JACKSON SUNDOWN RIDES THE RAVEN!

This bag was made for the upcoming December show at the Stonington Gallery in Seattle. The show is "Eagle/Raven". I decided to bead my all time favorite Indian Cowboy Jackson Sundown. The following is a brief biography:

The horse became a very important part of the Nez Perce people. Not only for hunting in buffalo country, but the horse was a warrior. Nez Perce learned to breed and work with horses. Waaya-Tonah-Toesits-Kahn (Jackson Sundown) from an early age worked and cared for horses. Waaya-Tonah-Toesits-Kahn was a famous all-around cowboy, horseman, and excellent rider and breeder of horses.

The Nez Perce War of 1877 began and Waaya-Tonah-Toesits-Kahn was 14 years old. Waaya-Tonah-Toesits-Kahn and Sam Tilden (Suhm-Keen) both were assigned to attend to the horses in the evening and herd the horses while the tribe decamped. After the Nez Perce war ended Waaya-Tonah-Toesits-Kahn retreated to Canada with a small band of cold, hungry and injured Nez Perce. It is believed that Waaya-Tonah-Toesits-Kahn stayed with the Sioux (Sitting Bull's camp in Canada) about two years, then crossed the border into Washington. He then went into Montana, married and had two daughters.

Waaya-Tonah-Toesits-Kahn became known as Jackson Sundown and developed a well know reputation as a skilled horseman.

In 1910, Jackson Sundown moved back to Idaho. And in 1912 he married Cecelia Wapshela, and they lived on her ranch located at Jacques Spur, six miles east of Lapwai.

Sundown became a well known all-round rodeo rider. Jackson Sundown was going to rodeos all over the northwest. In 1912 it is recorded that Jackson Sundown (at the age of 49) entered rodeo events in Canada and Idaho (Culdesac, Orofino, Kamiah and Grangeville). Sundown became a favorite at these rodeos because he was tall, lean and handsome, he wore his hair in braids tied under his chin, and he always wore bright colored shirts.

In 1914, Sundown was having much success as an all-around rodeo rider. Other contestants pulled out of rodeos because Sundown was riding and they knew he would win. As a result the rodeo managers decided to hire Sundown to exhibition ride for $50.00 a day to entertain the crowds.

In 1915, Sundown (at age 52) went to Pendleton Oregon and placed third. Sundown decided to retire from rodeo after the Pendleton Roundup. In 1916 a sculptor, Alexander Phimister Proctor (who was sculpting Sundown at the time), persuaded Sundown to enter the 1916 Roundup in Pendleton, Oregon and paid his entrance fee. Sundown made it to the saddle bronc semi-final round and then rode "Casey Jones" to move into the finals with two other cowboys (Rufus Rollen and Bob Hall). Rollen and Hall both had excellent rides. As Sundown eased onto Angel's back for his final ride, the blindfold was removed from Angel. Angel tried to whirl and leap to throw Sundown off. All Sundown's years as a child in the Wallowa's riding, and his career in Montana as a horseman, and his rodeo experience showed that day. It is said that Sundown became one with the horse. As Angel tried one last attempt at throwing Sundown off, Sundown fanned his hat at the horse. And then the signal of the end of the ride. Jackson Sundown, Waaya-Tonah-Toesits-Kahn, was the 1916 World Champion Bronc Rider.

Sundown made his last public appearance in 1917 for Governor Moses Alexander.

In 1923, Jackson Sundown died of pneumonia, he was buried at Slickpoo Mission Cemetery near Jacques Spur. Later a stone monument was placed there to remember the Nez Perce warrior and horseman Waaya-Tonah-Toesits-Kahn.

This bag is beaded on smoked brain tanned hide, using 13/0 cut beads and also size 16 antique micro beads. The gold beads are 24K gold plated. The frame is a antique French purse frame.



Jackson Sundown was a man to be admired and honored. And he could ride anything, even Raven if he wanted to!

SMALL BAGS AND ONE LONELY BRACELET!

I thought I would make a few small things before locking myself away for the winter with my beads madly working away. The first bag is a modified copy of a Crow style one that was featured by a gallery in Santa Fe that sells antiquities. I normally don't like to make exact copy's of old material, but the original is such beautiful bag so I thought "Why not". I did make a few slight modifications to it (So am I guilty of copying?) I will use this to store some of my sewing implements in. The other large bag is made using a buffalo bladder. This style of bag is the one I based my fully beaded ones with the pony's on. It is one I have owed a friend for a long time and am happy to have finally finished it!

I plan on making one small thing between each of the large works I do, so I can have some more affordable items for those who might like them. And, it is fun to make something in a day vs. a month or more. Instant gratification has its place.

Angela

Tobacco Storage Bag

These two recently completed bags are made for the purpose of storing tobacco and seeds that I grow every year. The type of tobacco is a variety used by natives for ceremony and offerings, which I give to friends for this purpose. The large bag is made from smoked brain tanned buffalo hide, the smaller from smoked brain tanned deer hide and both are sinew beaded using antique Italian seed beads.

Angela

Beaded Woman' Purse

It's been a while since I have posted anything on my Blog. I usually try to take a little time off at the end of summer, so I don't get much beading done. This is a recently completed commission. I came about when the woman who ordered this purse saw another I made being carried by a patron in Jackson Hole and she had to have one. I love when that happens! The best kind of advertisement.

Angela

MY DAYS AS A COWGIRL MODEL!

Wow, I totally forgot about these until I was recently asked at my show in Jackson Hole if sometime I wouldn't mind posing as a artists model with my horse. I thought I would show some of the series of Cowgirl prints I posed for a few years ago. The dog was my dearly departed wolf hybrid MahQuah. Boy I miss him.

Not that I ever thought of myself as model material but it can fun to see what the artists perception of what you look like is. I can also say my hands are not that big (don't think I could do all the beading and quilling if they were!)

So maybe there will be more artists renditions down the line. Funnier things have been known to happen. On the other hand I don't think I will give up my day job just yet.

Angela

RESTORATION; BEFORE AND AFTER

Since much of what I do is learned from restoring actual artifacts, I thought I would show a few before and after photo's of some of the items I have worked on. Each is it's own individual that presents its own set of problems and solutions to fix it. Having the right materials to do the restoration is also a huge factor to the success of the finished work. It is my best teacher.

I have also been fortunate to have worked on some major collections and material which has I believe made me a much better contemporary artist as well. The Grandmothers of old are still teaching us with the work they did.

Angela

A FEW MORE FROM THE NATIONAL FOLK FESTIVAL

Thought I would show a few more photos from the folk festival. What a great time and really great people. A few others there were Shaun Collins (Shoshone) and his wife who were featured in the First Peoples market place. I had not seen Shaun for something like 15 years. He has the most infectious laugh you have ever heard.

I also was honored to have met some of the Real Bird family from the Crow Nation. This is Jack and Alma Real Bird. I rode with the Real Bird Family in the opening horse parade. I hope one day to make it to Crow Fair and parade there with these fine people.

Cappy and I also did a presentation on the horse gear used by the Plateau Peoples and also information about the Appaloosa horse. Cappy lo

ves to have people looking at him, and was a natural for this presentation

Of course the real pressure was on when the Growing Thunder family came to see my talk. Joyce, Juanita and Jessica Growing Thunder are some of the finest living contemporary beadwork artists today. They have won so many awards for their work at both the Santa Fe Indian market as well as the Heard Indian market. I want to be as good as they are w

hen I grow up! The woman in the white hat is Liz Deer who put the whole Montana Folk Section together and did a fantastic job. All of the participants were treated like royalty.

Angela