Description
Navajo folk art tickles us with its commentary on human foibles, as the artist sees it. This amusing carving juxtaposes the traditional sheep-wrangling, rodeo-ing, reservation cowboy with the future of this new century.
With black hat and silver hatband, leather chaps over blue jeans, vest, decorative shirt, and fancy boots, the cowboy is typical. Notice the six-shooter in holster, too. His saddle is ornate, with a colorful woven saddle blanket beneath it. He is all dressed up for a rodeo.
Sitting high in the saddle, one arm raised in appropriate bull-riding style, he seems pleased with his ride. Except… it’s not a bull he is riding, but a long horn rocket ship! The lone fluffy sheep hanging on the tail is smiling, too, despite his precarious position. Sheep herding is almost synonymous with “Navajo”
Playful and witty, serious in carving ability, if not in mood, this is a marvelous piece of folk art by an acknowledged leader of the genre.
