Contemporary Makers: Tom Gifford

Monday, February 9, 2015

Quilled Bag by Tom Gifford with Fingerwoven Strap by Tom Condé

Tom Gifford made this bag in late December and then posted a picture of his attempt at fingerweaving a strap. I can't quill and he...well, I offered to do the strap for him. Besides the quillwork, all the line work is moosehair, This Ottawa styled bag from the Splendid Heritage site is approx. 7"x 7". The strap is slightly over 1" wide.

Copy and photo supplied by Tom Condé.

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

2013 CLA Live Auction: A Woodland Native Prisoner Tie by Darrell Brandenburg with Quillwork by Tom Gifford

Darrell Brandenburg was born 1941 in the northern tip of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. He was raised on a farm some 30 miles distant from Alpena, the nearest large city. All of his life Darrell has been interested in American history, hunting, primitive skills, camping and being outdoors. These interests have been logged in over 30 years of historical reenactment. During that time Darrell made the majority of the accoutrements he needed for portraying various persona, developing the skills and artistic vision he has today.

It wasn’t until he met and married his current wife, Mary that he began a journey into Woodland Native reenacting. At one point Mary asked him if he could make some rope for their camp that didn’t have that “mass produced” look. After Darrell mastered the art of hand-twisting jute twine into serviceable utility rope, he looked to other fiber-arts projects that could keep him busy during his retirement. Around this same time (2006) he met David Wells and took instruction from him on how to do an 8-strand box braid – the essential work for the Woodland Native Prisoner Tie. The Prisoner Tie is an art form in itself, akin to the Plains Indian coup stick as a status object for the owner.

In the years since he first met David Wells, Darrell has perfected the braiding technique as well as mastering the application of the deer-hair tassels and leather keepers. His wife dyes the deer tails and Tom Gifford takes care of doing the quillwork appliqué to the end fringes. In total, Darrell has produced well over 100 such Ties. The majority have been given as gifts to other Woodland Native re-enactors Darrell has known. The gifts recognize a certain “spirit and love” for reenacting the ways of The First People and in turn sharing that same spirit and love with visitors to events.

The 24 foot Prisoner Tie donated for the 2013 CLA Fund auction is hand made. The body is made from 100% hand-corded hemp. No machines, of any kind, were used in the production of this cordage; it is all thigh-rolled in the traditional Native manner. The leather keepers are from smoked brain tan deer hide done in the true primitive Native style by one-off tanners here in the USA. The deer hair & cone tassels are produced in-house by the Brandenburgs. Darrell hand rolls and antiques the cones from flat stock; each one cut and rolled individually and then individually antiqued. The deer tail hair, from local meat processing shops, Mary hand-dyes via a process of washing, cleaning, stabilizing and dyeing in various shades of reds and orange-reds.

The quillwork is applied by noted CLA artist Tom Gifford, using his tried and true techniques. In Tom’s words, he describes his art, “I've been quilling for about 13 years using traditional methods as well as contemporary and it’s truly my passion or I should say obsession. I use the best materials that are available from brain tan buckskin and natural dyes down to handmade cones. I give seminars and teach people who wish to learn about quillwork. I also would like to mention that with organizations such as the CLA, whose artists’ list is long and impressive that our work is now seen by thousands of people.”

For a Native reenactor or anyone who may want a unique work of art, this Prisoner Tie certainly fills the bill.

Contact Information:

Darrell Brandenburg

32441 Oakview Drive

Warren, MI 48092

Phone: 586-264-6553

Email: calais76@comcast.net

More examples of Darrell’s work can be seen on the website: http://www.brandenburgstorehouse.com

Tom Gifford can be reached at:

Tom Gifford

1288 Rule Hollow Rd.
Sevierville, TN 37876
Phone: 513-504 6693
Email: Thomasgifford27@gmail.com

Copy and photos supplied by the Contemporary Longrifle Foundation.

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Traditionally Decorated Leggings and Ties Made and Donated by Penny Wayne and Tom Gifford for the 2010 CLA Live Auction

Penny Wayne of “Kentucky Leather and Hide” and Tom Gifford worked together to create this set of decorated leggings and ties. Using only traditional tools and techniques including an antler awl, Penny hand made this set completely from brain tanned deer hide, punching holes one at a time as she hand sewed every seam. Making similar clothing items for the past fifteen years, she has hand crafted over 6oo pieces, all in a neat and authentic manner.

Tom Gifford then took the leggings to decorate. Tom first dyed them with ashes to give them a warm mellow patina, and further enhancing that old original look, he edged them in traditional silk ribbon, bead work and dyed porcupine quills. Together, Tom and Penny have made and donated a very authentic pair of genuine old time leggings that not only look the part, but are ready to hit the trails with some lucky bidder. Imagining natives or long hunters, pushing through the uncharted wilderness is hard to do with out picturing them wearing a good pair of traditional leggings, and if you need a pair for your kit, it will be hard to find a pair more traditional than these.