Beaded Buffalo

I’d been tinkering with small bags for a while — none bigger than your hand — when I decided to try something larger. Increasing the size by a few inches would have been the wise thing to do, but I jumped to a bead panel that wound up measuring 8″ x 14″. Besides the size, [...]

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Inspiration comes from unsuspecting places. This design, for instance, was inspired by a Navajo rug I saw in Flagstaff, Arizona, just after hiking into and out of the Grand Canyon.
It was the most physically and mentally demanding challenge I’ve ever faced. The steep, thin, crumbling trail clung precariously to the sheer canyon walls (to avoid crowds, we [...]

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This is an amazing piece of work made of woven porqupine quills. I believe it was made by a Native craftswoman in the Northeast. The attention to detail is stunning and the construction is flawless.

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One of my favorite movies is “Thunderheart.” There’s a dance scene and one of the natives is wielding a ceremonial dance stick similar to the one at the left. Thus the inspiration.
The other one was made about 15 years ago, and I have no idea where the idea came from. I do know that the [...]

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I’m no blacksmith, so when I make knives, the blades are purchased. The bone for this one came from some remains I found in the woods while hiking. There’s a small wolf paw inscribed on the handle.

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At first, the notion of combining buffalo and beads with something high-tech like a computer didn’t set too well. But then I reminded myself that laptops are an ever-present part of everyday life, so you might as well carry it in something that harkens back to a simpler time when prairie travelers worried about snake [...]

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