A Detour This Coming week

I'll be out of my studio on Monday and most of this next week. I'm traveling to Park City, Utah, then to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, to pick up clays that I've placed in those galleries. I'll be casting up 6 of my clays into bronze, to prepare for this coming summer showings at galleries.
I'll be picking up "She Ain't No Cowboy", "War Medicine", "Somewhere a Cowboy's Walkin", and "Bronc Stompin".
I'll shoot video of the trip. You'll be coming along for the ride. I'll have to put "The Protector" aside for a while so that I can tune up my clays, to get them ready for production. I'll be on those for probably the next couple of weeks. I'll be adding videos as I work on them as well.
This is a very exciting turn of events. They'll finally be cast into bronze. This is going to be an exciting few weeks.

Pictures of the clays I'll be picking up.

WAR MEDICINE

BRONC STOMPIN

AIN'T NO COWBOY

SOMEWHERE A COWBOY'S WALKIN

The Protector - The Feathered Headdress Starts today

Julie Burt, who I've known since her Husband and her lived across the street from me, back in the late 80's, came to the studio today to help me produce feathers. She's helped me in the past many times with life size clays, so she knows her way around clay.
Started the Headdress today. Adding the feathers I've been able to finish up to now. Half the feathers that are going onto the headdress are on it now. I'm finding some of the feathers to be a bit delicate, so they're going to need special attention.



Final Photograph

The Protector - 10 Little Feathers

Spent the day detailing the feather blanks I made yesterday. Only got the first 10 finished up. Tomorrow I'll see if I can add them to the headdress.



Photograph of the feathers.

The Protector - Blanks... Just.... Blanks

I finished up making the last 5 feather armatures first off today. Then I started adding clay to all of the 30 armatures, using flattened clay, made with the use of my Pasta Machine.. very handy sculpting tool.



Photograph of the 29 feather blanks.

The Protector - Finish Correction on Arm - Starting Feathered Headdress

Came in this morning, and got right into the right arm. It turns out it was to long by a little over an inch. I cut it above the wrist and shortened the forearm.
Then I started making the 30 armatures for the headdress feathers.



Final Photographs.

The Protector - Back On The Arm Today

I came back into the studio today, even though I was going to wait, till Monday. I just had an idea I wanted to work out with the right arm. I started the hand, and then I stepped back and the arm now looked like the fingers were falling way to long. It could just be that the shoulder is dropped, and that makes the fingers look like they are out of position. I'll re-evaluate this on Monday.



Photographs today.

The Protector - Creative Hiccup Today

I started out the day, removing the shield and then working on the right arm. I started the hand and then, off camera, I decided to change the arms position. I just hated it. Had to quit. I was ready to tear up the clay. Artists get into those moods. None of us are all that secure in what we do. We are learning as we work. Today was one of those learning days.
I start out the video with a gift from Jim Griffen, in Alabama

The Protector - The Shield Feathers

Today, it was, more feathers. I added the last four feathers to the shield. I'm thinking I'll add maybe two more tomorrow.
A dear friend of mine in California, Diane, has given me an idea for the title of this piece. So for now, it's title will be, "The Protector"
Another friend and follower of my blog, Angela Swedberg, helped me get a translation for the title into Blackfoot from a friend of hers, Paul. Paul wrote the following.

"Jeez, about the closest I can get is "ikopoinayiquan". I've never heard it used as a noun, so I'm putting the words for "protect one from bad influence" and "person". So a loose translation would be "a person who protects you from bad things." Blackfoot is a very descriptive language, which makes for long words [and loose translations :-D ].
Paul"

So for now, till I can get a phonetic spelling of Ikopoinayiquan, I'm sticking with the English. Thanks to both Diane and Angela for your help.



Final photographs.

I Show How To Make Feathers Today and Hanna Adds To One Of My Sculptures

OK, two things today... check out the entry just below my final photographs for today. Cute little Hanna (3 years old)showed her love for one of my sculptures. It's really cute. Her mom and dad are Cathy and Denis from Canada. Terry, Hanna's grandmother sent me the photos there.

Now today, I started the feathers. There will be over 35 feathers going onto this piece. Not sure how much of the making of the all those feathers I'll be showing. It's probably going to take the rest of the week to make them. For those who wondered how to make feathers.. I hope the following helps.



Final Photographs today




Got this from a client in Canada today and just loved it, so thought I'd share with all of you.

Hi from Canada David. Wanted to send you these pictures of our statue, Mountain Family, and how much our granddaughter loves it, so much so she parked her my little pony next to it when we were not looking.

Have a great day.

Terry M.
Canada

Here are the photographs.. I had no idea that I'd have this kind of influence on children... Love it.

The Making A War Shield

Added clay to the shield today. On the cloth I dipped in melted wax yesterday. It was a good day. Got it fully covered, and now I can proceed on.



Final Photographs showing the shield.

Worked Again On The Bow And Shield

Well I worked on finalizing the bow scabbard. Then I added the shield to his back and part of the decoration for the shield, which will be a trade cloth drape on the upper half of the shield's edge. I'll be back on it tomorrow.



Final photographs of shield and scabbard today.

Shield and Stitching

Today I started the shield. Before I could actually detail it and attach it to the back of the Indian, I had to get the bow and arrow quiver tightened up. I added stitching to the top edge of the arrow quiver and then once it was placed in position on his back, I added the fringe to both ends. That took the day to do.
I'll be back in the studio on Tuesday.



Final photographs

Bow Quiver Today

I was contacted via email from, Angela Swedberg, who has a wonderful blog. She makes original Plains and Plateau style Indian art, based on 19th century aesthetics and use authentic materials that were available in that time frame (1820-1900). Angela also restores and does conservation work of antique Indian art. She is a tribally certified Indian Artisan in accordance with the Indian Arts and Crafts act of 1990. She's sent me some amazing photographs that will help me greatly.
Today I worked on This warrior's bow and arrow scabbard or quiver.



Final photographs today.



Sunset from Todd Connor's studio

Researching Today

I'm just going through tons of research. Talked to a friend today who will lend me a War Bonnet to work from. Gloria D recreates authentic Indian clothing. She actually worked on the movie "Dances With Wolves". I went up to her house this evening and borrowed a war bonnet. Her husband Joe Red Feather (Wee-akaluta) sat down with me and I shot this video.



I'm also trying to figure out the bow scabbard I'll be putting on the Indian and the shield design. Tomorrow,I'll start those two items.

Page from one of my books, showing moccasin patterns and headdress shapes.

Belt and Knife Today

I did a lot of running around today trying find a particular book, Mystic Warriors Of The Plains. Finally found one this afternoon. Todd Connor my artist friend north of where I live had a copy in his studio. This book is a great reference book on the Indian Culture.
To proceed on to the War Bonnet I needed a copy to study. Got back to my studio and placed the belt with all the tacks sculpted on it onto the warrior's waist. Then I smoothed the upper chest and stomach of the Indian. Finally I sculpted a knife and knife sheath for the belt.



Final photographs.