colors, blue paint was hard to obtain on the western plains. I know also that during the fur trade era oil paints were sold at a few trading posts. This is my reason for the blue paint.

Indian Head Knife

This I made using recycled materials like a chokecherry branch and an old metal barrel hoop for a blade. Other recycled materials are brass wire and old tin for cones. Brass tacks for eyes and some green earth paint add to the piece.

Carved Stone Ball

This piece a made after seeing an original years ago. My ole friend Don Hacket used to arrowhead hunt back in the day. He found a ball carved out of black steatite (soapstone). I made one to the detail as the original that's in my collection now. I carved this out of scrap talc stone I found here local. Next I then painted a bright green and red for the dots.

Finger Trophys

Well here is a flashback photo, I have seen pictures in books of Plains Indian collected finger necklaces. I made many attempts to replicate these little things. This is my first real batch that I made. Imagine that it was belief that if you removed your enemy's finger in the next world he wouldn't be able to use it.

Grave Marker

I am always looking and researching for items that are odd but with a historical significance. This marker is in a museum in SD and it struck me. So this museum claims these markers were used around the Black Hills region and Custer Battle Field. Anyways I had to make one ! Needless to say it was hair raising to event to take a picture. I found some thick sage overgrowth in the desert and snapped this picture. I believe that a historical society had these made in the 1890's..

Battle Trophy

I have always wanted to find a piece like this laying out on the ground here in Wyoming. Needless to say that will never happen.. Try to imagine on horseback trying to bring a Bison down with your bow.. You have made the bow and straighten out a wild rose stem for an arrow. The trade point sharpened razor sharp to penetrate the thick hide of a bison. What happens if you miss your mark ?? Well the great bison carries all your hard work away as a "Battle Trophy".

Bison Rawhide Cutouts

I had cut these out a year ago, struggling to accurately paint them the whole time. Giving in I finally pulled them out and painted a simple design. Braintan leather lace and a few beads...