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Ad Code: 4
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An example of work by Thomas E (Rev) Mails
Artwork images are copyright of the artist or assignee
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This biography from the Archives of AskART:
|  A painter in realist style of historical and contemporary Southwest Indians, Thomas Mails was born in Groveland, California. He settled at Lake Elsinore, California. After serving in World War II, he studied at the College of Arts and Crafts in Oakland and then was an instructor in architectural design at Heald College in San Francisco. In 1947, he moved to Seattle and worked as an architect until 1955, when he entered a Lutheran Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota and was ordained in 1958. He served as a pastor and in 1962, began his documentation of Indians.
Of this commitment, he said: "I have a profound regard for the Indian religions. Everything about the native American centers in religion, and all they undertake begins with and is thereafter influenced by this single base or source. My deep interest lies in conveying in words and pictures their ceremonies and the ceremonial costumes. . ..and they are not vanishing. There is a ceremonial renaissance taking place."
During his career, Mails wrote eighteen religious books and five books about Indians. He died November 11, 2001 in/near Lake Elsinore, CA.
Source:
Peggy and Harold Samuels, "Contemporary Western Artists"
Death date and place provided by Roseann Mayer, collector of the books and art by Thomas Mails.
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The following, submitted by Roseann Mayer, is from a brief article about Rev. Mails gift to the Kwahadi Heritage Center in Amarillo, Texas.
"The Kwahadis have also been blessed with the awesome gift of the collection of art, artifact, and research materials of Rev. Thomas Mails, famous author and artist of Native Americans. Nineteen paintings from the collection are currently on display at the Koshare Museum in La Junta, CO under the guidance of Joe Clay, Koshare Director.
'Tom' Mails published his first work, "Mystic Warriors of the Plains" in 1972 and earned the respect of native leaders of many nations. He has since been invited by elders of a variety of tribes to record and interpret their own stories and cultures. Other works by Mr. Mails include, The Apache, The Cherokee, Sundancing on the Rosebud, Foolscrow, Pueblo Children of the Earth Mother, Hotevilla, Microcosm of the world, and The Hopi Survival Kit.
He excitedly reports that in 1998 all of his books will be back in print! He is currently working on a new book from his journey last year to Peru where he spent several weeks with native leaders who wanted him to share their story. The Kwahadis are working to build a theater to house our performances and a museum to house the Mails' collections and other gifts with which we have been entrusted. See the Kiva page for more information on the proposed Heritage Center."
From a personal note from Mr. Ritchie to Roseann Mayer on 1-26-2004: "We were given ten paintings from Tom's books on the Pueblo people by the Wheelwright Museum in Santa Fe. They have been added to the paintings and artifacts given to us by Tom. We are anxious to prepare the first display of his fine creations!"
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