Rodeos & Pow Wows
Dancing the World Into Existence
Sometimes when I paint, I start out as a 10 year old painting simple scenes on the canvas while I wait for the vision to emerge. I painted a horse and a stream and a mountain and wondered what it could mean that I was painting in such a childish way. I began to see the mountain more clearly. Then clouds and suns and rain appeared, and they were in the oddest places, so I divided them into patchwork quilt pieces, thinking it would make sense. The face of a dancer appeared with his feathers and trance like state of deep spiritual connection. I realized that a world was being created. This world had not yet fallen into the order we perceive in everyday life. It was primordial and free floating, so I went into the dancer’s spirit and found the world he was creating. It took many weeks as oil paint is slow to cure, and visions live outside of time. Oil on canvas, Framed. 28×40
Boy Cloud Dancer
I saw his photo in a local paper advertising the Pow Wow. I loved him instantly and wanted to paint him, so using a sky from one of Mother’s (Dorothy Krieger) unfinished canvases, I set about to paint him. Sometimes spirit conceals the identity of the dancer in a sacred space. As I painted him. His face refused to appear on the canvas, replaced instead by a visage that resembled and Indonesian Monkey God. I let it be, deciding that the two had more in common than I could ever grasp, whether they knew it or not. Acrylic on Canvas. Framed. 39×39.
Boy Cloud Dancer inspiration photo
Rodeo Rider
Rodeos are a tradition of the West. My favorite events are Bronc and Bull Riding, followed closely by Barrel Racing. The thrill and challenge of riding a bucking horse with the energy released by this are awe inspiring. When my mom (brilliant artist, Dorothy Krieger) passed, she left many unfinished or just started paintings. The colors on this one screamed at me, “Ride ‘Em, Cowboy!” So the bronco carrying the rodeo rider jumped onto the canvas, and my brushes followed and gave them life. Thanks, Mom for the inspiration. EEE Haw! Acrylic on canvas. Framed. 22×26
Cowboy Quilt
Echoing the oranges and yellows of the Rodeo Cowboy, I attempted to capture the dynamic of bull riding. This bull definitely was not the famous Bushwacker, as he gave a rather lazy ride. I felt that it was so static, that I stitched it into a quilt with tiny cross stitching to hold them in place, turning this bull riding into a static but pleasing applique. Acrylic on canvas. Framed. 20×26.
Night Move [SOLD]
Many indigenous ceremonies were banned by the government for too long. This painting depicts my imagination of a move to a more secure location to perform vital and forbidden ceremonies. Acrylic on canvas.