PARSHALL Darlene Perkins' traditional artwork has brought her honors at art shows.
Perkins, of Parshall, recently won the Best of Show honorable mention for her replica buffalo horse mask at the Black Hills Indian Art Show held in Rapid City, S.D., Oct. 7-9.
In earlier years, horse masks were used by Indian tribes for various purposes.
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Submitted Photo - - Darlene Perkins, Parshall, is shown with the replica buffalo horse mask she won Best of Show honorable mention with at the Black Hills Indian Art Show in Rapid City, S.D., this month.
"It's a replica buffalo horse mask attached to elk horns and elk skull. There's porcupine quilling in red around the eyes with brass beads," she said. Above the nose of the horse mask are two rows of brass beads, she said.
"Years ago, eagle feathers were used but for this one, imitation eagle feathers were added," she said.
Perkins said she used sage in the mouth area "for the sacredness of the overall element of the art piece which would have been the elk, buffalo and porcupine."
Traditionally, all the elements being used in the art piece are sacred among many tribes, she said.
Perkins, an enrolled member of the Three Affiliated Tribes, has been working with leather, quills and other natural items for designs for a number of years.
She has participated in numerous art shows, including showing her porcupine quillwork.
She also is a clothing designer, including working with buckskin and leather. She works specifically with appliqueing quillwork to
modern-day clothing. She has done work for singers Alan Jackson and Dwight Yoakam.
Perkins' artwork has drawn the attention of national magazines, including "Cowboys and Indians" and "Native Peoples."