Beadwork is one of the most admired and traditional Native American art forms. Native American beadwork is sought-after for its often-vibrant colors, detailed designs, and beautiful patterns. You can find it in everything from jewelry and clothing to handbags and shoes.
The rich history of this American Indian art medium dates back to early tribes, who were weaving beaded designs before Europeans even arrived. Since its early form, beadwork has evolved significantly while still maintaining notoriety and popularity throughout North America and beyond. Let’s take a closer look at that progression to gain a better appreciation of authentic Native American beadwork.
Ornamental beadwork has always had an important place in Native American culture.
Beadwork began as a way for Native Americans to express themselves artistically that was compatible with their nomadic lifestyle. Patterns and designs were woven onto practical items, such as clothing, leather goods, horse tack, and jewelry, that could be easily packed up and moved. Distinctive beadwork styles were developed by individual native tribes.
Early beadwork was accomplished by carving natural materials into beads.
Native American bead artists used to be confined to using what they could find in their environment. Beads were made from natural stones (precious and not), bone, pearls, shells, and especially porcupine quills. Quills were popular to use as beads because they already had a hole to string them, eliminating some of the prep work. In fact, quillwork was considered a sacred art in and of itself. The process of creating beads from these materials was labor intensive, with artists using stone tools or abrasive sand to shape them and drill holes by hand.
When European settlers arrived, trade beads revolutionized Native American beadwork.
The Europeans brought over small glass beads to trade with native peoples, which made beadwork much faster and easier to complete. Artists were able to create more intricate and creative designs with different colors, patterns, and symbols. It is these colorful and elaborate designs for which American Indian beadwork has become known and prized.
At the Faust Gallery, we collect, display, celebrate, and sell an extensive selection of classic and contemporary Native American art and jewelry. Many of our pieces feature gorgeous beadwork and other unique designs that will add something special to your personal art or jewelry collection.
Shop our gallery online today or stop by in person to view our current exhibitions!