To me, this is as exciting as breaking the story of Watergate. To Boulder Valley, this is the discovery of a real missing link in Boulder history, a picture of Chief Niwot (almost).

Santa Fe is home to photographer-artist Dona Bollard. Dona was declared the Best 2D Artist at the Boulder Art Fest. The competition was brutal and winning was a significant accomplishment. Of greatest interest to Boulderites is one of the subjects of her photographic masterpieces.

Boulderites generally know there is no image of Chief Niwot (Left Hand) extant. No painting, no photograph, and no other images of any kind have been discovered of this most famous and important Boulder Valley Native American. However, I discovered the next best thing! I was lucky to have spotted Dona’s photographs at the Art Fest and to have had a chance to talk to her. Her photographs include several jaw-dropping pictures of a direct blood descendant of Left Hand. I am splitting this story into two blogs so that I can display her wonderful “wet” photography, as well as tell the story behind portraits of Eldred Poisal, Dona’s subject and Chief Niwot’s direct blood descendant.

Dona works with chemistry in a darkroom and not with digital tools. The icing on the cake is her mastery of sepia toning. Sepia toning is the brownish-gold tint which she applies to many of her photographs. It is accomplished in the darkroom as an additional stage in the processing of the enlargement.

The Story of Eldred Poisal and his familial connection to our Chief Niwot is for tomorrow, along with more photographs. For today, here is one of Dona Bollard’s fabulous images of this direct descendant of our most famous Chief. Here is our best clue so far to the real face of Boulder’s early leader.

pic of Eldred Poisal by and courtesy of Dona Bollard

I am saving the story that connects Left Hand and Eldred. That is a blog in and of itself!

Lenny Lensworth Frieling

Shared Knowledge Is Power!

Leonard Frieling Pen Of Justice

• Multi-published and syndicated blogger and author.
• University lectures at University. of Colorado, Boulder, Denver University Law School, Univ. of New Mexico, Las Vegas NM, and many other schools at all levels. Numerous lectures for the NORML Legal Committee
• Former Judge
• Media work, including episodes of Fox’s Power of Attorney, well in excess of many hundreds media interviews, appearances, articles, and podcasts, including co-hosting Time For Hemp for two years.
• Life Member, NORML Legal Committee, Distinguished Counsel Circle.
• Photographer of the Year, AboutBoulder 2023
• First Chair and Originator of the Colorado Bar Association’s Cannabis Law Committee, a National first.
• Previous Chair, Boulder Criminal Defense Bar (8 years)
• Twice chair Executive Counsel, Colorado Bar Association Criminal Law Section
• Life Member, Colorado Criminal Defense Bar
• Board Member Emeritus, Colorado NORML, and prior chair during legalization, as well as pre and post legalization
• Chair, Colorado NORML, 7 years including during the successful effort to legalize recreational pot in Colorado
• Senior Counsel Emeritus to the Boulder Law firm Dolan + Zimmerman LLP : (720)-610-0951
• Board member, Author, and Editor for Criminal Law Articles for the Colorado Lawyer, primary publication of the Colorado Bar Assoc. 7 Years, in addition to having 2 Colorado Lawyer cover photos, and numerous articles for the Colorado Lawyer monthly publication.
• http://www.Lfrieling.com