United We Stand

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United We Stand

Buffalo - United We Stand

Making of the Buffalo - United We Stand

Buffalo arrives in Custer, SD at the store where I worked for 14 days.

Gerard Nervig is the sculptor that made the original form for my buffalo. The 19 other artists were given a buffalo standing on all four legs. As the mold broke after the first one was made.

Gerard helped me re-sculpt the buffalo after I discovered that the primer was bad and I was able to pull the primer paint off in sheets. We covered the textured surface with Polyurethane foam and a hard coating. 5 days were lost to the painting time.

Foam fill was applied the to surface.

While the buffalo was upside down I was able to paint the underside after the foam and new primer were applied.

I had a little help from my friends to get back on time. Many thanks to Cody, Shane,Corbine, Gary, Jim and Gerard who helped with the new primer.

Using sheet metal for support, I sculpted the edges of the eagle feathers on David's full length buffalo bonnet.

After 6 days, I could finally start painting.

David Bald Eagle's portrait.

Detail of bead work on the bonnet.

Progress of the portrait side.

Progress of the ribbons from the buffalo bonnet. They wrap around the buffalo. Red, Yellow, White and Black represent the four nations of man. Green represents mother earth.

The green ribbon wraps around the back, left leg and around the earth painted on the base.

The white buffalo is emerging from the universe painted on the base.

The 4 ribbons that represent the four nations of man become the four buffalo on the other side.

David Bald Eagle.

David Bald Eagle Bio

I met David Bald Eagle 21 years ago at Artist Ride on the Shearer Ranch near Wall, SD. Artist Ride is a gathering of Cowboys, Indians, Mountain men, Prairie women and artists from all over the United States. Artists photograph the models and then create paintings from their experiences. One of my favorite paintings of David Bald Eagle is called Do’In 80. He was riding on a four-wheeler with a mounted a longhorn skull on the handle- bars. Sunglasses and David’s full length Buffalo Bonnet were testimony to what he does in real life as his 86 years on this earth bring his past experiences to enrich our present day.
David was born in 1919. When he was a little boy, his Grandmother and Grandfather, Chief White Bull, were his first teachers. His grandfather fought at the battle of Little Big Horn and told David many stories about that part of history.

He met his wife Josee while performing for the American Rodeo, at the World’s Fair in Brussels’s Belgium in 1958. David was a bull rider and bareback rider in the rodeo. He had an accident during a performance that almost broke his back when a horse fell on him. David had to stay behind in Belgium to mend and was taken in by Josee’s family while he recovered.

David has 5 natural children and through adoption and care of his extended family, 15 youngsters call him Dad. He is grandfather to 42, Great Grand father to 18 and Great Great Grandfather to 3.

David is a World War II veteran and was a paratrooper. Five of his children are currently on active duty and his oldest daughter is serving in the gulf. All have followed his example and are paratroopers. Of course when they leap out of the plane instead of yelling Geronimo, they yell Crazy Horse!

David had a prominent speaking role in Steven Spielberg's mini series "Into the West" part 1.

David is a not only Chief of the Lakota Nation, but also a respected leader and Chief for the World Organization of United Native Nations. This organization works on the unity of indigenous peoples from all over the world. They have met in Puerto Rico, Washington State, Canada and plan a future meeting in Guatemala. In his worldwide travels, he has made friends in Europe and Asia. He has spoken to Ambassadors from Switzerland, Germany, France, and Yugoslavia.

He and Josee often have guests staying at their ranch near Howes, SD. Sleeping in a Tepee and eating buffalo are highlights for their guests. David calls his land Rainbow Valley, although in the last few years there has been little rain to create rainbows, the rainbow of people from many lands and races are a mainstay of his ranch.

On the home front, David fights many battles to benefit his people. He started the Drumming Society for young people to counter the problems of drug and alcohol abuse. The youth must be free of drugs and alcohol before they can play drums in the ceremonies.

You might recognize David in the backgrounds of movies such as Dances With Wolves, Lakota Woman, Flaming Arrow, River of No Return and thirteen other movies.

David had a pominent speaking part in Steven Speilbergs mini series "Into the West" Part 1.