Rena on the cover of Native Peoples, Summer 1993

Hi.  When we set up Comanche Design, we had a special goal in mind.  It is our dream to bring the beautiful beadwork and artwork of our special family to the Internet.  That is, we plan to start with our family, and then we hope to expand to include other Native artists on our site and in our presentations.  Through our internet connections, on Ebay and on our site www.comanchedesign.com, we hope to help Native artists who would usually only be able to market their products at powwows and through word of mouth to reach a much larger audience.

Our Family

The matriarch of our family is Rena DuPoint, known across the USA for her wonderful beadwork and her Comanche dresses. Featured on the cover of Native People's magazine in the Summer, 1993 issue, Mrs. DuPoint's beadwork can be found in many places, from the Comanche Museum, to the Comanche Tourist Center, and in the homes and regalia of many powwow dancers.  It is our plan to bring her story and her beadwork to the internet later this summer.  For a very good look at a Comanche style dress, we have put a picture of Tavia in a dress Rena made on this site.  Rena's grandaughter, featured with Rena on the Native People's Magazine cover, is wearing a child's dress.  Rena also makes the children's dresses.  The dresses come complete with leggings.  They are made of elkskin.  Rena also makes fans like the one Tavia holds in her photo.  It takes about 3 weeks to make a basic dress with leggings. 

Her granddaughter, Tavia Torralba, is also making a name for herself with her beadwork. Tavia has danced for many years in a number of powwows and is a very accomplished beadworker.  She does a lot of freestyle beading.  Tavia made the crown and other beaded items she is wearing in her picture.  Her grandmother made the dress and the fan.

Then there is Gloria Torralba, James' ex-wife, whose perfect loomwork has made her work legend.  Gloria takes special pride in her workmanship and her designs are beautiful.

Last in the lineup, but not least, is Rena's son, James,  who paints under the name of Thŭ∙pă∙nă ©.    His paintings will be part of our focus on Comanche Design.

Tavia in full regalia

Our Very first Product

On a December day back in 1989, James was doodling with pastels on an art sheet.  He wasn't sure what he wanted to draw, so he just doodled.  He kept the resulting picture in his portfolio thinking it would never amount to anything.

Years later, in 2005, he met Penni.  He hung the "doodle" on the wall thinking it would at least take up space in the bedroom of the tiny house.  As luck would have it, Penni fell in love with the picture so he gave it to her.  The more she looked at it, the more she thought it would look good on a shirt.

Penni paints too, mostly in acryllics and often on shirts.  After talking to James about it, they agreed that this would make a great first product for his new company, Comanche Design. 

So that is how our first product came about.  It will be followed by more shirts and this summer, as soon as we can get back to Oklahoma to pick up the products Gloria, his ex-wife, Tavia, his daughter, and Rena, his mother are working on, we will have a lot more products for your enjoyment. 

This first product, which is in the process of being produced, will be offered on Ebay within the next week.  At present, that is the main place we intend to market it.

We are also working on our website, www.comanchedesign.com.  It is not up yet, but soon will be so watch our blog for our opening date.  At present, the primary place to find our products will be on Ebay.  Hopefully, when we get enough products and enough points, we can open an Ebay store.

 Our first product, the shirt, is on sale now on Ebay.  However, we are having a problem coming up with a name for the shirt, so we are asking for help. 

If you are interested in naming the shirt, we are having a promotion -- to "Name The Shirt".  The person who submits the winning name will get a free shirt.   To enter the promotion, just go to www.comanchedesign.com/promo and submit your suggested title . Or you can contact us through our Ebay ID.