Rance Hood : Mystic Painter

Rance Hood was born in southern Oklahoma to a Comanche mother and white father. Most of his early youth was spent with his Comanche grandparents who taught him in the traditional ways, including their native language. When he was finally forced to attend elementary school, he was unable to speak English. This biography focuses on Hood's art and its place within Native American art, history, and culture. Ceremonial items such as the peyote fan and buffalo skulls are common elements of Hood's compositions. These reflect the early teachings from his Comanche elders and the Oklahoma landscape in which he lived.

James J. Hester is professor emeritus of anthropology at the University of Colorado, Boulder.