A Blackfoot/Cherokee artist new to
Elgin, Ayastigi has roots in the Ozark Mountains of Missouri. Although
Spirit had no formal training in the arts, he developed his own skills,
preferring to learn from teachers in books and other craftsmen. He has
travelled to over 200 pow-wows, art and craft shows in 4 years with his
handmade items - charcoal portraits, Native American flutes, stone
windchimes, rattles, leather shirts, custom knives and primitive
jewelry as he demonstrated and taught classes in flintknapping
and drawing.
Spirit has since expanded his artistic
interests into woodcrafts, most recently sculpting a pedastal sink from
a mesquite burl. He enjoys walking in the woods, searching for those
special branches or logs to create the soothing sounds of the Native
American flute. Spirit feels most at home in nature, and recently
started Sacred Earth Landscapes to extend his artwork into the realm of
aesthetic theme gardens.
“Life is but a dream, so dream your
reality, put action to the dream, and don't let the fence sitters of
this world turn your dream into a nightmare.”
