Contemporary Makers: June 2022

Thursday, June 30, 2022

Linen shot pouch by Shaun Pekar

Linen shot pouch by Shaun Pekar is a close copy of an original circa 1775.

This shot pouch is based on one in the New Hampshire Historical Society

More information can be seen here.

Photography by Jan Riser.

Antique Shot Horn

Unusual little horn with a repurposed brass cap. It has a some shot still inside. 8 inches on the outside curve.

$80. plus $20. shipping in the continental USA.

Contact artriser@mindspring.com for more information

Photography by Jan Riser.

Wednesday, June 29, 2022

Beaded Buffalo Horn Spoon and Stand

Beaded spoon and stand.

$100. plus $20. shipping in the continental USA.

Contact artriser@mindspring.com for more information

Photography by Jan Riser.

CLF 2022 Auction: Fringed Hunting Bag by Shelly Gier and Hand-Woven Strap by Kerry Masarik

For your next trip to the range or the woods, artists Shelly Gier and Kerry Masarik have teamed up to create a well-made and historically appropriate hunting bag that’s been donated to this year’s CLF Live Fundraising Auction.

Gier describes her hunting bag as inspired by early 19th century styling “with a bit of working-class western influence.” The body of the bag is made from vegetable tanned cowhide which is lined with goat leather. The bag features an exterior gusseted pocket as well as an additional pocket on the interior. For water resistance, the bag has been treated with black bear oil. It’s consequently a utilitarian bag, but features tasteful and complementary design elements contributed by both artists.

Gier explains that the bag’s color scheme was intended to coordinate with Masarik’s strap. “The pouch is deliberately related to the strap,” explains Gier, “I used the ‘goose eye’ diamond design of the strap in the shape of the pouch and flap.” Much of the design of this piece, says the artist, was designed to showcase Masarik’s work. “I wanted the design of the strap to stand out,” explains Gier.

Masarik’s hand-woven strap is, indeed, immediately noticeable and integral to the success of this piece. The strap was made from a contrasting blend of hemp and wool; the wool, in fact, was sourced from a Romney sheep fleece and hand processed and hand spun by Masarik. In weaving the strap, Masarik utilized an intricate and historically accurate “goose eye” diamond motif. The artist puts a good bit of effort into the historic study of her craft, examining original examples, weave structure, and yarns. The “goose eye” pattern, she explains, “was a pretty popular weave amongst tweed weavers.”

This stellar hunting bag is accompanied with a curious bonus: a single buckeye. Gier, appropriately enough a native Ohioan, explains the history behind the tradition. “Many original pouches,” she says, “are shown with their original contents, and buckeyes frequently show up. Whether it is for luck or a home remedy for arthritis, buckeyes and bags go together.”

For more information on the work of the artists, contact:

Shelly Gier: shellycamps1790@gmail.com

Kerry Masarik: hornandfiber@gmail.com

Text by Joshua Shepherd

Photography by David Wright

To see all the artists’ postings for the 2022 CLF Fundraising Auction go to:

Tuesday, June 28, 2022

Quilled Prisoner Tie

Quilled prisoner tie.

Photography by Jan Riser.

Monday, June 27, 2022

Jessica Diemer-Eaton Native Twinned Bag

Twined Bag

16”x11”, finger twined, w/ zig-zag central pattern, & ochre-green border stripes

Photography by Jan Riser.

CLF 2022 Auction: Ft. Duquesne Powder Horn by Jack Pennington

CLA artists consistently find ways to blend contemporary art with a healthy respect for the past. For this year’s CLF Fundraising Auction, Jack Pennington has contributed an outstanding horn that serves as a tangible chronicle of frontier Pennsylvania. The artist explains that “this horn was built to represent what a coureur-de-bois, French-educated native, or French soldier may have built while garrisoning this particular frontier bastion.”

This impressively-proportioned powder horn, crafted from a bison horn, measures 8 ½ inches around the inner curve and 10 ½ inches around the base. The horn was cleaned and shaped using knives and scrapers and features delicate banding that was shaped entirely with files. The horn features a cherry base plug which is decorated with twelve glass trade beads; the horn’s trumpet spout is fixed with an ebony tuning peg stopper.

Pennington’s skills as an artist are on full display on the intricately-engraved surface of the horn. The decorative scrimshaw includes a heavy dose of Native American motifs, including the Iroquois Tree of Life, a great blue heron, and an eastern woodland scallop design that circles the base plug. French influences are depicted by three dogwood blossoms representing the Holy Trinity, three crosses representing Calvary, a fleur-de-lis, and a map of Fort Duquesne circa 1755. The horn also features a French inscription translated thus: Victory to French Arms; God, Praise be to God, and His Son Jesus Christ.