This Is Our Story
Coyote Blu Arts & Design creates hand-crafted, one-of-a-kind walking sticks and hiking staffs through the collaborative effort of Journeyman Toolmaker & Woodsman Steve Catron and Designer & Artist Lynn Antonoplos.
Married over 20 years, Steve and Lynn combine their unique strengths to create each piece. The creative process begins with foraging for fallen branches in the forested hills of central Wisconsin. Birch, Oak, Pine and Wild Cherry are all salvaged from the forest floor along the trails.
The process from woodland hike to finished piece takes many months. Once the perfect branch has been found, it is then steamed, straightened and stripped of bark. Steve has designed and built customized tools for these processes, including steam boxes and a bowyer's bench for planing the branches. These hand-crafted tools ensure the quality of each piece shines through.​
​Once the branch is ready, Lynn then concepts a unique theme, color pallet and design. She then hand-paints each piece in a self-developed style that is a combination of American Folk Art and Middle Eastern Mandala that she calls New American Mandala.
​The sticks are sun dried and wrapped with sueded cords to ensure long term bright colors and hiking comfort for years to come.
We finish the process by placing a custom-made brand on the top of each stick; signifying the care and craftsmanship that goes into each Coyote Blu piece.
