Happy 2015! It's a New Year...
Happy New Year everyone!
We have some really great work from our multi talented artists and this piece is exceptional. Over the years, we have learned to listen to the artist when they bring in a piece of art work, we want to know what makes this piece come to life. Jim Little Wounded loves to talk about the images that go through his head all the time, he says that sometimes he is haunted by a piece of work in his dreams or even during his waking moments, he has to sit down and create the piece so it will give him peace.
The "guy" was carved first, Jim says he sat him on the back of his favorite working chair and then he began moving him around the house until he ended up on the back of his "T.V." chair. Jim says the "guy" became very verbal and would comment on all the football games, cooking shows and news stories. Sometimes, Jim's wife would walk by the chair and turn around and say "did you say something Jim?" and he would say "no?" Jim said it was like he was not complete and that's why he talked so much. So, Jim made the "guy" a drum and as soon as he attached him to the drum he became quiet, serene, happy to sit there and pass judgement on the world.
Jim talks about the legends and stories of the "Little People", his mother and grandmother told him they could be your friend or your enemy, you had to be careful if you saw them, they don't like to be seen, so it was best to pretend you didn't see anything.
For some, this may seem eccentric or strange. But, after all the decades of working with Native American artists and crafts people, I have no doubt that this piece was destined to be and would have haunted Jim until he made it real.