CATHY SMITH

Cathy Smith, artist, historian and scholar of the American West, is best known for her authentic costumes in films such as Dances with Wolves, Comanche Moon, Geronimo and Son of the Morning Star – for which she won the Emmy for Excellence in Costume Design.

Growing up on a ranch in western South Dakota, bordering two Sioux reservations, led to her relentless pursuit of authentic, traditional Native American art forms, design, and techniques – which have become a much sought after commodity for everyone from museum curators to international collectors to Hollywood producers.

Cathy has spent her lifetime participating in the ceremonies and cultural life-ways of relatives on the Cheyenne River Reservation and refining her skills in the sacred art of porcupine quillwork.

“Maintaining these traditional arts is imperative as they are a part of our American heritage in danger of being lost. Not only are they beautiful and usable, but when made with integrity, they are imbued with power & spiritual meaning.”

Cathy lectures on the art & culture of the Western Plains at museums and events, from the Smithsonian to the Southwest Museum in LA. She has exhibited at the National Cowgirl Museum & Hall of Fame in Fort Worth and the Smithsonian, among others. She restores original artifacts for museums & collectors and creates custom clothing and accoutrements not only for film and museums, but for clients worldwide. Currently she is designing the costumes for “First Nations,” a 10 episode Documentary for Discovery Channel..

Cathy has a studio near Galisteo, NM and in West Yellowstone, MT. Check out her website.

JERRY FAHRENTHOLD

A historian who has reproduced much 19th century American Indian art for collectors and museums. He has forty years of experience with collectors, art dealers, scholars, museum curators, students and Native Americans. He has examined and handled original material culture specimens in public and private collections throughout North America and Europe.

Pre-production history adviser/expert for the Art Department and a wardrobe assistant for Cathy Smith on the ABC mini-series Son of the Morning Star. Worked with pre-production of costumes for Miracle In The Wilderness, Buffalo Girls, and acquisition of materials for On Deadly Ground. Reenactor in the Ken Burn’s Lewis and Clark PBS Documentary.

Co-authored an article titled “Fur Trade Indian Dresses” with Cathy Smith, published in The Book of Buckskinning V (1989). Lectured on 19th century clothing, material culture art and construction techniques at: The University of Texas, Austin, Texas; The Buffalo Bill Historical Center, Cody, Wyoming; Fort Laramie National Historic Site, Wyoming; Peaks to Plains Museum, Red Lodge, Montana.

Event organizer of the 1989 Montana Centennial Mountain Man Rendezvous. It become an annual event, the Red Lodge Mountain Man Rendezvous, drawing thousands of tourists each year.

Tanned over 3,000 deer, elk and buffalo hides and imported 1,000 more for film costuming and collections materials.

Check out Jerry’s website.

TRESSA FAHRENTHOLD:

Artist, re-enactor, historian, collector, and expert on Native American material culture. Tressa holds an Extended BA with expertise in numerous fields and mediums. She has over 30 years experience with tipi camping and making reproductions of 18th Century Upper Missouri Plains Indian art.