Lehi ThunderVoice Eagle
ThunderVoice Hat Co. (@thundervoicehatco) on Instagram
This month we are shining a light on Lehi ThunderVoice Eagle. Lehi is a Navajo/Totonoc Indigenous painter, clothing designer, and owner of ThunderVoice Hat Co. We are honored to cover a sample of Lehi’s works and take you on a journey of his start and his work as a modern-day trailblazing artist.
In an interview with issuu, “ThunderVoice grew up in the Arizona wilderness, living off the land for most of his life.” He says his parents played a big part and taught him how to survive in the wild at a very young age. He learned many skills and stories along the way that he carried with him on his path. ThunderVoice Eagle says these skills and stories are what shaped him, his brand, fashion, and art into what it is today. He has stated that it is like living between two worlds. What he was creating was a blend of ancient and modern styles.
His story of growing up in nature collaborates with his art. His paintings tell these “stories” well by mixing vintage and rustic stylized artistic mediums into a modern look. His art also upholds its roots in the past in a breathtaking way. As well as creating visual art, through his website he also runs ThunderVoice Hat Co.
Lehi started his company after realizing the damaging effects of fast fashion and how things are wasted and damaged along the way. He states, “living off the land, goods are abundantly at your disposal”. And not using these and the impact is very clear. He set out with a desire to clothe people in dignity and reclaim what already exists into something beautiful. Over the years he collected materials, leathers, old vintage shirts, and coins. These tattered and second-hand elements are curated to make the vast aesthetic array of ThunderVoice Eagle Co. hats, jewelry, and apparel. “They are a true test of time to show we can recycle and resume items of creation,” ThunderVoice Eagle says. They repurpose the famous Navajo brim hat, which has spanned through the ages, as a reminder of generations past. Each hat is found from hand-sourced then steamed and shaped, (in a way that shows good ability to create interesting new things) visioned, and thoughtfully made. Each hat holds stories, purpose, and hope.
ThunderVoice Hat Co. is highly community-driven. They are mostly a family business. ThunderVoice donated quite a bit of ”his” sales to people in need right when the COVID-19 pandemic broke out. They had to make big changes and start facing things “head-on”, but also used their products for the greater good along with working with the community.
Quoted from Native Max Magazine - Fashion and Art Issue 2020 - ThunderVoice Said,
“Like my mother always says, the Diné language is one of kinship. We are we. Investing in family and my people has been a foundational part of my company; most of my employees are family members. When COVID-19 hit, we had an opportunity to pivot into a greater and more sustainable way of investing in my area of Navajo Nation: Gap / Bodaway. My sister Alicia Martin and her family are on the ground delivering water, supplying food, checking in with elders, and pursuing a sustainable way of filling needs every single day. We are honored to support them and follow their lead. We are nothing without our community, and we recognize that.”
ThunderVoice’s art style is a mix of vintage and modern styles from the way he dresses to the way he paints; you can see he represents his culture and the Navajo nation in a positive way. They are a community-driven company and are branching out in many ways to help their families and communities within their city! If you visit his work at https://www.thundervoicehatco.com/ you will find his artwork, clothing, and hats preserving the Indigenous culture and traditions while intentionally colliding fashion and modern style with a vintage look!
Blog by Marshall Purvis
Lehi ThunderVoice Eagle, Native American Gothic, 2018. $48
References:
“ThunderVoice Eagle: Native American Artist.” ThunderVoice Hat Co. Accessed May 14, 2021. https://www.thundervoicehatco.com/.
“INTERVIEW: LEHI THUNDER VOICE EAGLE.” issuu. from Native Max Magazine - Fashion & Art Issue 2020by Native Max Magazine, September 23, 2020. https://issuu.com/thenativemaxmagazine/docs/native_max_magazine_digital-september_october_2020/s/11034364.