A Curated Retrospective of Beadwork We’ve Made

Spanning decades, mediums, and stories, this collection brings together pieces we've created - some from patterns, some original, some made by request. Each one reflects a moment in time, a memory, or a connection. This is our threadwork of everyday life, shared with gratitude.
 

Michelle is a mixed Native artist, descended through her maternal grandfather, who was Chickamauga and Shawnee. She also carries Germanic and Scandinavian roots, which she draws inspiration from in her work. She first began beading over 40?! years ago, inspired by extended Native family, but set it aside for many years while exploring other art forms. After living overseas and working across multiple mediums, she returned to beadwork in recent years through community and with her daughter’s Lakota relatives, where the tradition remains strong.
 

Michelle creates every day. Her work isn’t based on traditional Native patterns, but each piece is a deeply personal expression - rooted in story, place, and lived experience. Santa Cruz coastlines, redwood light, and the rhythm of memory all find their way into her designs. She beads on a loom or stitches freehand, letting the materials guide her. Glass is her favorite medium and she has also created some of her own beads, using glass fusion techniques.  In addition to beadwork, Michelle enjoys painting, sculpting, fiber arts, and digital illustration. Her creative life is both exploratory and grounded in memory, culture, and connection.
 

Calvin is a full-blood Lakota and a direct descendant of the chiefs mentioned here on our site dedicated to Wounded Knee descendants and their true history.  Calvin enjoys working with traditional materials.

Their daughter, Lily, is also Lakota, continuing the family’s creative and cultural legacy. Painting is her favorite medium. Adrienne, Michelle’s elder daughter, is Native and Italian, enjoys ceramics and paper quilling, adding her own heritage and voice to the family’s shared artistic path.
 

These pieces are personal expressions made with respect and memory, but not created for ceremonial use. They're intended as heirloom keepsakes, made to be carried, worn, and hopefully passed down through generations.
 

Thank you for supporting Indigenous artists, living culture and keeping our history and traditions alive. Testimonials are coming soon.