The Symbol

The sun gives us light, warmth, and energy. The ochre pigment speaks to my love for the  land and connection to the prairies of Oklahoma. The full circle is carried over from my original buffalo logo. Having a given name – that symbolically propels me to live up to it – is a gift. Of all the symbols of my journey, the sun has been the most constant: both the light and the flames.

The Artist

Within my theme of vision and migration, I asked Ashley what process of making art feels like light or joy for her, "I believe the feeling of being inspired is the antithesis of depression. Inspiration is brimming with life and hopefulness. It's when I feel the most alive and optimistic. The word inspire comes from the Latin word that means to inflame, after all."

The Collaboration

"Sun introduced me to a gorgeous film photography that captures the sun's journey across the sky. Together, we decided on a symbol made up of two parts and painted in yellow ochre. The first part, a single moment or enso to represent the sun. The second, a 'sentence' or many moments to represent the migration of the sun." - Ashley Opperman


Follow the Buffalo

The spirit of Follow the Buffalo can be summed up in one word: migration. Over the years, my journey, my writing, and my work has earned a collective of symbols, which include American buffalo representing vision, blackbirds representing flight, and the mane of a rugged pony representing the movement of life. When Ashley Opperman handmade this logo for me, she used soot from fire, which could not be more fitting. Like telling stories, we move through breakdowns and breakthroughs, knowing our journey has its own unique beauty and plot. In Buffalo Culture, nothing was wasted. In redemption, nothing is wasted. I honor this origin, what it provided, and carry it forward. About Follow the Buffalo.


"There is nothing 'mere' about symbols."  – Ta-Nehisi Coates

Using Format