About the Artist


For over three decades, Mel Smith called southern Arizona his home. He was fascinated by the eternal quality of sunbaked skeletons scattered across the vast desert landscape. In the tradition of the Aztec, Maya and Inca of beautifying and immortalizing their rulers after death, Mel adorns the natural curves and symmetry of the skulls of coyote, cow and buffalo as an eternal memorial to the animals. Mel began his artistic career as an apprentice to Charles Loloma, the legendary Hopi artist from Hoteville, Third Mesa, Arizona. Mel's work was featured at the Kiva Craft Court in Scottsdale, the Don Quixote Gallery in Scottsdale, the Don Thomas Gallery in Carefree, the Stone Toad Gallery in Cave Creek and the Gouldsmith Gallery also in Carefree. Mel Smith now resides in Durango, Colorado.
COW SKULL ART Other Artists Georgia O’Keeffe’s Cow’s Skull-Red, White and Blue On her thoughts about cow skulls, she said they never reminded her of death. Rather, she found them quite lively. Georgia O’Keeffe’s Cow’s Skull with Calico Roses On her use of artificial flowers juxtaposed to a cow skull, she said she liked their permanence and thought them pretty. COYOTE SKULL ART The Mythology "Coyote, the cunning supernatural hero of some American Indians... embodies both the creative and protective and the adventurous and destructive aspects of human nature." p. 170 Encyclopedia of Things that Never Were, by M. Page & R. Ingpen, Viking Press, 1987. DRAGON SCULPTURE The Mythology "Dragons...physical powers, awesome appearance, keen vision, and alert shrewdness of intellect made them the ideal guardians of all kinds of treasure." p.188 Encyclopedia of Things that Never Were, by M. Page & R. Ingpen, Viking Press, 1987. BUFFALO SKULL ART The Mythology A white buffalo appeared in the form of a woman who wore white hides. She gave a ritual pipe and ritual music to the People. She prophesized that she would some day return in an era of peace. Paraphrased from the net at Indians.org White Buffalo

COW SKULL ART

Other Artists
Georgia O’Keeffe’s Cow’s Skull-Red, White and Blue On her thoughts about cow skulls, she said they never reminded her of death. Rather, she found them quite lively. Georgia O’Keeffe’s Cow’s Skull with Calico Roses On her use of artificial flowers juxtaposed to a cow skull, she said she liked their permanence and thought them pretty.

COYOTE SKULL ART

The Mythology
"Coyote, the cunning supernatural hero of some American Indians... embodies both the creative and protective and the adventurous and destructive aspects of human nature." p. 170 Encyclopedia of Things that Never Were, by M. Page & R. Ingpen, Viking Press, 1987.

DRAGON SCULPTURE

The Mythology
"Dragons...physical powers, awesome appearance, keen vision, and alert shrewdness of intellect made them the ideal guardians of all kinds of treasure." p.188 Encyclopedia of Things that Never Were, by M. Page & R. Ingpen, Viking Press, 1987.

BUFFALO SKULL ART

The Mythology
A white buffalo appeared in the form of a woman who wore white hides. She gave a ritual pipe and ritual music to the People. She prophesized that she would some day return in an era of peace. Paraphrased from the net at Indians.org White Buffalo