Meet the Artist
Hepela! (Happy to See You!)
My name in English is Suzanne; in Lakota it is Tanka Waste Win (Good Spirit Woman). I started my passion for beads at the age of nine, when I discovered a small craft and consignment shop in the Bitterroot Valley of western Montana where I grew up. The shop owner, a respected Blackfeet elder and artist, gave beadwork classes there, and I was a regular student. Through this shop I met many other elders, from many different tribes, who all influenced my growth in beadwork and helped guide my skills to where I am now. I moved up very quickly from bracelets and bookmarks to full-scale cradleboards, dresses and powwow jewelry, eventually winning many ribbons at fairs and local craft shows. Then while I was in college studying Performing Arts, I launched the first version of my Etsy shop to sell my beadwork to help pay for college bills, and the amazing journey of business ownership began.
Most of my Native heritage is Oglala Lakota, but our family also has some Cherokee blood (pre-Trail of Tears) and Nansemond, a very old New England tribe. We also have Scottish, English, German, and Danish blood as well. I do not have tribal enrollment with any of these tribes, so per the requirements of the American Indian Arts and Crafts Act, I cannot list my work as "authentic Native American made". But I do have Native American blood, I am proud of my Native heritage, I learned from my tribal elders the art of traditional beadwork techniques, and I work hard for the highest quality in my work, so I feel that my work is just as good as AIACA protected authentic crafts, even without a tribal card (or the 'authentic' price tag).
I'm not a fan of the blood quantum thing, as you can imagine - I was taught that its nothing more than a tool, created by colonizers, to cause us to turn against one another, and an excuse to discriminate against Mixed-Race Indigenous peoples like me. I may not have enrollment, nor a CIB, but that doesn't make me less Indigenous, and it doesn't give anyone the right to tell me what they think I am or am not. I know who I am, and I'm proud of it!
Every single item I produce is crafted with love, care, respect and excitement. I burn smudge, play fun music or movies in the background, and pray and sing while I work, so that good energy is flowing in the veins of every project. I smudge and cleanse every item I produce so that it carries good energy to the future buyer; I especially pray for items that contain raw materials with an unknown source (like some commercially-tanned buckskins I use), so that whatever the method that material may have been harvested in, it knows that its future use will be more positive and respectful. Some bad things can slip through sometimes, that's just life, right? But with respectful prayer and intent, that bad beginning can be turned around and used for something positive. Some of the most powerful medicine items I have with me had very negative and disrespected beginnings. Prayer changes energy.
I use only the highest quality raw materials I can find. I use solid glass or metal beads - no plastic or painted-on colors to rub off with use. I only use buckskin, leathers, fur, feathers and other animal products from responsible and respectful sources, sustainable and renewable, and often local sources when I can. I like to buy from vendors and local suppliers at powwows and craft shows; then I know my crafts support other home-based endeavors and creative people like myself.
Every piece I craft has meaning and energy within it, from every element within the design, to the colors chosen, to the numbers represented in repeating motifs and stitches. Above anything else, Lakota beadwork and art is a spiritual undertaking, and every design represents a vision, a reflection of the beauty and respect of creation. I mainly work in Lakota style and use their traditional materials when crafting pieces. But occasionally I'll try my hand at other tribal and regional styles for a bit of branching out and flexing my creative skills; it’s a great opportunity to learn about other tribes' tastes and cultures, and to meet new artists and learn something of their visions, and the way they see and respect the world. Diversity leads to education and respect, and it also helps me understand other artists' visions more when they come to me with requests for custom orders. The rugged landscape and wildlife of my shop's founding hometown, Missoula, Montana, has long been a source of inspiration for my designs, and now recently with my move to the Puget Sound area, I've been exploring and learning about the tribal styles of the Pacific Northwest, like the Tlingit , Aleut and Haida. Their sea creature designs are breathtaking, and I hope to incorporate some of that amazing sense of freedom and boldness into my own work.
With my crazy Pug, Indigo, I look forward to time in the workshop every day, crafting meaningful pieces that will bring joy to peoples across the globe. We now have a regular worldwide market and I'm thrilled to share my heritage and the beauty my elders taught me with other cultures and countries. Currently the work in my own shop shares my attention with my day jobs and other enterprises; but with your support and referrals, I hope that in the near future, Bead BeCharmed will become my sole job and livelihood. Wonderful supporters, patrons and clients like you will make that dream possible, so thank you for your support and purchases, and we look forward to seeing you again!
Pilameyah Ye!
Suzanne and Indy
