Trade Upset

24″ x 36″ Watercolor on Clayboard

This is my favorite painting yet of my series of Trade Bead images.  The beads suggest falling through water and slowly settling on the bottom.

The Lewis and Clark expedition reported a boat being upset and losing a cargo of  trade beads.  Many of the early trade beads were quite expensive during this time in history.  They were highly valued for their beauty as well, being essentially an indicator of status and decorative embellishment.  Traded for beaver pelts, where were essentially an indicator of status and decorative embellishment…