At the hand of Pennsylvania artist Robert Griffing, Eastern cities and roads of today morph into scenes of 18th century Eastern Woodland Indian villages and pristine forests. Where most people see buildings, cars, crowds, and concrete, he sees the area as it once was and renders portraits of how these Native Americans lived, dressed, and worked.

Griffing’s love for Eastern Woodland Indians began when he was a young lad growing up in Linesville, Pennsylvania, which is rife with lore and artifacts of the Seneca and Erie Indians. One day, while exploring the shores of nearby Lake Erie, he discovered a prehistoric arrowhead, an experience that would fuel a lifelong fascination with those indigenous people. As he was growing up during the ‘40s and ‘50s, Griffing was also a fan of movies that featured cowboys and Indians of the West, but his allegiance remained with the Eastern Woodland natives.

Read the full article in the September/October 2020 issue.

Midday Break on the Scioto

Oil
30″ by 40″
“During the 18th century, the Scioto River was an important waterway for the Native people of the Ohio territory. This painting depicts Ottawa leaders from the northern villages on the Sandusky. They are traveling to the Lower Shawnee Town (at the confluence of the Ohio) for council. Their Shawnee warrior guide has successfully guided them to this point, where they take a much deserved midday break on the Scioto.”

Respect for the Ancients

Oil
44″ by 36″
“I’ve always had a love for big trees, and three trips to Sequoia National Park is proof of that. The truth of the matter is that here in the East during the 18th century, we had trees that were just as big in diameter, and they were the Sycamore. The largest of these trees would be found close to riverbanks. The tree in this painting is about average for the time, but many were twice that size.”