Runs the Bitterroot Figurine

The Native Americans' admiration for the horse took many forms. A favored horse dressed for ceremony or war would often be adorned with striking regalia, as well as painted. The beauty and mystery of the Indian horse mask as the emblem of a warrior Pony is captured with great power by an Oklahoma historian/artist in this masterful tribute to Chief Joseph. The legendary leader of the Nez Perce, who is credited with the successful breeding of the Appaloosa, is remembered for his principled resistance to the forced removal of the Nez Perce from their Idaho homelands. Chief Joseph's surrender speech, in which he said "From where the sun now stands, I will fight no more forever," immortalized him in American history and popular culture.

What this gifted Oklahoma artist may lack in formal training, he more than makes up for with his rich and detailed knowledge of the American West, and an extraordinary talent for authentically capturing its history in both art and craft.