He Hides the Sun

  
  So this is my response to my previous complaints of too much photography. I've always loved to draw, and I go through seasons of lots of practice and then not so much. When I was younger I tended towards cute baby animals and flowers. But as I got older, I kept being drawn, pardon the pun, to faces. In photography, in multi-media, and in fine art I am constantly looking at the expressions and countenance of people's faces. I thrive on diversity, and this comes through in what I choose to illustrate.

   My family's culture and lineage is through a few Native American tribes. I grew up among drum circles, grass dancing, and traveling to many different powwows to celebrate with other indians. It was just the norm for us, but now that I'm an adult I see how rare and valueable it was. This part of my history and experience has had a huge impact on my art. I'm often drawn to the traditional colors and patterns I learned as a child, and I love illustrating the amazing regalia the dancers wear in the dance circle.

   This portrait is from a photo I found online by Kat Fowler of a dancer at a Chickahominy powwow in VA. She said he was the biggest guy she'd ever seen in her entire life, and his name translates to "he hides the sun." He's from the Eastern Cherokee tribe, which makes us cousins of sorts because I'm also from the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Nation. I'd love to be able to find him and offer him a copy of his portrait, but so far I've not had much luck finding him. But the internet is an amazing thing sometimes, so maybe someday. If you know who he is, feel free to send him this way so I can get a copy of his portrait to him.