970-225-2903 Land
970-305-0965 Text
Flying Bear Ranch Ft. Collins, CO
Sample Artwork
The finest in reproductive images are the giclee on canvas.
These are not under glass and include the
Certificate of Authenticity, or COA.
"A Cautious Encounter" by Martin Grelle
"Trappers encounter a number of American Indians and approach them very cautiously in the hopes they will want to make a trade or just talk. This is definitely in the middle of the wilds of the Rocky Mountain gorgeous scenery."
Quoted from Martin Grelle 2019
The outside dimension is 44" x 36"
‘Apsaroke Guardian’ by Martin Grelle
“The Apsaroke are among Martin Grelle’s favorite subjects and have ‘populated some of his most notable pieces. This Native American portrait has everything – fine composition, beautiful color, light playing on the figure and the snow, and a sense of peace and dignity."
Quoted from Martin Grelle 2009
The outside dimension is: 47" x 56"
‘Between Earth and Sky' by Martin Grelle
“In this giclee on canvas, Martin Grelle creates an idyllic image of a Native American camp. The spectacular sky provides a tranquil backdrop for the mundane daily chores. The teepees are majestic looming against the skyline as a brave is arriving home with his horse and pet dog. Perhaps, he is coming home, empty handed, from a failed hunting trip. The woman is spreading the furs on the ground to air them out. For now, life looks very peaceful and calm.”
Quoted from Martin Grelle 2018
The outside dimension is: 44" x 44"
‘Council of Chiefs’ by Howard Terpning
“This is the early 1870’s period. These men represent chief or head men from different warrior societies within the Blackfoot nation meeting in council.
In council, the individual leaders gathered to set the course of the nations. Decisions were reached by consensus, youth acknowledging the wisdom of age and the power of experience valued over the experience of power. The man seated on the far right has painted part of his face and shoulders with vermilion, which was a sacred color and symbolized blood or life. The standing figure an the near right has white dots painted on his back; these represent hailstones falling down to destroy his enemies. His knife scabbard is more the design that a trapper or mountain man might carry. The warrior on horseback in the foreground is carrying a banner staff lined with eagle feathers. These so-called flags could be ceremonial in use or employed as a rallying point in battle.
Quoted from Howard Terpning 2000
The outside dimension is 33" x 50"
‘Opening the Sacred Bundle’ by Howard Terpning
“These four Plains Indians are seated in a tepee around a smoldering fire of sweet grass and sage. The headdress of the figure opening the bundle may be familiar to you. It is the same one worn by the subject of ‘Talking Robe’, which is the painting I created to replace this one for the Cowboy Artists’ show because my wife and I decided to keep this one.”
Quoted from Howard Terpning 1995
The outside dimension is 39" x 49"
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'Parasols and Black Powder' by Martin Grelle
"The annual rendezvous, where trappers for the fur trade companies, the free-trappers, and various Indian tribes would gather to exchange their year-long labor’s worth of furs for much-needed, desired goods from the east and from the south, was held on the Green River near present-day Pinedale, Wyoming, six times during the rendezvous period of 1825 to 1840. Many items were brought from St. Louis and Mexico, to be traded for beaver pelts and other furs; this also included blankets, many kinds of cloth, cotton shirts, kettles, dry goods, and various iron items. In addition, there were other standard items such as lead, black powder, and of course, whisky.
I researched and discovered that parasols, or umbrellas, were greatly treasured by the Native Americans, and they appeared in the area by the latter years of the fur trade. The idea that parasols could be in this setting intrigued me. I decided to paint a typical situation at a rendezvous – an Indian trying out a flintlock trade gun near one of the many encampments on the Green River and the Horse Creek, but with the addition of the colorful, delicate parasols. For me, it is a blending of extremes – the fanciful parasols in the midst of this rowdy, annual event of the Rocky Mountain"
Quoted from Martin Grelle 2010
The outside dimensions are 50" x 58"
Pride by Dave Holman
This is an original oil painting called "Pride" of a Havasupai Native American woman by late artist Dave Holman. Inspired by a trip taken to attend a Havasupai Pow-Wow in the Grand Canyon area known as Cataract Canyon. In 1975, this tribe was able to regain about 10% of their original lands back from the National Park Service where they currently survive thru tourism. It is still a challenging issue.
The outside dimensions are 46" x 58"
‘Long Trail Ahead’ by Howard Terpning
“Blackfoot warriors often traveled great distances on foot,” says Howard Terpning. “There are accounts of men walking as far south as Mexico (the 'always-summer land') to obtain horses. A lone warrior might decide to explore an unfamiliar part of the country; travel alone and on foot to seek out and avenge an enemy or to perhaps steal horses from that enemy. Whatever this man’s reason was for walking a great distance we can only speculate, but he had the survival skills and stamina to accomplish just about anything he set out to do... provided he avoided enemy war parties.”
A dramatic sky is the framework around a lone Blackfoot warrior, off on a solitary trek through the mountains and dependent upon his own strength, ingenuity, and survival skills to keep him safe."
Quoted from COA 2007
The outside dimension is: 39" x 52""
‘Spirit of the Plains’ by Howard Terpning
They followed the warrior’s way as proud horsemen with an appetite for competition, excellence and danger. Emboldened by bravery and with the protection of their sacred medicines, the Plains Indians would fight for revenge but welcomed the chance to test their courage.
Our ideal image for the Plains Indian warrior endures even though the full glory of his greatness has vanished. He remains an important American icon, every bit as pertinent to our past as the cracked bronze bell in Philadelphia or Plymouth Rock in New England. However, the ‘winning’ of the American West is not a tale told of triumph, but rather of tragedy.
Quoted from COA 2016
The outside dimension is 34" x 41"
‘Tales of Glory Past’ by Martin Grelle
Animated evening entertainment until Mr. Sandman disperses the audience.
2022
The outside dimension is 38" x 54"
‘Three Generations’ by Howard Terpning
“An extended family of Crow women is portrayed in ‘Three Generations’ Skilled in the many demanding domestic tasks of their culture, these tribeswomen passed their traditions down from one generation to the next, ensuring the future of their tribe and customs. In this family portrait, the distinctive and expressive faces of the grandmother, mother, and granddaughter are unique and yet universal. The middle generation carries the weight of responsibility with dignity; the elder, perhaps, now knows joy in understanding the circle of all life and the adolescent is in the awkward stage we see in many of our own family portraits!”
Quoted from Howard Terpning 2004
The outside dimension is 43" x 46"
“Vanishing Pony Tracks” by Howard Terpning
“Horse stealing was a sport among the Plains Indians and an important way to gain honor and prestige among other members of their tribe” says Terpning. “The man in the foreground has his horse stealing medicine attached to his belt with a miniature rope. These four Blackfoot warriors have been following a large band of trappers just waiting for the right moment to capture some of their stock. They no doubt took these ponies in the middle of the night and are now trying to put as much distance as they can between themselves and the trappers who are certainly attempting to track the Blackfoot and take their ponies back. These raiders are using every ruse to elude their pursuers including crossing the river in hopes that their tracks will be lost or at least delay their pursuers.” Quoted from Howard Terpning COA 2006
The outside dimension is 48" x 62"
“Wedding Preparations” by Martin Grelle
The idea for this painting came from reading a passage in George Bird Grinnell’s book on the Cheyenne Indians, volume 1. This paragraph is a small part of his description of wedding activities: "When the girl set out she was dressed in fine new clothing, but after she had been taken into her mother-in-law’s lodge, the sisters or cousins of her husband took her to the back of the lodge, removed the clothing that she wore, and dressed her in new clothing they had made, combing and rebraiding her hair, painting her face, and hanging about her various ornaments as gifts.” I have taken artistic license on one part of the painting – as I have shown her to have a red ribbon wrap on her braided hair. Traditionally, Cheyenne women did not wrap their braids, but I thought it added an extra interaction between the girl & her helper, who has the ribbon in her hands & is preparing to wrap the second braid – and I considered it as part of the "ornaments” given as gifts. The buffalo skull sits in the traditional position of the lodge used as an altar, and is sitting on a bed of sage. Various other items adorn the lodge, including storage bags & parfleche cases, a willow backrest, a tin trade cup, etc. The small beaded pouch hanging from the bride’s belt, in the shape of a turtle, holds her umbilical cord – a tradition among many Northern Plains Indian tribes. The cord was dried & placed in the pouch after the child’s birth, and was kept throughout their lifetime.
Quoted from COA 2014
The outside dimension is: 44" 50"