Featured for sale in this lot is a Crow Native American Indian wedding dress, titled "Singing Waters", crafted by the renowned Cheri Cappello. The dress utilizes a soft, tanned hide construction, and displays magnificent trade seed bead work, and heavy, long-cut tanned hide fringe drops. Additionally, the dress is adorned with faux elk ivories, and feather drops. The trade seed, and pony bead-work shows geometric shape, and crosses in the like of a first phase chiefs blanket. The trade seed, and pony beads consist of red white heart, blue white heart, greasy yellow, chalk white, red, blue, robin egg blue, and wound blue beads. The connection and deep reverence that Cheri feels for our Native people began as a child. Cheri was born and raised on a large cattle and sheep ranch in the Colorado high country. Many hours were spent exploring the ancient encampments and burial grounds on the family’s ranch. She collected artifacts and arrowheads while working the ranch. Her respect and kinship grew through the years and were fueled with education and involvement with the Native people. At the same time Cheri learned the art of running trap lines and tanning and preparing skins and furs from her grandfather. Her early years also found her hunting, fishing and living the western ranch lifestyle. This taught her the value of nature, animal life and the bond that runs between man and the land. She learned the importance of balance between these two. It seemed only natural that Cheri would create art that would demonstrate her love for the Native Americans, the land, and a lost way of life. Each one of her pieces is a one-of-a-kind museum quality work. They are historically true to the 1800’s circa warshirts, wedding dresses, and child’s ceremonial works of art. These striking works are created by hand using elk and buckskin. They are painstakingly brought to life with fine beadwork and authentic adornments originally found on period pieces. The result is a powerful statement of our Native American culture. You can find Cheri’s work in public and private collections across the country and in Europe, Africa, and Australia. She is represented by many fine galleries, and has won numerous awards at prestigious national and international shows. Cheri currently owns and operates a ranch in the mountains of Colorado with her husband and children. Cheri’s artwork is her way of honoring and demonstrating her respect for our Native American heritage. Some of her most recent accolades include Peppertree Art Show 2004,2005, 2006, 2007, 2008. 30th Anniversary participant. Santa Ynez, California Women Artists of the West 2003 and 2004 and 2005 International Invitational Show. Artists Choice Award and Mixed Media 1st Place Award. People’s Choice Manhattan Arts International Award of Excellence. People’s Choice Award Jackson Hole Fine Arts Festival Featured Horizon Artist 2004, 2005, 2006,2008. Featured artist for Former Texas Ranger Foundation Gala 2005 ,2006, 2007.and 2008. The dress is accompanied by a sprung steel display hanger. The dress measures 24" wide at the bottom of the dress, 47" from the tips of each sleeve, 51" tall from the neck line to the bottom of the dress, 13 5/8" wide under each armpit. The piece was purchased for nearly $8,000 and some of her examples of similar quality have resold for as much as $9,000. For a complete representation of condition and for additional images please call 800-686-4216. It is the buyer’s responsibility to view each image and preview the item to determine condition.