Baker’s buffalo charts ‘Path of Life’

Billy Drown

Published: Wednesday, May 27th, 2009

Mata Dewald Baker paints on her buffalo, titled, “Path of Life.”

        Born and raised in the Black Hills, Mata Dewald Baker, Hermosa, has spent countless hours admiring the wildlife and wildflowers of the Hills. One local creature that always fascinated her was the buffalo.  Now, with her business, Sylvan Originals, buffalo are Baker’s lifeline, just as once buffalo were the lifeline of the Native Americans. To signify how important they were to the Native Americans, Baker created a piece, “Path of Life,” for the fifth annual Custer Buffalo Stampede Art Auction.