From Saddles to Sacred Art: Stephen Huyler's Journey from Ojai to India

How does a shy, artistic boy raised in a family of hard-bitten Jackson Hole cowboys become one of the world’s most insightful guides to India’s sacred and tribal arts?In this episode of Ojai Talk of the Town, Dr. Stephen Huyler joins me to talk about his extraordinary new book, Transformed by India: A Life — his seventh, but the first to tell his own story. Huyler recounts growing up in Ojai as the son of Thacher School’s legendary horseman, "Uncle" Jack Huyler, and the pivotal moment when artist Beatrice Wood recognized his kindred spirit and nudged him toward India. That chance encouragement led to a lifetime of scholarship, deep friendships with Indian artists and tribal communities, and a career bridging East and West.We talk about his early encounters — from leading a beloved horse to its burial pit as a boy, to pedaling a rickshaw across the Indian border on his 20th birthday — and how those experiences forged a life of empathy, resilience, and wonder. Along the way, Huyler shares how India’s remarkable generosity reshaped his own sense of self, and why its arts and crafts remain vital expressions of humanity today.Transformed by India has already earned acclaim in India, the UK, and the U.S., with a foreword by the Dalai Lama and an audiobook version narrated by Huyler himself. Join us for a conversation about art, identity, rebellion, and the redemptive power of culture.We did not talk about cooking with scallion oil, William F. Buckley Jr. or the Brewers-Cubs rivalry. For more information, check out Dr. Huyler's website at https://stephenhuyler.com/