Rance Hood: Mystic Painter

by James J. Hester, Rance Hood

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.
"As a person, Rance is not just a famous painter, he is a generous human being and shrewd businessman. He enjoys being anonymous by telling people on the street who ask what he does for a living, 'I'm a painter,' and then lets them ask him what he charges to paint a house. He can also speak before a crowd or make a video about his art or party with rock stars like the Eagles and Stevie Nicks, always staying himself. . . . "The eagle feathers he inherited from his grandfather were given to the right person, someone who knew how to use them, respect them, and help others in need. He is one of the last of those who speak their original tribal language and know so many of the traditional ways of their ancestors. It is rare to see these old ways anymore, although Rance has been blessed in those coordinates that stop time and transcend centuries of life on this continent."--from the Introduction by Joan Frederick

Hardcover

First published December 1, 2006

Reviews

[Einar Jensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Today I read Rance Hood: Mystic Painter by James Hester and Rance Hood. It was a good, engaging read. I encountered Hood’s work while researching my book on fire in paintings. Hood, a Comanche, paints Comanche and other Native American cultures with an atavistic and mournful vision of respect and appreciation. His paintings are both traditional and modern. His abstract representations of snow, especially, capture my interest and awe. I’m grateful so many paintings appear in this book.

As for the book, Hester is an engaging writer who crafted a solid context for Hood’s artistic endeavors. We receive a brief history of Comanche culture, Native American painting, and Hood’s family in the pages.