"Mountain Alignment"

A 2021 creation to invoke inner alignment, humbleness, and connection. The mountains have always guided me, spiritually and literally. This alignment with the mountains is represented in the abstract compass inside the image. The blonde non-dyed elk leather highlights a bullet hole from the time of harvest. Displaying it at the base of the beadwork is a way of honoring and acknowledging the animal that allowed for my family to eat clean meat, and for the opportunity to make this art. I am both grateful and humbled to have a lifestyle of both hunting and artistry.

Cream, Forest Greens, Golds, and Browns make up this beaded mountain scene. I pixelated a photo of these mountains, then I created my own geometric design over the image. From there, I beaded-by-number from top left to bottom right. The leather fringe is cut by hand and features the bullet hole from my very first elk hunt. I used center lengths of 3 different elk hides, hunted over the course of 3 consecutive seasons… very special, to say the least.

Materials:

Seed Beads, Natural Elk Leather, Cognac Elk Leather, Walnut Elk Leather, Brass Hardware, Walnut Beam

Measurements:

Leather 13” x 66”

With wood post 26” X 66”