Balance
The artworks in this section express an attention to balance both aesthetically and conceptually. The medallions by Heron Hill Designs show an exceptional fusing of two artists’ work and multiple mediums. Further, the heron and bear fishing scenes express a sense of balance in the ecosystem. Awanigiizhik’s necklace melds together practices and materials from the past with those of the now and the future to illustrate the continuity and innovation inherent in their work. Joel Hernández’s work brings together his Navajo and Lakota backgrounds, while also creating a sense of aesthetic balance through its perfect symmetry. Similarly, Amy Deer’s jewelry brings together quillwork and beadwork, each medium complementing and flowing seamlessly from the other. Through thoughtful placement of materials and fusing of ideas, these artists create a sense of balance that draws viewers in and asks them to approach each piece from a new perspective.
In a captivating combination of birchbark painting and beadwork these medallions bring to life three contemplative scenes of bears among fish and anemone flowers and a heron among cattails. As a collective, Daniel and Joey of Heron Hill Designs combine their artistry to create harmonious works–Joey beading and Daniel painting. The Heron Hill Designs collective might start by planning out the combination of colors along the edge, choosing warm, earthy jewel tones to bring a vibrancy and vitality to the piece. Drawing inspiration from illustrative styles of flowers and traditional woodland floral designs, Daniel will begin sketching a scene to paint on birchbark. Sometimes Joey will also draft sketches and Daniel will refine them. With each work they produce, they add the design to their database, creating a future resource to rely on as they build their artistic practice and share their knowledge with their communities.
Clockwise left to right:
(Bear Fishing Medallion) Giiyose Giigoohn, 2020 Seed beads, birchbark, leather, and acrylic paint
(Bear Among Anemone Medallion) Waapshki Waabagooni Manidoo, 2020, Seed beads, birchbark, leather, and acrylic paint
(Heron Among Cattails Medallion) Zhashagi Chiwajiw Indizhinikaaz, 2020 Seed beads, birchbark, leather, and acrylic paint
Turtle Mountain Chippewa
Aanikoobijiganag
Aanikoobijigan is thought of as an infinite string that connects and ties us all together. The word “Aanikoobijiganag” represents the encompassing idea of both our ancestors and descendants. This microelectronics jewelry piece offers a real sense of Aanikoobijiganag. It’s based on medicine necklaces and loop necklaces found all around the Northern Plains. The necklace elements represent the past (antique trade beads, dentalium, coral, turquoise, and silverberry seeds) and future (LEDs and gold beaded wrapped red wires).
In Anishinaabek culture, we say our people come from the stars; the LEDs are reminiscent of those luminary beings akin to our star relatives coming into and leaving their human lives via Bagone-Giizhig (Hole in the Sky). The LEDs figuratively represent individuals in an interconnected timeline of Aanikoobijigan. Similar to the individuality of our relatives, the LEDs are sound-reactive to speech and music, while animating, glowing, dimming, and changing colors. There are brass bells that are beaded onto the necklace to help create sound for a dynamic-sound-listening-reacting potential action for the microphone of the computer chip and the animations of the LEDs.
The high-resolution screen display slideshows pictures of our ancestors and our living relatives with a specific focus to Awanigiizhik’s relatives. Each slide represents Indigenous leadership, resistance, resilience, history, and excellence, within the stories of the Nehiyaw-Pwat kinship/confederacy. The 3D printed thunderbird computer chip case references a powerful spirit helper and the National icon for the Anishinaabek. The thunderbird represents power, electricity, and changes, which is fitting for an Indigenous Futuristic art piece. There are thunderbolt buttons on the wings of the thunderbird case which powers off the device, while the other single click skips through each picture slide.
2022
Microcontroller computer chip, fairy LEDs, 3D-printed thunderbird case, antique trade beads, glass beads, dentalium shells, coral, turquoise, leather, vinyl electrical tape, nylon string, and brass bells.
28” x 10” x 3”
Turquoise and White Shell Cabochons Set
Navajo & Sicangu Lakota
Glass beads, bone beads, turquoise and white shell cabochons
Fine lines of white, teal, and metallic pink seed beads encircle turquoise and white shell cabochons in this earring and necklace set. This exquisite blend of materials is reflective of artist Joel Hernadez’s communities: Diné (Navajo) and Sincangu Lakota. In particular, Hernadez’s artistic practice is influenced by his grandmother who was a master weaver. As a kid, he would watch her design her rugs and weave. Eventually, she even asked him to help her with a design. Although he works in a different medium than his grandmother, her design and color teachings continue to guide his work. Drawing inspiration from “everyday little things” combined with teachings from his grandmother and mentors, Hernandez creates unique art representative of his identities and the world around him.
Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska & Sicangu Lakota
In these works, Amy Deer balances beads and quills to create a stunning necklace set and barrette and earring set. Deer often uses these different techniques in her work. “Beading and quilling brings out my creativity, and I am always looking to improve my skills with each technique,” she says. She used to join her mother as a vendor at local powwows and events. Now, on a weekly basis, she joins virtual beading and sewing groups such as Bead Night to finish up projects for loved ones. She says, “It feels good to know that others enjoy the items that I make and that some also come to me to learn.”
Size 11 seed beads, quills, brain tanned smoked deer hide, glass beads, bone
Barrette and Earring Set, 2022
Size 11 seed beads, natural quills, acrylic gem, brain tanned smoked deer hide.