‎Concealed Weapons

‎'Concealed Weapons' custom body art by Thomas 'Breeze' Marcus.

To read more about Marcus and his work, click here or here or here.

Breeze: Reclaiming Sacred Knowledge with Streetwear

Thomas Marcus, aka Breeze, is one of my favorite street artists. He is Tohono O’odham from the Gila River and Salt River communities located near Phoenix. Breeze is a quiet storm, producing colorful graphic art that radiates out like a beautiful explosion.

Inspired by traditional O’odham basketry, Breeze’s two-dimensional art references the intricate patterns made by his ancestors.

But Breeze also translates his distinctive style to the world of streetwear, and his latest t-shirt design is based on the idea of taking back and taking over sacred symbols, geometry, and knowledge. Yes, he is badass like that.

He wrote:
“For centuries, corrupt organizations have been stealing sacred symbols. One example being the ‘All seeing eye’ or Pyramid with the eye, which is often associated with Conspiracy, Free Masons, NWO, etc. Ancient human ancestors, such as the Egyptians, used the symbol to represent the Eye of Horus, which represented protection, power, and health. The Symbol is also found in Buddhism as Buddha's ‘Eye of the world.’”

This latest shirt design is called V.III.I.VII. (5317), and it features the pyramid symbol with a complex sun design glowing out from behind it. A simplified music record represents the eye.

He explains:
“The wings right below represent the divinity of us as spiritual beings, and the importance of complex thought and creativity. It is also a symbol to represent ‘inspiration to take flight,’ meaning we are infinite and boundless, so let us live to our fullest potential.”

At the bottom of the design is a ‘coded language,’ representing all ancient scriptures of knowledge and wisdom throughout human history.

The shirt comes in both black and white options for men and women. For more shirt info, or to order, email Breeze at breezephx@gmail.com

Read more by clicking here.

GON 2011 G Jewelry, Mea Bfly, and Dre Lynn Design

Check out these three super fly ndn chicks and their badass earrings!:

G Jewelry
Tina Ootsukaeliza has been creating affordable, fun to wear accessories ("handmade with love"!) since 2005. If you missed her at GON, you can check out her selection on Etsy, or email her for more information at gjewelry@hotmail.com

She was reppin' a huge selection at GON, and even spotted me some dope black and white earrings featuring the badass artwork of one of my favorite artists, Thomas Marcus (aka Breeze).

Mea B'fly Designs
MaRia Bird is the creative mind behind Mea B'fly earrings, which also pack a lot of punch. Her color combinations are gorgeous. The patterns featured on her earrings are digital collages of old photographs and vivid handpainted designs carefully transferred onto lightweight stained wood. Mea B'fly Designs has its own Facebook page and Etsy page. Her 'Simple Love' circle earrings, 'Heartbreak Kid' oval earrings, and 'Origin (Hopi/Pueblo)' teardrop earring designs are pictured below (my photography is kinda weak, so be sure to view her webpages to check them out in all their awesomeness):

DreLynn Design
Created by Andrea Preston, DreLynn Design earrings are a fusion of bright colors, geometric designs and powwow aesthetics. Silver and gold metallic accents and a sense of cool '80s inspiration give her earrings (and rings) a fresh contemporary feel. I love her painted designs as well as her beaded versions.

In light of the recent misuse of Geronimo's name (you know, Osama's code name), she posted on Facebook, "Wearing my G Jewelry Geronimo earrings today :) And tomorrow I'll wear my Mea Bfly Sitting Bull earrings. The next day RedCloud, and then her Chief Manuelito earrings the next. I'll keep doing so, until everyone knows that these are heros - not terrorists!"

Amen sistah! Support these cool artists and rep Native pride. Click here to check out the DreLynn Design Etsy page and the DreLynn blog.

Heard Indian Market 2011 - Indian Ink II

Indian Ink II

Thomas "Breeze" Marcus and Douglas Miles opened their co-curated show, Indian Ink II, during the Heard Indian Market weekend.

Indian Ink II was held at Pravus Gallery in downtown Phoenix and highlighted a number of emerging Native artists whose works "push out and ascend above the boundaries of stereotypical, traditional, and 'contemporary' Native American art." Almost every piece included in the show stuck with the black-and-white graphic palette, but there were a few well-placed punches of color (in particular, Melissa Cody's awesome Navajo weavings).

The opening reception featured a live collaborative mural installation by Marcus, Miles, and Lalo Cota. The opening was also catered by chef Mario (didn't catch his last name) who made gourmet Indian tacos and other delicious eats.

This post isn't directly related to fashion, but many of the Indian Ink artists collaborate to create Native streetwear, so they're definitely on my radar:


(Textiles by Melissa Cody)


(Art by Rebekah Miles)

(Mural in progress)


(Doug Miles)


(Rattles by Thomas Marcus)


(Razelle Benally and Thomas Marcus streaming live, and shot by Karl Duncan)


(Melissa Cody)


(Micah Wesley)


(Lalo Cota)


(Yatika Fields)

Artist Profile | Breeze and Un3ek

The Heard Museum Indian Art Market is always a fantastic event - I've gone every year since 2005 (that's 6 years in a row!) and I have no intentions of stopping - I love it! It's the second largest Indian Art Market (next to the SWAIA market in Santa Fe in August), but, I think, it's the most creative.

I hope to post some post-Heard Market artist profiles on this thing in the near future, and my first is a profile of my friend Thomas Marcus, aka Breeze.

Along with several other Native/Indigenous artists, Breeze shared some of his artwork at the Protect Ya Neck art show at Barsmith in Phoenix this past weekend.

I snapped a pic of this collaboration, and he explained it on his blog :

This month Tyson Powless of Un3ek Sy5tems and I have worked together to create this new image of Geronimo holding an Ak-47, with a sunburst halo around Geronimo and the assault rifle. The title of the image is "Sacred Soldiers". It symbolizes the intensity that so many people possess deep down in their soul and bones. It also is a tribute to those who have gone on, who at one point in their lives, were fighting for their land and people. As Indigenous peoples (all over the world), we are all proud of where we come from, and at the same time we still defend and fight for our people, and cultural identity, and right to exist in so many forms. -"Our Existence is our Resistance"

Silk screen prints. Hand printed black ink on white Stonehenge archival paper. 22" x 30". Series of 24. Each one is signed and numbered by both artists. $60 each unframed. ***For additional pricing info on framing and out of state shipping please email housebroken285@yahoo.com*** A limited number of black ink on white T's are available also. $20 each. $5 for shipping and handling.