Rona Johnston started carving in 1980. She has traveled extensively and lived in many places around the U.S., giving her the opportunity to study the culture, arts and mythology of many tribes. Rona started volunteering for the Keepers in 1998 and became Secretary - Treasurer soon after.

 

Rona works in a variety of mediums from leather and beads to carving and jewelry. One of he favorite pipes is the eagle claw, which features the eagle protecting the egg, or the re-creation of life. After graduating from Pipestone High School, she traveled selling her beadwork, leatherwork and carvings all around the US and Canada.

 

 

After attending college, having children and moving to Alaska, Rona eventually moved back to Pipestone, Minnesota, where she met her current husband, Bud, and worked in preschools and at Keepers. Today she continues to teach by doing day programs at schools with the help of her family on American Indian subjects such as crafting, storytelling and American Indian dance. Rona and Bud have done classes on pipemaking in Europe and Australia and make custom order pipestone carvings for people from all over the world.