”When people think of the West, they don`t think of Kansas and Oklahoma,” says Gaylene Domer, who has opened a new shop, Wild Wild West, at 57 W. Erie St., specializing in cowboy and Indian art and cowboy gear from that area of the United States.
Domer has rounded up a passel of unusual collectibles from right off her grandpa`s farm in Atlanta, Kan.
These include a wide selection of steer skulls, pairs of weathered chaps and boots that she talked her partner, Uncle Butch Womacks, a working cowboy, out of, and the oddball item, such as an ashtray made of ”Longhorn steer backbone.”
Most sources for the cowboy gear and Indian art are her relatives, Domer says. ”My whole family, we`re part of Oklahoma,” she adds. ”My brother-in- law, who is Indian, lives in Hominy, Okla., along with my mom and my sisters, and they know where this stuff comes from.”
”I don`t buy anything commercial with the exception of some of the Indian jewelry,” she adds. ”The artwork is all from friends and
acquaintances.”
Domer will have a special exhibit and sale of her Indian jewelry, including belts, earrings and bracelets, through today.
Wild Wild West is open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Fridays, Saturday and Sundays. For more information, call 266-7744.
More Top Picks What To Expect After Heart Bypass Surgery