Putting Up the Tepee part 2

Dreams Of Flying

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The decision had been made and the wind had started picking up. We had the tepee down in minutes. After more careful measurements for the tripod and where to place the ties the tripod goes back up. With all the men folk that had wandered in all the poles were in place very quickly. It was already looking better.

Bundling the tepee to the riser pole.

Tying off the rope.



The riser pole goes back up. We untie it and stretch it around the poles. After lacing it up it looks amazing! I am so thankful to my friends and family for all their help.



And here it is up on the hill.
All in all it took me more time to figure out how to put that "Buy Now" button on my blog than to raise the tepee. So y'all use and stay tuned for more of the saga and photos of the interior.

Putting Up the Teepee part 1

Whispers

$55

8"x10" mixed media collage on wood panel

Shipping $8 in US or Canada

Please contact me for international shipping rates.

Putting up the tepee was a comedy/drama as expected. The day was windy with dark clouds and sprinkles of rain. We started out with a crew of three people and three dogs. The horses were in the corral watching. The dogs were providing plenty of help and entertainment.

I had carefully measured and marked the position of the tripod with pink flags. We tied the three poles together and attached the rope the would be wrapped around all the poles. The tripod is laid close to the marks. We prepare to lift the tripod and see Tonka running off with a pink flag in his mouth. The north mark is lost. I read off the wrong number to remark it and put a rock there.

The guilty party.

We lift the tripod using the long rope and the poles and rotate it into position. It is surprisingly easy considering the poles are 22' long.



Eleven more poles are laid in with the rope wrapped around each time. The last pole is the riser pole. We spread the tepee on the ground inside up and lay the riser pole on top. It is then bundled and tied with the smoke flap ropes. This pole was allot heavier but by this time we had more help. The tepee was untied and stretched around the poles. Using the wood lacing pins and a ladder the front was laced together.




It looks wrong. We work at adjusting the poles and pulling the canvas down to get out the wrinkles. We can't get them out of the top. We have three more people and one more dog come to help.

At this point I'm worried that there may be more wrong than just the pole placement. I'm thinking it may be the tepee itself. I made it from canvas on my grandmother treadle sewing machine. I had instructions but......

We decide to take it down and try again.

Stay tuned for part 2.

Painting My Tepee

I have spent the last week painting my tepee. It has been a huge undertaking. I had no idea it would take so much time and paint. It was tricky finding a dry enough time and a poop-free zone to spread it out. Gosh it looks huge. See the tiny little horses. I used a tent stake, string and a charcoal pencil to draw the circular bands on the tipi. I had to work quickly before the chickens came to help with the decoration.

Back in the studio I had more helpers. I spread a section on my table and painted it using watered down Golden Liquid Acrylics. When I painted the liner I could use painters tape on the straight edges, but this was all at so much of a curve I free handed it. The top section is a gold ochre followed by suns which are traditional for Kiowa tepee's. I used a stamp for this I bought on clearance. The next small band is metallic copper.

Then there are the hummingbirds, lots and lots of them. My Indian name is Little Hummingbird.

The blue row is phases of the moon. The bottom row is wolf tracks. In between will go the horses which will be 3'x4'. I will do them after the tepee is up.

The poles are 24' long and there are 17 of them. I am still working on sanding and sealing them in between spring rains.

The plan is to have it up by mid April. I am so excited!

White Flight

We live only to discover beauty. All else is a form of waiting.

Kahlil Gibran

White dragonfly soars across a neutral grey textured background.

One inch deep gallery wrap canvas 6”x6” painted deep gray, ready to hang or set on a shelf. Finished with protective gloss varnish and signed in the lower left.

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http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6068156

Tonka Wins Reward

I named my pup Tanka, Souix for great and today he was. I was washing out the stock trailer on this fine spring day. Dad was out enjoying the sun in his electric wheelchair. I went to turn the water off and noticed something in Tanka's mouth. The last time this happened I ended up prying a dead bird out off his piranha teeth. But this time it was money!

Dad had dropped his money clip out of his pocket and Tanka had found it. It would have been better if he had brought it to me. We'll have to work on that.

New Rule: From now on any money I pry out of my critter's mouths is mine.

Red Mountain

There are three in the fading light

Looking at the red mountain

Waiting for answers

6"x6" gallery wrap canvas

edges painted neutral gray

$30

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member of Design Style Guide

Springtime and the New Puppy

Spring is trying real hard to get here. After a week or so of awesome weather we are getting snow and ice. It took a hammer to get the chicken coop door open this morning.

I got my new paint and supplies and have not finished one new painting. My bad.

Spring chores and horses begging to be ridden have kept me out of the studio. It is impossible for me to stay indoors after waiting all winter to play outside.

My baby chicks have hatched. Out of 14 eggs only 5 chicks survived. Not a very good hatch. Hope they are not all roosters. I may have to do one more batch. I am trying to get a dozen hen and now only have 7. The hawks have taken two since fall. I think this is fair. Hope they don't start taking more than their share.

I finally got a new puppy! I have been looking on and off for over a year. I lost my wolf last fall. He was 10 years old. My chow/ husky mix is old as dirt, 14. That is about 150 in big dog years.

The pup is German Shepard/mastiff and pit bull. The parents are very nice dogs. He is 7 weeks old and about 15 pounds. He seems very smart and is catching on to house training and farm life quickly. But...

I don't know if it is my memory or what, but I don't remember my newborns getting me up as many times during the night as this pup does. Last night we were only up twice, a new record. He doesn't have a name yet. I'm thinking of giving him a Native American name. Right now I'm stuck on "Whines All Night". I need a nap!

My Grandaugher's Painting "The Queen" is Chosen for State Competition

"The Queen"

My nine year old granddaughter has been blessed/cursed with the same artistic talent/ eccentricity that I have. She faces alot of difficulty with structure, will only wear flip-flops or boots, and sees vivid pictures in her mind. My daughter tells every one that it is like raising her mom. She carefully guards Terra's creative spirit. Every year she goes to the school to explain to the teacher how to best deal with this sweet, unusual child.

After winning first place in her first art show last summer she was excited about the statewide art competition at her school. Terra came for the weekend to do her painting. She has the advantage of professional brushes and paint when she works in my studio. Plus she has me advising her on how to use theses materials.

After having a bit of trouble deciding on the subject she settled on my cat Shirley, who she calls Queen Shirley.

She had a picture in her mind. She took a few reference photos with my camera and knew she had exactly what she wanted.

The first day she got in the zone easily and got alot done on her painting. The second day she struggled but was able to push through and finish her art "The Queen".

The painting won the 3rd grade school competition and now is going to the statewide art competition.

So keep your fingers crossed.