Colorado Elk
- 1887 - Poster
Colorful Colorado was nicknamed the "Centennial State," because it became a state in the year 1876, 100 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Colorado is noted for its magnificent landscape scenery of mountains, forests, high plains, mesas, canyons, plateaus, rivers and desert lands. It is a state known for healthy living, fueled by fresh mountain air and plenty of sunshine.
     The Colorado Rocky Mountain Elk are also known as Wapiti. Wapiti is the Shawnee word for elk and means, “White Rump.” Long ago, the Plains Indians observed the bull elk as a courageous and magnificent figure. Men often showed their hunting prowess by making the Elk's eye teeth into jewelry for their special Ladies or by gifting the teeth to their wives to decorate their dresses.It was then that the Elk became a symbol of love and passion. The elk, with its towering frame and magnificent antlers, emerges as a powerful emblem within the spirit animal realm. It is seen as a symbol of strength, endurance and nobility, embodying qualities that are highly admired by these communities. In Native American mythology, the elk is often associated with spiritual guidance and protection.
      I have combined an antique map with my version of stippling into my own creative perspectives. The background for this drawing of a Rocky Mountain Elk is on an original large map of Colorado, published in 1887 in a Rand McNally Atlas. It is 11 X 14 inches.