"Paintbrush" Necklace

The legend of the Indian Paintbrush (also known as Prairie Fire) is a tale of strength and perserverance in following your destiny.

In the long ago there were tribal people who traveled freely on the Great Prairies (prairie is French for sea of grasses) while living in teepees. One of the young braves named Little Gopher was small for his age and struggled to learn the skills of a warrior. Gopher, sometimes called Lame One, was an artist. He created toys inspired by the people and animals he saw using hides, sticks and bits of shell and bone. Painting with berry juices and earth dyes he decorated his toys and rocks.

When Little Gopher got older it was time to go to the top of a mountain on a vision quest to reveal his future. In his vision ancestors appeared in the clouds with paint brushes and earth paints. He was told to follow his destiny to become an artist telling the tory of his people. Awed by the vivid colors of sunsets, Gopher longed for brigher colors to paint with. One evening he climbed to the top of a mountain where the Great Spirit gave him brushes full of sunset colors, which later rooted into bright flowers.

The flower portion of the plant is edible and used by various tribal people as a condiment, hair wash and for medicinal purposes. Paint brushes were made by tying a stick with either hair, feathers, wool or absorbent hide. A weathered flat bone was used for hard lines.

The beads in this necklace are swarovski Austrian crystals, serpentine and glass. Closure parts are sterling. All stones used are semi-precious. .