The Navajo Medicine Pony ~ Living a Magical Life

Navajo Medicine Pony ~ Pure Vision Studios

In my last post, I promised the story of The Navajo Medicine Pony.  I think we all get to choose the type of life we live.  I have chosen a magical life.  I believe.

Angel Wynn of NativeStock Pictures is my dear friend, mentor and co-creator.  Angel is the leading supplier of Indian Country Imagery. We both share a great love and respect for the Native American People and their culture. She, my husband (who is a very brave man) and I were on a mad adventure in Arizona in 2009. It will take many posts to tell you all of the amazing places we were honored to see and photograph on that journey.
 

Certainly one of the highlights of our trip was a visit to Canyon De Chelly in Chinle, Arizona part of the Navajo Nation. I will post the story of our unforgettable tour through the bottom of Canyon De Chelly another time. Epic doesn't even come close to covering it.

After a very long and magical day, we were headed back to the campground at sunset.  Horses are everywhere in Chinle.  I understand the Navajo Nation is not in the habit of restricting their horses behind fences.  Several times we had already witnessed horses running freely through town.  At the end of this day, however, a beautiful single pony stepped out of the brush by the side of the road bathed in the beautiful light of an Arizona sunset. 

Angel and I were nothing but ##@es and elbows grabbing our gear from the back of the cab and we were out of the car in 2 seconds.  The horse just stood there patiently posed.  We shot like crazy thinking this was going to be over as quickly as it started and the horse would run. No....just looking at us with it's soulful eyes and "gifting" us with a magical moment. Finally, we decided to move along before we caused an accident on the highway.

I felt we had just experienced something really mystical but I really didn't know what it was exactly.  I still don't know. Maybe I don't ever have to know. Do we make the magic or does it make us?

I printed a big 40 x 40 canvas of this photo for one of my first big shows.  It has always been a treat to see people drawn to it.  Some are analytical about it's magic...I was even once asked if I had something "blowing" the horses mane.  Most people ask for the story and I am happy to tell it again and again.  Many people are moved to a memory of their favorite horse and I am honored to hear "their" story.  I have sold many of the smaller prints of this photo but the big canvas stayed with me.

As I told in my previous post, this was the canvas viewed by Michael Wamego.  His face lit up like that Arizona sunset and he smiled the most beautiful smile. He knew it would be his.  I am honored that my first big canvas of the Navajo Medicine Pony has now found it's true home in the workshop of such a beautiful spirit, Michael Wamego of the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma.  Michael told me this is a medicine pony and explained they have a special aura. He tells me his dog will sit patiently staring at the pony while he works, but he turns away if you catch him staring at it.  How honored am I? Michael loves his pony and I love my beautiful flute. Someday I will return to Canyon De Chelly and Chinle,  Arizona and learn more about this amazing spot on planet earth.  In the meantime I just continue to love this Navajo Pony and it's great gift to me. There is something so powerful about the southwest. It draws me back time and time again like a long forgotten home.

Canyon De Chelly - Pure Vision Studios

Sunrise at Spider Woman Rock  ~ Pure Vision Studios

Magic is all around.  Just look for it.  I think I will take a walk in the woods now.

Michael Wamego and His Beautiful Native American Flutes

Native American Flute Creator, Michael Wamego

Photo by Teri Lee Niedrich Pure Vision Studios

Meeting amazing artists is definitely one of the best things about doing a show.  This year at the Thousand Springs Festival, I networked with other photographers, heard the scoop about other shows that are doing well and met ridiculously talented people.  I always collect a few cards and try to pass along the word to people I think would be interested in their work. I am often honored to be in a show with such talented artists.

Sometimes things get a little magical with these connections and that makes the event  unforgettable! About a month before the show, I mentioned to my husband that I wanted to get a flute. The Native American Flute has the most soulful sound of all of the wind instruments.  I wanted one in a bad way but this was a very busy summer and I had not really pursued it.

As we were setting up our booth on Saturday morning, I heard the sound of a flute. Wild. There was actually a booth with Native American Flutes!  Well the morning was busy but Marsha, Michael's wife, came into our booth and started up a very interesting conversation about mules.  People talk to me about mules because of the Wagon Days photos I have and I love mules so it is often a popular topic in our booth.  Marsha is a really "bright" spirit.  Most people glow, some people sparkle.  I was delighted to find out that she was Michael's wife and I got a chance for a little break later and went straight to their booth.  Wow.

Michael Wamego is a Vietnam War Veteran and a member of the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma.  After he returned from his service, he began to create beautiful Native American Flutes as did his Grandfather before him.  Michael proceeded to tell me fascinating stories of his mystical journey creating these amazing flutes.  He carefully selects the wood and the wood speaks to him.  Sometimes the wood will not be made into a flute until the time is right.  He has story after story of how these flutes find their way to the one person who was meant to own them.  Michael exhibits his spirit given talent in his booth where he carves a flute on the spot.  You can read more about Michael and his flutes on his website, The Shaman's Dream.

Michael has a real appreciation for his flutes...they are his babies.  I feel the same way about my photography.  It is always so exciting to see them find their home ...and sometimes I get very attached to certain pieces.  One canvas print had been with me for a long time and I had it in my home when we were not showing..  The photograph WAS called "Navajo Pony"...now I have renamed it "Navajo Medicine Pony".  The photo moves many people and honestly...it does have some kind of magic...ju ju whatever you want to call it.. about it.  I will tell the tale in my next posting....  


I had my eye on one of Michael's beautiful flutes.  I played it and it spoke to me.  Michael came into my booth and took one look at the Navajo pony and said it was a "medicine" pony.  He wanted that canvas and we made a very very good trade.  Now I play my beautiful flute once a day and when I miss the pony..I know it has a very powerful home. The universe unfolds as it should.


Michael Wamego and his wonderful wife, Marsha will be exhibiting TODAY at the Trailing of the Sheep Folklife Fair, Roberta McKercher in Haiiley, ID.  If you are anywhere in the vicinity of this Fair...don't miss it.  Check out their website.  Don't get me stahted talkin about the Trailing of the Sheep Festival that is another post!

As I close this posting I am on my way to photograph this happy community event. I love taking photos of people being the way they were created to be, happy.  I am looking forward to seeing my new friends, Michael and Marsha.  Life is good.

Thousand Springs Festival ~ Magical Places

Thousand Springs State Park is most certainly one of Idaho's most magical places.  The Thousand Springs Festival is held annually on Ritter Island within the park and recently welcomed 4,000 guests.  We had to skip this festival last year but were determined not to miss it again. We redesigned our booth and were anxious to try it out in one of our favorite shows.

 Pure Vision Studios Booth @ Thousand Springs Fest 2011

We had the most amazing time!  Despite the booth being a bit warm for temps in the 90's (who would have thought end of Sept??), we loved the dark curtain look of the new booth. We will have to smooth out the bugs for warmer shows but all in all it was a huge success.

Shows like this produce a high that is truly hard to describe! I spoke with children just learning to appreciate art (certainly my most important critics), tweens and teens who were aspiring photographers, fellow artists and photographers, and seniors who talked of the old days in Idaho.

We did well and I made a nice trade at the end of the show for a really cool hand carved Native American Flute.....(Next Story )    I confess that I have a bit o' the "Carni" and Gypsy in me and this could be my retirement plan.....loved it!  Already talking more shows ..please stay tuned.