Born in England, P. L. Bowles has been fascinated by Native American culture since childhood. From his earliest drawings, to the 'pictographic' style he has mastered today, Bowles aims for an honest portrayal of 19th century Indian life on the Great Plains.

In 1989, he fulfilled a lifelong dream of living among the Plains Indians by traveling to South Dakota and the Pine Ridge and Rosebud Sioux reservations. It was at this time the idea formulated of recreating this old style of painting on unbleached cotton. Bowles first commission was for Emil Her Many Horses, then the curator of the Buechel Memorial Lakota (Sioux) Museum on the Rosebud Reservation. He was then asked to paint the tepee of Elmer Running, probably the last visionary medicine man among the Lakota.

Many contemporary Native American artists have 'personalized' this style, but Bowles remains faithful to historical accuracy, possibly the only artist painting like this today. This has been a result of many years of meticulous personal study of the originals in private and museum collections throughout the world. Bowles work is so accurate, that several years ago, Dr. John Ewers of the Smithsonian Institute suggested he register his art with the museum in order to prevent any future mistaken attribution.

While living on the Rosebud Sioux Reservation in 1991, Bowles was honored with an adoption ceremony by a Lakota friend at the altar of Elmer Running. He was given the name 'Ikce Wicasa Ecetkiya Wawowa' which, loosely translated means 'Paints Like The Natural Man'.

 If you want a tipi painted...contact:  plbowlestipis@gmail.com

Or his painted panels:

an English artist living and
working in Hollywood, CA. Peter's Plains style
pictographic muslin paintings are meticulously
researched, and are represented in the collections of
such people as Mick Jagger.