Good Morning: Thught I would get a blog out on my latest piece I have finished now. Chief Big Head, Standing Rock Territory. I have alwys been facinated by the
photographs of Native Americans taken during the 1800's. Many of these were melainotype or ferrotype phtographs sometimes referred to as tintype The metal coated with a lacquer or enamel was used as support for the photographic emulsion.
Needless to say they created great black and white photogrpahs with shadows and subject matter that draws my eye to each one.
Back to BIg Head (Pohatanka which means Big Brain)) was a Ogala Sioux Indian Chief who fought against a removal by the US Government in the Black Hills. He was a part of the Cheyenne indian force who suprised attacked Geneal Armstrong Custer with Sitting Bull at Little Big Horn in 1876. Unfortunately he and his people were forced on a reservation in the years to come by the US Government. Eventually he would die of grief in 1889.
I tried to put two items in this piece. Bear Butte near Sturgis South Dakota. This is an important religious site for the Plains Indian. Also Tantanka or Buffalo. For the Plains Indians they meant life.They feed and clothed them. They found a reverence and peace with Tatanka. Unfortunately they to would be taken from them by the spread of people to the Western US in years of the 1800's.
This piece is done in Charcoal and Conte. I worked alot in Charcoal and Pastel in College so wanted to give it a shot again. I plan on entering this in the Ridge Art Association Juried show Black and White with a Pop of Red. I hope it will be shown because of the Story of Chief Big Head and also the Native American Tribes who were the First Americans.
Have a blessed weekend and See Ya!