Finding success in the art world is being at the right place at the right time..........In the month of August 2019 I was participating in the Santa Fe Indian Art Market. The Santa Fe Indian Art Market is held in the cultural and historical town of Santa Fe, New Mexico just below the Santo Cristo Mountain range. It is one of the most prestigious and celebrated Native American Art Show in the country. The event is an annual participation for myself and the other 1000 plus Native American Artists who converge for one weekend on the streets of Santa Fe to represent their Native American culture and heritage through the arts. This grand affair attracts on average 20 to 30 thousand visitors, collectors and supporters of indigenous art. It is here on Lincoln Street next to the historical plaza that I would embark on one of my most rewarding art collaborations to date.
On a Saturday the Vice President of Packaging from Oribe by chance or however these things happen, stepped into my booth and it was at this moment the powers of the universe gave way to a collaborative experience that became a far enriching experience for myself. Oribe is a celebrated and world renown maker of fine hair care products, that strives for craftsmanship and experience bringing an unprecedented product line to the hair care industry and fine hair salons throughout the world. The past 3 years Oribe have been working with individual artists by giving them the opportunity to create, design and produce artwork that would be the packing design to their unique limited edition collectible holiday gift sets. After evaluating a handful of potential artists to work with, in October of 2019 Oribe reached out to me and gave me the offer to be the contributing artist for the 2020 Holiday Gift Sets. So throughout the course of a year I have been working with different Oribe team members in the development of the design work, promotional and marketing material that would bring the Holiday Gift sets to its full fruition.
The following designs were all hand drawn free hand using pen and ink on tone acid free paper. Each design represents an essential connection to the natural world and my Native American culture and identity. The designs are the endless cycle of life that builds on relationships and experiences all permeating from the beauty of Mother Earth that are so essential to my Native American culture and community.
Aquatica Terra Flora
Aquatica symbolizes change and water. The Terra represents preservation and that our Flora signifies growth a celebration of life
spiral motifs represents growth and wisdom earth is precious and enduring. The moon where all the natural elements intertwine
just like the round motifs that grow and build. the planets the stars are represented in Terra. and are allowed to grow. It represents this
gaining complexity with each stage of with the dots and round forms. Terra also re- free flowing randomness of life where the
development. The blue represents the blue of presents the spirituality of 4, there are four spirit flows into shapes and forms. Dots are
the earth, oceans, lakes, rivers and streams sacred mountains in the southwest, four stages. the symbols of stars that represent the
that nourish the land and brings growth to all. of life, four seasons. The color of reds symbol- ancestors in the celestial heavens. The
living things that inhabit it. izes the red of the earth, the mesas the plateaus. green is all about the trees, the plants,
the canyons and the fire of the earth. vegetation that is found on earth.
I spent the last half of October and the entire months of winter November and December of 2019 meticulously executing the finalized illustrations. Each Illustration went from a general concept and from the initial sketches each drawing went through a process of change and development. It was an interesting process making subtle changes to shapes forms and elements, until they reached the point of completion. At the same time there was this constant dialogue with the packaging team confirming and reassuring we were all on the same plane of development and progress.
. 
At the end of December when the final illustration was completed it was time to submit the three original works to Oribe in New York. Anticipation was high as to the reception of the work by the Oribe team but most importantly on how the designs were going to be transferred on to the packing material and gift sets. Unfortunately one had to be patient with the end result but when the packages starting getting processed during the hot summer Socal months, the results were nothing short of............breathtaking.
For more information on the Holiday Gift Sets and Promotional Videos Please go to the following links or go to
www.oribe.com
On a Saturday the Vice President of Packaging from Oribe by chance or however these things happen, stepped into my booth and it was at this moment the powers of the universe gave way to a collaborative experience that became a far enriching experience for myself. Oribe is a celebrated and world renown maker of fine hair care products, that strives for craftsmanship and experience bringing an unprecedented product line to the hair care industry and fine hair salons throughout the world. The past 3 years Oribe have been working with individual artists by giving them the opportunity to create, design and produce artwork that would be the packing design to their unique limited edition collectible holiday gift sets. After evaluating a handful of potential artists to work with, in October of 2019 Oribe reached out to me and gave me the offer to be the contributing artist for the 2020 Holiday Gift Sets. So throughout the course of a year I have been working with different Oribe team members in the development of the design work, promotional and marketing material that would bring the Holiday Gift sets to its full fruition.
The following designs were all hand drawn free hand using pen and ink on tone acid free paper. Each design represents an essential connection to the natural world and my Native American culture and identity. The designs are the endless cycle of life that builds on relationships and experiences all permeating from the beauty of Mother Earth that are so essential to my Native American culture and community.
Aquatica Terra Flora
Aquatica symbolizes change and water. The Terra represents preservation and that our Flora signifies growth a celebration of life
spiral motifs represents growth and wisdom earth is precious and enduring. The moon where all the natural elements intertwine
just like the round motifs that grow and build. the planets the stars are represented in Terra. and are allowed to grow. It represents this
gaining complexity with each stage of with the dots and round forms. Terra also re- free flowing randomness of life where the
development. The blue represents the blue of presents the spirituality of 4, there are four spirit flows into shapes and forms. Dots are
the earth, oceans, lakes, rivers and streams sacred mountains in the southwest, four stages. the symbols of stars that represent the
that nourish the land and brings growth to all. of life, four seasons. The color of reds symbol- ancestors in the celestial heavens. The
living things that inhabit it. izes the red of the earth, the mesas the plateaus. green is all about the trees, the plants,
the canyons and the fire of the earth. vegetation that is found on earth.
I spent the last half of October and the entire months of winter November and December of 2019 meticulously executing the finalized illustrations. Each Illustration went from a general concept and from the initial sketches each drawing went through a process of change and development. It was an interesting process making subtle changes to shapes forms and elements, until they reached the point of completion. At the same time there was this constant dialogue with the packaging team confirming and reassuring we were all on the same plane of development and progress.
. At the end of December when the final illustration was completed it was time to submit the three original works to Oribe in New York. Anticipation was high as to the reception of the work by the Oribe team but most importantly on how the designs were going to be transferred on to the packing material and gift sets. Unfortunately one had to be patient with the end result but when the packages starting getting processed during the hot summer Socal months, the results were nothing short of............breathtaking.
For more information on the Holiday Gift Sets and Promotional Videos Please go to the following links or go to
www.oribe.com