SWAIA ARTIST Profile

Vashti Etzel

Name
Vashti Etzel
Tribe
Ross River Dena Council
Juried Classification(s)
Beadwork / Quillwork
Diverse Arts

SWAIA Booth History

SFIM25
WIM24
SFIM24
CP 15
Portfolio Example & Artist Statement
Vashti Etzel

I create art by using traditional materials and contemporary designs. I support Indigenous families by purchasing smoked hometan hide or caribou hair. I harvest the porcupine quills myself, dye the quills and dye caribou hair myself using rit dye. My technique begins by transferring my design onto the hide, single stitch applique beadwork of the outline and filling in the empty spaces with beads, porcupine quills or caribou hair tufting. Sometimes, I a design with caribou hair tufting with picot beaded edging for an earring. Caribou hair tufting is snipping off a bundle of hairs from the hide and sewing it onto your material by placing the bundle into a loop that is sewn through the material, you then pull the sinew that is often used to secure the hairs and then tie a knot. The hairs will fluff up and then you are ready to shape and tuft your design. Sometimes I use flat stitch zigzag quill work or sew hollow quills onto the empty space and carefully cut into the right size and shape

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