American Indian
clothes show off bright colors and natural fabrics.
American Indians make up the spirit of the southwest United States and beyond. American Indian art ranges from intricate bead work to weaving to oil paintings to clothing design. Keep the Native American imagination alive in art projects--use earth tones, bright colors, natural objects and nature-inspired designs in your work. Let the process of creating remain in your consciousness at all times. Practice resourcefulness and attention to detail in all your art projects to honor each single resource.
Dream Catchers
Create dream catchers from natural materials.
Make an authentic dream catcher. Gather or buy long and short feathers, opaque and translucent beads, yarn or thin rope, and two or three round wood cutouts. Create a net in the circle out of the yarn. Attach the hoops together to create a series of hanging circles, like a dangling earring. Add feathers and beads for color, texture and spiritual resonance. Connecting Native Americans with the land as well as with the interiors of the mind, dream catchers are believed to catch and store your dreams. Hang one over your bed and around the home for pleasant dreams and good omens.
Beadwork
Create belts, sashes and bookmarks out of glass beads.
Create beaded purses, belts, backpacks and sashes. Purchase tiny colored glass beads at a bead store or art supply shop. Authentic American Indian glass beads are about the size of a large piece of rock salt and come in iridescent, opaque and translucent colors. Pick a few pieces of wool cloth on which to sew the beads for purses and belts.
Choose other types of fabrics, such as cotton and silk, for finer, smoother looks. Consider hosting a party where every guest brings in an assortment of beads, fabrics and threads. Create a whole series of beaded clothing and accessories. Also think about making smaller items like bookmarks, earrings and small medallions. See examples of Cherokee and other tribe designs for beaded techniques and materials.
Woven Furnishings
Weave thick rugs and blankets in natural, earthy tones.
Weaving is a tradition the Pueblo and Navajo tribes have continued since their earliest origins. Weave rugs, blankets and pillows to model authentic designs. Weave gray, black and pastel colors as well as earth tones into the patterns. Use braiding techniques to create tight knits. Sew leather to the back of pillows or rugs to create one smooth surface. Add beads to pillows and tassels to blankets and rugs for a stylish, traditional touch.
Nature into Art
Use natural objects, like twigs, to create artwork or furnishings.
Start a natural art project. Ask participants to bring in natural objects they find interesting, such as pine cones, bones, feathers, rocks, sticks and sculls. Because American Indians lived off the land and worshiped its bounty, they honored all forms of natural things, both alive and dead. Create art work out of these natural objects to revive them and honor them. For instance, you could reinvent a cow skull into a wreath. Decorate the skull inside and out with flowers and vines and beads. As an act of reverence to the deceased, avoid making objects look gaudy. For sticks and twigs, consider building a miniature or full-size tepee. Wrap the long, vertical sticks or bamboo with canvas cloth to create a inhabitable tent.
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