Mechael Charbonneau

Plains-to-Great Lakes Beadwork Styles

Plains-to-Great Lakes Beadwork Styles

“Plains-to-Great Lakes Beadwork Styles” displays five Native American beadwork patterns from two distinct geographical regions. All seven strips were done by hand using the flat square stitch, an off-loom technique that resembles beadwork woven on a loom. The individual strips were then sewn together to create the final 4 x 6 framed art piece. Two plains-style patterns appear on the left and two woodland-style patterns on the right -- a smaller strip done in a contemporary pattern separates each pair. The middle beaded strip with a black background is an Anishinaabe (Ojibwe/Chippewa) pattern that I added to recognize and honor my husband’s indigenous roots. While I chose to work all of the patterns in red, black and white beads, these do not represent the traditional color preferences.

Mechael Charbonneau