Fringe
For most of my life I have found myself drawn to the idea of self-adornment. Constantly curating and growing my personal earring collection when attending powwows and supporting and uplifting other Native American artists while doing so. Through this I have created a wealth of inspiration that I bring with me wherever I go. A different pair of earrings for every day of the month. My collection of beaded earrings has given me so much inspiration for the kind of textile work that I create.
Over the past three years my art has been based off this idea of the body and adornment. I began looking into the kinds of clothing within Native American history and culture, as well as how it has evolved and changed over time. How other creatives are furthering and challenging how people view Native American art and jewelry in a contemporary lens. With Native American Fashion week celebrating Native fashion and artists, I find myself completely inspired by what is happening in Native art and am excited to be apart of it. I enjoy creating work that celebrates traditional material and history. Creating art that celebrates who we are as people today and the beauty of our cultures.
Using canvas as my primary medium, I fold, cut and dye each piece to create work that is pulling from Native American powwow regalia and the traditional Irish brat cloak. With the base of the work being created with fringe or pleating, I then incorporate different beading techniques, jingle cones, artificial sinew and other items of embellishment. These objects are then meticulously added to each piece to create the finished work. By using these traditional materials, I have created my own contemporary visual language of adornment.