I bead with glass beads on broadcloth wool. Using various techniques I create beaded paintings, jewelry and other adornment objects. My tribe, the Osage Nation, holds ceremonial dances each year in June where we dress in traditional regalia, much of which is made from these same materials I use to create my works. I was taught bead work by the long time IAIA instructor, my mother, Wendy Ponca as well as many of her students. I began making beaded works of regalia, moved to creating contemporary jewelry, and finally transitioned to the easel/2D work of beaded painting. I gained my degree in painting which made this technical and conceptual transition a natural path in my practice. I continue to paint with oil paint in addition to my beaded works. The paintings, all (beaded and oil paint), focus on an investigation of color and the psyche and how our cultural markers and symbols frame our perspective and understanding of living.
