Friday, July 10, 2020

Allan Houser - Chiricahua artist

Salvete Omnes,
a short entry-   the dog days of summer kind  :
for many reasons - not only because they became the first raiding mounted Indians in what today is United States - I have studied the Western and Plains Apache history and ethnography for may years, especially the early period of the XVII century, and then the post-Spanish Empire, i.e. Mexico and Anglo-American period in the XIX century. Also I visited the Apacheria many times and without any hesitation would read research about their history, traditions or lore (there is a very interesting work about the horse in the Apache and Navajo traditions).
I enjoy good history studies and for leisure I often seek novels where Apaches are part of the story.

But today I like to bring to your attention the works of one of the greatest American XX century artists, Allan  Houser, who himself was a Warm Springs Chiricahua Apache. Son of two Apache families - one traditional Apache via his father Sam Haozous (his wife was a daughter of  was famous war leader Mangas Coloradas, and he was a nephew of that interesting character known to the Anglos as Geronimo) and one mixed Apache and Anglo  via his mother Blossom Wrraten  who herself was a daughter of Annie White and  famous Apache interpreter Greorge Wratten.
The linked page is a devoted to his life and art,  while some of his works are available on wiki commons - they show horse, or rather ponies and they are lovely rendered.


 
 

 the Smithsonian offers several  photos of Houser's mural work and a little biography

these two images attached below  come from the Houser Facebook page and fall under their copyright limitations



 

 there is this video about the sculptural works exhibited in Round Rock, Texas.
Or you can borrow a book from the Archive world library about Allan Houser - by  Rushing Jackson from 2004. Or for your pleasure  a horse fiction book by Ann Nolan Clark titled Blue Canyon Horse - with multiple illustrations by Allan Houser, done in his very distinctive style; or see your local library - :) .

Finally,  while surfing the net you can see and study much more of Allan Houser's works, in paintings, sculpture or drawing.
Valete

1 comment:

Dario T. W. said...

Recollections about George Wratten - by his son https://archive.org/details/wratten_apaches_part1
more about George with photos - https://amertribes.proboards.com/thread/2662/george-wratten-interpreter-chiricahua-friend