Another beadwork artist who is fusing a traditional and contemporary aesthetic? Sydne Gray, a Muscogee (Creek) artist from the Muscogee (Creek) Nation reservation in Tulsa, Oklahoma (her work has also been spotlighted on Reservation Dogs). Gray taught herself how to do beadwork growing up—she learned how to sew from her grandmother—and began finding her aesthetic while studying in college. “I desperately needed an outlet to reconnect me to my creativity, so I decided to buckle down and teach myself how to bead,” says Gray. Now, her pieces include unconventional designs like beaded flaming hearts, Daft Punk heads, and even Lactaid logos (poking fun at lactose intolerance amongst Indigenous folks). “I intend for humor and playfulness to be at the core of everything I make,” says Gray, who often looks to movies, music, or video games for inspiration. “I’ve always been a sucker for campy, over-the-top, exaggerated expressions. . . I don’t have any boundaries.”
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