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Daniel Bigay is an Artist, Flute Maker, and Performer/Recording artist. He is an enrolled member of the Echota Cherokee Tribe. Daniel has been creating traditional and contemporary Native American Art for over 25 years. Daniel’s flutes and gourd art have won awards at Native American fine art shows across the country. Daniel’s flutes are played by many nationally known Native American recording artists, and his flutes and art pieces are in museums and private collections around the world. As a performer Daniel has two Native American Flute CD’s that have been nationally released. His CD, "Bird Songs" received a nomination for best flute recording at the 2005 Indian Summer Music Awards. Daniel has performed flute music and demonstrated flute making and gourd carving at powwows, art shows, and cultural festivals across the country. “As a flute maker, I began by making traditional Rivercane flutes, and later making flutes out of the many different woods that are native to the area we live. I then started to incorporate inlayed stone, shell and metal into my wooden flutes. The designs I use mainly come from ancient Mississippian designs that are unique to tribes in the Southeast. I also draw inspiration from our traditional Cherokee stories, and I sometimes depict scenes from these stories in my inlay designs and carvings.” “I believe that the Native American Indian flute is one of the most unique and beautiful sounding instruments in the world. Native flutes are one of the oldest instruments on earth. They have been a part of Cherokee and other southeastern Indian culture dating back to ancient times. Being a flute player as well as a maker, I strive to make a beautiful sounding flute that plays well, as well as being a piece of art. One of the things I love the most about flute making and carving is continuing art forms that are rooted so far into the past. For me, my artwork is a way of preserving and continuing our culture, and honoring the ancestors that gave us our way of life." Daniel and his wife, Kay live in the Smoky Mountain area in Eastern Tennessee, where they are full time artists. Daniel is a member of the Indian Arts and Crafts Association Siyo, my name is Kay LittleJohn. My husband, Danny Bigay and I live in the Blue Ridge Mountains that border Tennessee and North Carolina, where the Appalachian Trail runs. Our ancestors called these Mountains the Blue Wall. If you were to see these Mountains from a distance, you would understand why. Now I grew up listening to stories being told by father. My father was a natural born storyteller.  That is where my love of story telling was borne. My father not only told me stories, he also imparted some of his knowledge and understanding of our native culture, which is still a part of me today. My father was also a well known flute maker, Hawk LittleJohn.  So, I had the good fortune of being exposed to all aspects of his flute making and his own style of flute playing (which I loved).  I have such wonderful memories of my father, who was such a strong influence in my life.  He will always live on in my heart and memories. I not only tell stories, I also create web sites for folks.  I'm a web site developer (Paint Creek Web Creations).  I have walked in two worlds (technology vs art) for a long time and even though these worlds can be very different, they both allow me to be creative and to live a life style that is simple and filled with such beauty.    I welcome you here and I hope you enjoy our web site.  Ski. Here are some pictures taken of the mountain (Bald Mountain, TN)  and the creek (Upper Paint Creek) where we live. We hope you enjoy them.

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