beaded bag with elk design, unrecorded Flathead 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.

Archive Label, date unknown:
This is an example of the Northwest translation and elaboration of Great Lakes curved floral and representational designs, resulting in fully beaded picture bags.

Archive label, date unknown:
Beadwork of the Flathead Indians
The elaborately beaded bag and the man's belt shown here were obtained in 1917 at the Flathead Indian reservation in Montana. The naturalistic deer on the bag is a fine example of a contour stitch used to create a three-dimensional effect.
Faceted beads were used on the belt and an unusual heart design is depicted. The "overlay" stitch was used to create a flat and precise appearance.