Project Statement — The 100 Bison Project

100 Bison is a two-year, multidisciplinary project centered on painting one hundred bison skulls sourced from the Yellowstone region—materials that are increasingly rare and tied to complex and often controversial wildlife management practices. Each skull becomes both an artwork and a document, carrying with it a story rooted in Montana’s land, culture, and economies.

This project extends beyond painting. In collaboration with a silversmith, the work incorporates elements of traditional craftsmanship, connecting fine art with trade-based practices that are often overlooked or misunderstood. Alongside the physical pieces, the project will include interviews, written articles, and field documentation, building a broader narrative around the people and industries connected to animal materials.

At its core, 100 Bison confronts the disconnect between modern consumers and the origins of the materials embedded in everyday life. Animal products remain deeply integrated into industries ranging from food production to fashion, yet the labor and knowledge behind them—trappers, hunters, ranchers, and makers—are increasingly pushed out of public view. This absence has contributed to misunderstanding, criticism, and, in some cases, the consolidation of these trades into closed, competitive systems.

By bringing visibility to these processes and communities, the project seeks to shift the conversation from avoidance to awareness. Each piece contributes to a larger picture: one that acknowledges both the realities and responsibilities of using natural materials, and the cultural histories tied to them.

Through scale, repetition, and storytelling, 100 Bison aims to create a body of work that is both visually striking and conceptually expansive—inviting viewers to reconsider their relationship to the natural world and the systems that sustain it.

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