pair of beaded gauntlets (gloves), unrecorded Dakelh artist

Exhibition Label:
"Roots and Journeys: Encountering Global Arts and Cultures," Jun-2013, Cassandra Mesick
The gently curved lines and naturalistic representations on this beadwork contrast with the sharp angles and abstract geometric motifs characteristic of examples from the Great Plains. Although handcrafted in the Northwest Plateau, these objects merge varied aesthetic traditions to create a new fusion of styles. The soft undulations of the bag’s blooming vine echo renowned floral beadwork bags from the Great Lakes region. The subtly shaded butterflies and flowers on the fringed gauntlets draw inspiration, in style and content, from the French needlepoint tradition that was pervasive in many areas of Canada at the turn of the 20th century. Pieces like this also reciprocally influenced emerging American styles: famous sharpshooter Annie Oakley popularized gloves like these, which are now iconic symbols of the American West in the late 1800s.