Treefrog Beads

Look at the exquisite workmanship and color choices in this piece!

Signs of spring, like the buzzing of dragonflies and blossoming flowers, are popping up in the Northern hemisphere. What signals the changing season in your community? 🌷

Dyanni Youngbear Smith is a Diné (Navajo) artist and powwow dancer who lives in Oklahoma with her children. While attending a powwow, a dragonfly landed on her purse. Its translucent wings looked like stained glass, and this colorfully beaded purse was inspired by that moment.

Smith's multi award-winning artwork may have been inspired by a singular moment, but its design and materials were very much a family affair. Even though the purse was not meant to be functional, the antique brass clasp on the purse was a gift from the artist's aunt. Smith had been saving the deerhide, a gift from her uncle, for a special project. The artist's children are Sauk and Meskwaki, and their heritage inspired the tassels, often seen in the regalia of Woodlands tribes.

Visitors to our Washington, DC museum can see Smith's beaded purse on Level 4 alongside purses from three other artists: Sandra Okuma (Payómkawichum [Luiseño]/Bannock), Elias Jade Not Afraid (Apsáalooke [Crow/Absaroke]), and Rodslen Brown (Black/Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma).
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Dyanni Youngbear Smith, (Diné [Navajo], b. 1977), "Dragonfly Spring," 2011. Deerhide, cotton cloth, glass beads, metal, thread. Museum purchase from the artist, 2015. 26/9612

Here's another collection of vintage/antique size 12/0 French glass seed beads, this time in shades of purple(and one blue)! It includes transparent, translucent, and opal hues in gorgeous and rare shades of purple, lavender, orchid, and plum.

These colors are available individually, or bundled together in a lovely little collection that would make a sweet present for your favorite beader. Follow the l!nk in my bio, or find them in my 3tsy.

This week's new additions include antique seed beads in beautiful shades of opaque turquoise-y blue. The sizes range from 11/0 - 14/0. The fourth photo shows an 11/0 blue that was recently restocked :)