Artist, Author, and Film Maker

The Robe of Beauty was painted with acrylic dyes on hand tooled and carved leather and was done in part on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation Paul learned the fundamentals of his art with Frederick Seminole on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation in 1970. Although completely paralyzed on his right side in 1971, Freddie continued to work with Paul for over a quarter of a century. During that time, he created with his left hand, then gave to Paul a remarkable series of colored pencil drawings depicting early Reservation life. The Film The Robe of Beauty, tells the story of Paul’s friendship with Freddie and their art.

The Cheyenne is an acrylic rendering on hand carved and tooled leather of the Peace Chief Black Kettle. The picture was created by the late Northern Cheyenne artist Frederick Dale Seminole and Paul Durr Hammersten, whose names are inscribed together on the Honor Wall of the National Museum of the American Indian, located in The National Mall in Washington, D. C. Opposition to the creation of the NMAI reached a turning when hearts were melted by the resurfacing in the Smithsonian of a cache of unnamed human remains from the massacre of Black Kettle’s peaceful band at Sand Creek in 1864. The Cheyenne hangs in The Museum Of The American Indian at The Crazy Horse Memorial.

Paul is the author of: An Artist Walks The Trail Of Beauty, Asante Papa a tribute to Ernest ‘Papa’ Hemingway, and Forward Keewaydin a personal memoir of wilderness tripping during the twilight of the era of the wood and canvas canoe.

Contact Information
P. O. Box 69
West Chatham, MA 02669
[email protected]
www.facebook.com/paul.hammersten