Luis Ortega's Rawhide Artistry: Braiding in the California Tradition
By Chuck Stormes and Don Reeves
For anyone who appreciates artisanship, this is a biography not to be missed - the story of a young cowhand whose hard-earned skills took him from modest beginning to international recognition.
An acclaimed rawhide braider of horse gear, Luis Ortega elevated his craft to collectible art and influenced a generation of gear makers. This book is the most comprehensive overview of his life, art, and career and the first book-length work on rawhide braiding in North America, charting changes in horse gear over five decades.
Chuck Stormes and Don Reeves introduce readers to an itinerant cowboy who strove for a level of craftsmanship and artistry above what the market expected- determined to be the best in his field.
Although grounded in the Spanish vaquero tradition, Ortega's work was shaped by his quest for excellence and an intuitive sense of how to fashion humble material into objects of lasting beauty. While mastering his art, he was uninterested in taking students and remained a private man who viewed his craft as a calling yet rarely sought attention even after his reputation was established.
More than a biography, the book is a richly illustrated overview of this expert braider's art. Some one hundred illustrations, seventy in colour, offer close-ups of Ortega's work showing the marvellous intricacy of his reins, quirts, and other pieces. From eight-strand reatas to figure-eight hobbles, the beauty, functionality, and painstaking care of his output shine through in every piece.
This elegant volume allows readers to better understand the Hispanic foundations of the American cowboy as it portrays the work of a man recognized by the National Endowment for the Arts as a Master Traditional Artist.
It will stand as the definitive work on Ortega and a tribute to his craft.
Meet the authors and have them sign your copy at the High Noon Show on January 30 and 31, 2010 in Mesa, Arizona!
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