Wednesday, November 29, 2017

+ Sacred Ways & Native Souls +

I am delighted to introduce you to the work of a very talented artist, who crafts museum quality, replica Native American medicine bags, ceremonial drums, bows/arrows, quivers, jewelry, and many other artifacts from his tiny home in Montana.

His Medicine Bags are of deer, elk & buffalo hides.   He tans the hides in a labor intensive native tradition requiring a special smoke process.  Collectors highly prize these traditionally tanned items as they look, feel & smell so authentic! He beads by hand, working with many types of antique Trade Beads, old Italian/Venetian glass beads, 1920's Czech beads, as well as old clay & metal beads.

He describes himself as a hermit, and he really does look like the true definition of the word!  He does not seek the attention of others, and would rather his work speak for himself.  He remains unnamed here, as I'm (reluctantly) honoring his request for anonymity.

He crafts sporadically, in the winter months mostly, huddled by his wood stove, surrounded by odds-n-ends, dried sage bundles, hides, bones, feathers, tools, gadgets, stacks upon stacks of reference books, clay paints, brushes & his workbench.  He tries to find odd-jobs in the spring & summer months to help him make ends meet.  He reached out to me back in May, inquiring if I was interested in buying his overstock for my collection. The California gift shop where his pieces were sold for the past 7 years had folded and he was out of an income source.  Although I couldn't fund purchasing his overstock myself, my Etsy shop came to mind. Why not set up his goods in my little shop I thought!  And so it goes, Friends Helping Friends...

Here begins our journey.  Here I present to you, along with my desire to recreate an income source for my dear, talented, Montana Hermit, a gallery of collectible treasures!  Inspired by Sacred Ways and born of Native Souls...

+ Hozhogo +


Above: Beaded Mini Medicine Bags & Below: Summer Buffalo Hide Bag
 For purchase in my Etsy Shop 
+ Click on my Etsy Trading Post Icon +


+ Click on my Etsy Trading Post Icon +


Above: Beaded Yellow Flame Medicine Bag & Below: Beaded Cross Medicine Bag
For Purchase in my Etsy Shop
+ Click on my Etsy Trading Post Icon +


Below: Handpainted with Indigenous Clay Ink Paints
For Purchase in my Etsy Shop
+ Click on my Etsy Trading Post Icon +



Below: Part of my Personal Collection that I have on display in my
Cabinet of Curiosities
I also have his bags hanging in different rooms!


More of my personal collection on display




Detail of my personal collection


Final photo of my Medicine Bag Collection handmade by my
Montana Friend & filled with feathers he sends me.