matted to 14" x 11"
Or “How the Milky Way came to be.” Something was stealing the Cherokee people’s meal at night. When they discovered giant dog prints around the house, an old man suggested that they meet the next night with noisemakers to scare off the dog. That night a huge dog appeared and began to eat great gulps of the meal. Everyone began to beat drums, shake rattles, and shout loudly—the old women shaking their brooms.
The dog was so scared that he made a great leap into the sky with the meal pouring out of his mouth making a white trail across the sky. It’s what we call the Milky Way, or what the Cherokee call “Where the dog ran.”
matted to 14" x 11"
This piece shows a couple on the “Trail of Tears” which was the exodus of the Cherokee from their land in the southeast part of the United States to Oklahoma Territory. Nearly one-third of the people on the march died during this removal. This is reminiscent of the ledger art of the Plains Indians. When they were incarcerated on forts in the west, they were given old, used-up ledger books from the trading post to draw on. They recorded past hunting scenes, old and new battles, council meetings, and events happening on the fort. These images became very popular with collectors and remain an art form practiced by Plains artists today.
When a collector asked Jesse to create some “ledger art” he replied that it was not an art form of his people, the Cherokee, but he would try something original on his own. Thus, was born Jesse’s originals on music—and other paper memorabilia
matted to 11" x 14"
This piece shows a group of people on the “Trail of Tears” which was the exodus of the Cherokee from their land in the southeast part of the United States to Oklahoma Territory. Nearly one-third of the people on the march died during this removal. The original was painted on a 1905 of Oklahoma and Indian Territory.
This is reminiscent of the ledger art of the Plains Indians. When they were incarcerated on forts in the west, they were given old, used-up ledger books from the trading post to draw on. They recorded past hunting scenes, old and new battles, council meetings, and events happening on the fort. These images became very popular with collectors and remain an art form practiced by Plains artists today.
When a collector asked Jesse to create some “ledger art” he replied that it was not an art form of his people, the Cherokee, but he would try something original on his own. Thus, was born Jesse’s originals on music—and other paper memorabilia
matted to 14" x 11"
This depicts the Kiowa legend of how Devil’s Tower in northeast Wyoming was formed. While the Kiowa were still a Nomadic people, they camped near this site. Some little girls were playing nearby in the grass. Suddenly bears began chasing them and they ran to and got on top of a small rock. As the bears came closer the rock began to grow upward to keep the girls out of reach of the bears. As the bears climbed the rock, they left scratches on the rock that can still be seen today—and are shown in the painting. To keep the bears from reaching the girls, the rock grew so tall that the girls were unable to get down and the floated into the sky to become the Pleiades constellation also called the Seven Sisters.
With the naked eye in most places, only six of the seven stars in the Pleiades can be seen. The top of Devil’s Tower is the only place where all seven stars can be seen all the time. To show this Jesse has six of the seven sisters holding on to the seventh smaller, weaker one that forms the constellation.
matted to 14" x 11"
This is based on a Zuni legend. Back when it was always dark, it was also always summer. Coyote and Eagle went hunting. Coyote was a poor hunter because of the dark. They came upon an old man who said he had the Sun and the Moon in his box. After the old man had gone to sleep the two animals stole the box. At first Eagle carried the box but Coyote convinced his friend to let him carry it. The curious Coyote opened the box and the Sun and Moon escaped and flew up to the sky. This gave light to the land but it also took away much of the heat, thus we now have winter.
matted to 14" x 11"
This story (probably Ojibwa) tells of children who not obey their parents and go off dancing in the mountains. Their parents did not approve of the new dances because the weren’t traditional and would ask their children to come home and forsake the new dances. But the children refused and stayed in the mountains dancing and dancing until they became weak from hunger and thirst. The parents finally decided to go to the mountains to take them food and drink. But when they got there the children were so weightless from hunger that they had floated up to the sky and became stars. The parents pleaded with them to return to earth, but they remained as starts. However, when the children get homesick and decide to return to earth, they become falling stars.
matted to 11" x 14"
This comes from the Swedish tradition of giving small red wooden horses (Dala horse) to friends and family as a token of goodwill. Jesse was given by a friend in LA. One of his American Indian friends was a stunt man in the movies, so here he is showing off his prowess as a rider by standing on the back of the pony while counting coup on a falling star.
matted to 11" x 14"
Coyote told Meadowlark to tell everyone of how he placed the Big Dipper and all the other stars. One time coyote found five wolves (who were to share their hunting with him) looking up in the sky. They told him they saw two animals up where they could not get to them. Coyote said he would help them get to the animals. He shot an arrow into the sky; then he shot many more arrows, each one sticking into the one before to form a ladder. When the wolves climbed the ladder they found two bears sitting there. Coyote warned them not to go near because the bears would tear them apart. But the wolves sat down near the bears and looked at them. The bears just looked back. Coyote thought they looked good sitting that way, so he left them there for all to see they way we see them today—the Big Dipper. Coyote went on to arrange stars in pictures all over the sky
matted to 14" x 11"
A first attempt to print a piece of 'ledger' book art created by Jesse. The original piece was painted on a page from a ledger book given to Jesse from a customer in Virginia. The book was from a hardware store and dates ranged from 1841 to 1854.
This piece shows a family in a pose that shows they protect each other as all families do. The page is from entries made in 1851... as seen at the top.
This is reminiscent of the ledger art of the Plains Indians. When they were incarcerated on forts in the west, they were given old, used-up ledger books from the trading post to draw on. They recorded past hunting scenes, old and new battles, council meetings, and events happening on the fort. These images became very popular with collectors and remain an art form practiced by Plains artists today.
He has done specific commissioned pieces on stock certificates, deeds, and maps. Now he has expanded this series to other items—especially maps, old journal pages and even some ledger paper given to him by Plains friends.
matted to 11" x 14"
This is loosely based on a Navajo story of a long time ago when there were no stars in the sky at night. The nights were very dark and all the animals would bump into each other. When asked, the Great Spirit said to go collect up piles of shiny stones and carry them into the sky and make pictures of the animals there. When they became tired, He told them to ask coyote for help. Coyote planned an elaborate picture of himself but when he ran out of time, he just flung the remaining stones up in the air. That’s why some constellations appear finished and others not. Coyote forgot to save stones for his own picture and that’s why the coyote howls at night.
matted to 14" x 11"
Using a line from an old song, Jesse adds to his sky stories with one of his own. Here a young—in love—couple stand under the sky basking in its beauty—sun, moon, and stars which Jesse placed in the sky all at the same time—and grateful regardless of what material things they are without.