Indigenous Gallery

The Indigenous Gallery contains the artist's endeavor to always honor and respect Lakota tradition, the ancestors, and the elders while remaining true to her unique personal style of creating art.

Many of the works in this gallery are inspired by traditional Lakota parfleche designs. Parfleche is a French term meaning deflecting arrows which described the rawhide shields used by Lakota warriors. Rawhide was also used to make bags, pouches, boxes, and trunks, which were painted with symbols and designs. The small painted wooden boxes represent designs found on parfleche artifacts from the late 1800s when tribes were being forced onto reservations. Some artifacts are in museums while others are in private collections. It is hoped that most remain in Lakota families where they rightfully belong.

The small wooden boxes are the artist's attempt to depict traditional designs that have been slightly altered to fit the boxes. The designs have many symbols. They can represent the mountains, the turtle, bravery, and protection.

Some of the boxes have somewhat whimsical contemporary designs and some are a combination of traditional and contemporary. A favorite theme is the turtle which represents the earth, longevity, and protection. The medicine wheel also appears on many of the pieces. It represents the four winds or four directions, each of which brings different medicine or energy. The medicine wheel also offers protection.