Darryl Peasley - Vermont Abenaki Artists Association

Enrolled citizen of the Nulhegan Band of the Coosuk Abenaki Nation

Juried artist since 2021 – Craftsman

Darryl Peasley lives in Contoocook, NH and is an enrolled citizen of the Nulhegan Band of the Coosuk Abenaki Nation. Darryl served two terms on the NH Commission on Native American Affairs. He served as the chair of the Arts and Crafts committee and as Vice Chair of the Commission during his final term. Darryl is co-Founder of the Nulhegan Abenaki tribe’s Abenaki Trails Project that was founded in 2020. The project endeavors to educate the public as to the positive influences the Abenaki people have bestowed upon N’dakinna past and present and, along the way, showcase Abenaki artistry in all its forms.

Darryl is, for the most part, a self-taught arts and crafts person who creates contemporary/Traditional style pieces. He uses his imagination to make his pouches, dance sticks, and hats come to life.

Darryl started in 2003 by creating pouches. Deer skin with fringe with some edge beading, He made some dance sticks from tree branches that spoke to him and a turtle shell purse from a turtle shell that said …make me into something special and that’s what he did. Darryl started vending at Powwows and found that people really liked his work. Then Darryl introduced top hats and derbies to the Powwow circuit at a New Hampshire Intertribal Council event. Soon Darryl was known as “The Hat Guy.”

Darryl is currently serving an apprenticeship as a birchbark canoe maker.

Darryl was awarded a NH Council for the Arts Folk Art scholarship that allowed him to apprentice under master bead worker Debbie Bazin Dostie. During his apprenticeship Darryl demonstrated loom beading at Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum during several of their events.

Artist Statement

I like to let my imagination be my guide while I’m creating an item. Whether, I’m sewing a pouch or beading a hat band, if it doesn’t speak to me, how is it ever going to speak to anyone else?

I enjoy working with all sorts of media. I use leather, bone, glass beads and feathers. I use bone beads to create choker style hat bands. I use leather to create the different style pouches or a hat band and glass beads to put a decorative edge on a pouch or hat band. I like creating loom pieces on the loom I made for my apprenticeship.

My biggest joy is when someone sees one of my creations and they enjoy it as much as I do…that makes my day!