Sterling Silver "Healing Horse #1" Bolo, 4/25, by Kathy "Elk Woman" Whitman (Mandan, Hidatsa & Arikara)

In this stunning bolo tie, the first one that she ever made, Kathy Whitman overlaid the serene face of a horse onto a background that is textured and oxidized.  She also made her own tips for the heavy cord, using her signature technique of making a collage out of scraps of sterling silver from other pieces of her jewelry.

Speaking about this series, Kathy says, "Horses are especially sacred to my people from the Northern Plains.  They have been our companions and helpers in battle and during hunting.  They have watched out for us and have carried us through hard times and enabled us to provide for ourselves.  They have listened to our hearts and given us comfort.  They have kept us safe as we travel.  They have a strong and powerful spirit.  These qualities, they still have.  They are still close to our hearts.  Today, Western culture also is beginning to see the healing qualities of the horse.  Horses are now used in therapy in may places in the United States.  Through this "Healing Horse" jewelry, my intention is to honor the sacred horse and inspire the person who wears it, to be aware of the gentle and powerful healing from the horse."

A self-taught painter and sculptor, Kathy was given the name "Elk Woman" at a Sun Dance Ceremony in South Dakota in 1977.  The elk, an animal with great endurance and grace, is associated with love, and Kathy says that, "I try to capture that great healing power of love in all my work."

Length 3 1/2", width 2 1/2"