Art & Books

Title:	The Original Founding Fathers Print
Artist:	David C. Behrens
Size:	14" x 11"
Medium:	Matted Print
Product #:	A-102
$35.99	Also See The Original Founding Fathers T-Shirt on our T-Shirts Page

Available May 2009

Daniel Long Soldier
Oglala Lakota (1949 - )

Daniel Long Solider was born near Potato Creek on the Pine Ridge Reservation. During most of his school years, Long Soldier's family lived on a ranch near Rushville, Nebraska. He attended a reservation boarding school and was separated from his family most of the school year. Despite the long periods of separation, Long Soldier developed, through the living example of his family, a very deep understanding of the ways of his people. Long Soldier discovered his talent for drawing in his very first years in school; by the fifth grade he was painting mostly murals in tempera for school projects. He started working with pencil, then pencil and watercolor. He also works with pen-and-ink, charcoal, acrylic and gouache, but prefers acrylic.

A completely self-taught artist, Long Soldier works only with the materials of his own imagination. His work usually communicates a story about the ways and spiritual traditions of his peoples. A nephew of well-known Sioux artist Andrew Standing Soldier, Long Soldier learned to understand his culture from stories he heard form his uncles, grandfathers and father. Deeply rooted in the spirituality of the Lakota culture, Long Soldier feels that his talent is a gift from the Great Spirit. "I like to say He (The Great Spirit) does all the work, I just clean the brushes,'' says Long Soldier. Long Soldier feels he must accomplish something with this talent during his lifetime to ensure a good journey into the other world.

Long Soldier's work has been exhibited at many art shows throughout the United States, the US Embassy in Barbados, and in West Germany. He is a member of the National Western Artists' Associations and the National Cowboy and Indian Artist Association.

Del Iron Cloud

Del Iron Cloud, a Hunkpapa Lakota, was born in 1949 on the Standing Rock Reservation, located along the border of North and South Dakota. After graduating from high school in 1968, he spent two years at the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico and went on to attend the American Academy of Art in Chicago, Illinois. He enlisted in the Air Force in 1971. After serving in England, California, South Dakota and Colorado, he retired from the Air Force in 1991. Since his retirement Del has focused on his first love - painting. His favorite mediums are acrylic and watercolor, but he has used all mediums throughout his career. He has also painted more than 100 large murals, including one at the international arrivals terminal at the Denver International Airport. Del and his wife Frieda, who is also an accomplished artist, have resided in Rapid City, South Dakota since 1995.

Ledger Art

Merle Locke

While studying Lakota art history Merle Locke was inspired by the details that were depicted in each art piece that recorded historical accounts. He found that a lot of the work was done on ledger sheets. The ledger drawings were done at a time of complete culture shock, but out of this dark period beauty still shined among the Lakota. The Lakotas were given the ledger sheets with colored pencils and ink and on these ledger sheets the people recorded historical events and personal war accounts. In true Lakota tradition Merle catches the spirit of bravery on ledger sheets that date back into the eighteen hundreds.

All of his warriors are carrying a coup stick rather than a bow and arrow. Since among the Lakotas it was more honorable to touch the enemy than kill them. In each contemporary art piece that is depicted, Merle catches the traditions and meanings of these original designs. He enhances the designs with bold colors to emphasize the significance of what the designs stood for. In each painting Merle tells you the history of the Lakota people.

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Last Modified: November 25, 2008