Bay Native Circle showcases the work of renown artist, Michael Horse. He is of Yaqui, Mescalero Apache, Zuni, European and Hispanic descent, was born in a place he calls “near Tucson”. He comes from an artistically talented family of jewelers, potters and painters.
A true modern day renaissance man, Michael is a jeweler, actor, stunt man, sculptor, painter and activist. As an actor, he has appeared in many movies and on television, including Twin Peaks, Passenger 57, Lakota Woman, and the CBC Canadian series, North of 60. His works of art have been shown in galleries throughout the world, and are currently available at the Southwest Museum in Los Angeles, the Autry Museum of Western Heritage in Los Angeles, the Eiteljorg Museum in Indiana, Kiva Fine Art Gallery in Santa Fe, and Gathering Tribes Gallery in Berkeley, California.
“I go back and forth in my work, from the traditional to the contemporary, and I learn on this journey how the both are connected. One of the most rewarding aspects of being a jeweler is when I meet someone for the first time who owns a piece of my art, and they tell me how much they enjoy it and how many compliments they receive when they wear it. To me, that is a feeling like no other.”
Having been a jeweler for over 30 years, he has seen many innovations in traditional Native art. He is very proud of the paths that Native art have taken, as well as the path that it is moving toward with younger artists. He himself was inspired by some of his peers, including Charles Loloma and Alan Houser, and hopes that some day younger people might learn from and be inspired by some of his work. He says that, “If somebody asked me how I would like to end my career, I would say I would like it to end with inspiring younger artists. I’m very interested in our youth. In the last few years, I’ve become involved with working with inner city and rural native youth, hoping that I might be able to steer them toward a more positive and creative path.”