Stars align for Tony Whitecrow
Alan Jackson. Jane Seymour. Reba McIntyre. Dennis Hopper. Tanya Tucker. Bill Richardson. Elaine Miles.
Those are just a few names on Tony Whitrecrow’s client list and they represent a proverbial drop in the bucket of an overwhelmingly colorful collection of successful American performers who have turned to him for his master craftsmanship. At Tony Whitecrow’s Deerskin Art & Western Collectables shop in Taos, designing and crafting custom jean jackets, skirts, halter-tops, long coats, full-length dresses, bags, purses, film and television outfits, and more... has been the order of the day for more than 35 years. It’s important to understand that, as a mere ordinary man in our culture, this writer is representative of an amalgamation of clients that outnumbers the Vanna Whites of this world (Yes, Vanna knows Tony’s work as well) by a factor of ten-thousand! Famous or not, Mr. Whitecrow considers all of his clientele to be esteemed.
But as to how a designer and master craftsman develops a knack for catching the eyes, hearts, imaginations of famous actors, performers, and personalities across the country and beyond, the answer, in my humble opinion, is simply this: By being a star himself. That’s how. You see, a third-generation descendant of Italian tailors who hail from Calabria, Italy, via Washington D.C., doesn’t commonly leave his roots, head west, start anew, embrace Tribal American history and culture, and change his last name based on the visions of a native guide who identified him in a past life. Hence Tony Whitecrow. And that folks, is some heavy spiritual lifting. Many among us who have claimed victory over the trials and tribulations of their lives will attest that our journey through this physicality is intended to deliver us as grounded, egoless, compassionate beings. When meeting Mr. Whitecrow in his shop just off the Taos Plaza last week, I met a man who achieved, then traveled, searching outward, and then inward; a man who got answers, became grounded, and then achieved some more. Even without having yet learned that Mr. Whitecrow was a SAG/AFTRA cardcarrying actor who worked under
Steven Spielberg’s direction on a Western television miniseries entitled “Into The West,” and who also played a drug addict on the hit series “Breaking Bad,” among many other roles over the years... this writer saw a star. So the answer to the question posed at the top of this paragraph, is: A lot of stars see him that way too. I don’t mind saying that you need to come and see him in order to find out what you’ll see.
But even if he happens to be on a consult around town, or at lunch with a client (such as former New Mexico Governor and Democratic presidential nominee-hopeful Bill Richardson) when you stop by, worry not: There’s another way to connect with him. Just look at the work hanging on the walls, sitting atop pedestals, and adorning the countertops in his shop. It was once written that, when Tony Whitecrow has 6 deerskins and 5-cents, he feels rich. And the wealth shows. “I want to do something positive every single day. “This is the key to the other side of the door of negativity,” Tony explains to me. “Art allows me to be a contributor to the world, and to this spiritually artistic and ancestrally tethered rural community that I love.”
Hence, visiting and experiencing Tony Whitecrow’s Deerskin Art & Western Collectables is a little more personal than one would think achievable through the design and display of custom-made clothing, bedding, dresses, jackets, photographs, art, accessories, and more.
Tony’s Shop is located at 108A Doña Luz, just a short block west of the historic Taos Plaza.