Warriors on Warpath

From the Buffalo Creek Collection, Norma Howard’s Warriors on Warpath (1980) is an acrylic on paper painting depicting three Native warriors on horseback. All three are adorned with roach headdresses, two hold ornamented spears, and one hefts a shield emblazoned with an eagle motif. The warriors’ expressions are watchful, and their pinto steeds wear subtle warpaint, granting the scene a suspenseful intensity. The backdrop is a gradient possessing a golden glow that pales as it rises, and the landscape beneath the horses’ hooves is punctuated with bright sprigs of green vegetation.

A compelling composition, Warriors on Warpath reflects Howard’s keen eye for color, detail, and layered forms, a skill that helped to elevate her career in the years that followed.