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CHEROHAWK TRADING CO
THE ARTISTS
Toby Hughes, Cherokee
Toby was born in Westville, Oklahoma, located near the Arkansas border. He was raised by his full-blood Cherokee grandfather, a member of the Nighthawk Keetoowah Society, who taught Toby the traditions, religion and heritage of the Cherokees.
At an early age, Toby began to carve on wood that he gathered from the forests throughout his homeland. Equipped with just a knife and the teachings of his grandfather, he soon mastered the traditional art of carving. By cutting away and releasing the images in each piece of cedar or walnut, he creates carvings that give him great joy and help him to express his deep-rooted traditions and beliefs in the old ways of the Cherokee.
His creations range from inches-high figurines with incredible detail to traditional masks to large statues that measure several feet in height. Toby enjoys working at his cabin tucked away in the woods near the Illinois River.
He takes pride in Cherohawk Trading Co. a business he and his wife founded in 1993. His award winning artwork has been collected by people across the United States and abroad.
Valorie Hughes, Mohawk
Valorie was born in the Finger Lakes region of New York and moved to Oklahoma in 1984. She is a direct descendant of Mohawk Chief Thayendanegea, otherwise known as Joseph Brant, and takes great pride in her heritage.
Her love of working with leather and beads shows in her creations which subtly and intricately blend a myriad of hues in detailed patterns. Whether a traditional or contemporary piece of 3-dimensional art, her style is unique.
Left-handed and self-taught, she creates moccasins, jackets, dresses and pipebags, just to name a few. She enjoys beading around unique shaped clay pots, vases and trinket boxes, as well. Each piece is one-of-a-kind and can be seen at the giftshop in Tahlequah she owns with her husband.
