Trapping and hunting were a way of life for me. But when the settlers started to come out to the Oregon Territory, the animals began to disappear. So I hooked up with an outfit out of Saint Louis, and began to guide wagon trains to the west. It was not easy, being responsible for a bunch of greenhorn farmers, but it was a living.
My favorite area of the Oregon Territory was the high desert. A harsh and unyielding place to be, but it still was open and free, so a man could breathe. I dressed a lot like the Native Americans. The fringes helped to drain off the rain, and the leather bands made my shirts more long lasting. The map behind me shows the Trail coming out of Fort Boise, along the Snake River to Walla Walla, and then westward along the Columbia River, to Vancouver and Astoria.
Note from the artist: This weaving structure is a combination of a pointed twill and vertical stripes of plain weave between the diamond shapes. The warp is a black cotton and variegated cotton in the vertical strips, wth an acrylic weft.
36” x 36” x 2”
Costume on Canvas
Kelly James, Photographer - Salem, Oregon
Anne Abendroth - Artist
