Prayer to the Morning Sun

Known for his detailed realism and complex designs, Don Crowley’s artwork sits at the apex of many painter’s and collector’s wish lists. In "Prayer to the Morning Sun," Crowley depicts a Paiute maiden in her morning prayer ritual using eagle feathers as totem. “When I was growing up the only thing I knew about Indians came from movies and magazines. It was all unrelentingly negative and simplistic,” Crowley says. “As an adult I realized these were a people forced to the brink of extinction and that their story was a true tragedy. I have learned to care about the customs of their everyday life and the beauty of their sacred ceremonies. It is this essence of Indian life I bring to my art.”