12 Days of Bison Day 4: "Grand Prismatic Peace"

Hello and Happy Sunday!

Good morning everyone, and I might be moving a bit slowly this morning. T let me sleep until 6, and just finished my second cup of Bison Union Smokehammer, I should be up to speed shortly. This stuff is amazing.

Yesterday was a pretty amazing day. T and I spent most of it puttering around here, we got some shipping done in the morning and spent the rest of the day getting organized for the upcoming week. This is our busy season (obviously) and it was really nice getting to just do stuff. We answered the phone and emails and had some really wonderful customer communications that kept spirits high and the motivation flowing.

I do have to share this one... came in around 9:30 last night as we were pretty well exhausted and ready to quit for the day.

Dear Ron and Theresa,

Thank you for your very kind note.

Frankly, the buddy for which I bought recent weeks ago, has expressed numerous times how luxurious is the cushioning of your boot socks versus even the finest from New Zealand by Kuiu.

For me, the test was when I finished bringing in the laundry from the drying racks on my patio (I seldom use a clothes dryer) and immediately reached for your Buffalo Wool socks to pair-up for immediate use. Simply put, your socks are the foot-friendliest I've worn --- and that is saying a lot after 70 years of socks-testing 😊

Out of the most recent purchase, one of my colleagues is about to receive one of your Celtic woven scarves and my buddy gets another set of your finest.

Thank you both for the devotion and risk-taking courage you have exercised to make your dream come true and the offer of extraordinary garments available to us regular folks.

With warmest regards, Stephen

If that doesn't make you want to do your job and get better at it, I don't know what will.

I hope you enjoy the tidbits today.

Ron & T

Best of Bison: "Grand Prismatic Peace"

Today's offering comes via Barb and Merlin Heinz, dear friends and bison hide experts. www.Merlinshideout.com

Crafted from a blend of techniques, the painting depicts a striking scene of a plains bison on the banks of a crystal blue mineral hot springs overlooking a sweeping prairie landscape. The “canvas” is one of Merlin’s Hide Out’s luxurious prime winter fur Buffalo Hides.

At its core, Grand Prismatic Peace is a tribute to the style of the Plains Native people, who painted hides that served as coverings, clothing and bedding. As clothing, they were worn with the fur on the inside against the body, providing warmth and comfort, while the painted images on the exterior commemorated and depicted stories of family history, battles and visions.

To create this unique work of art, Christina soaked the hide and applied a watered down acrylic paint, a technique she created to preserve the flexibility and durability of the natural leather, while also protecting it from future wear and tear.

Charcoal, pastels and prismacolor pencils are used for fine details, while coffee grounds and grass were used to create additional layers of color and texture. The natural folds and creases of the hide were utilized to guide the painting of the scene, bringing a sense of unity and harmony between the portrait and the natural canvas.

It was important to Christina to protect the integrity of the piece and pay respect to the hide itself: the natural color of the hide is kept as the focus, is tied into the other aspects of the landscape and bison, and slowly fades into the blurred edges of the painting.

This piece is perfect to be displayed as a wall hanging or decorative bedspread. It is flexible and durable enough to be rolled for storage, though we’re certain you’ll want to hang this as a centerpiece in your home for years to come.

Approximately 80” long x 60” wide.

Only 1 Available from MerlinsHideOut.com - $12,000