In early July, I had the honor of meeting a Paiute Elder. He spoke of the Seven Sacred directions and tobacco offerings. He also spoke of his gratitude for the green hills and the flowing rivers that came about from the Many Rains in the Winter season. From that, Inward Arrows’ first collection was born.
Many Rains is the first release of Inward Arrows. The process of creating the painting involved considerable trial and error. I knew I wanted to depict the figure of the man on his horse taking a break for water, but I struggled to connect this vision with Inward Arrows. While researching western archives, I discovered a beautiful Chiefs Blanket. I realized that nothing embodied durability, practicality, and art better than an original, handmade, wool Chiefs Blanket. So, I contrasted the Man and Horse in a film like, ghostly rendering with my own version of a Chiefs Blanket for the background.
The next step was to design a collection of contemporary, western, comfortable clothing. I wanted to combine all the elements of Inward Arrows with the Many Rains oil painting. To achieve this, I used the two core colors of the painting, incorporated the Man on his Horse, and integrated key symbols and phrases for the brand. Inward Arrows is meant to serve as a protective omen for its wearers and the Land we stand on. So 5% of the profit from the Many Rains Collection will support Native American Land Conservation.