Hahtinu Bah

4 x 4 x 0.75 cm

materials: glass beads, clay, rhinestones, felt, leather, 18k gold plated earrings posts, nylon thread

Guided by Caddo culture, Kathleen's beadwork and pottery blend traditional motifs and colours with modern designs. She likes to always have a project where she is experimenting with a technique she hasn't used before. Taking traditional Caddo pottery classes recently led to a new trajectory for her work. As she was learning how to hand dig, process, and sculpt clay the way her ancestors did, she started envisioning ways she could incorporate those skills into jewellery making. Her work shows how her ancestors' 10,000-year-old knowledge is relevant today in modern applications. Her beaded and pottery earrings highlight the techniques that she have been experimenting with in recent years. For these earrings, she starts with cabochons made of clay that she hand-dug and processed in East Texas (where her ancestors lived before colonization). For some of the earrings, she makes the cabs into shapes that come directly from her culture. For example, acorns and oak leaves represent the cycle of life, and diamond shapes are also frequently found in Caddo art. She fires the cabs in a traditional fire in her backyard, which gives them unique colourations. Finally, she flat-stitch beads around the cabs using a two-needle method commonly used among beaders today.

Kathleen Sahtunkinish belongs to the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma. She is a daughter, sister, wife, and mom. Even though she was surrounded by beautiful family beadwork growing up, she is self-taught. This has allowed her to find her own voice, using a blend of Caddo motifs and contemporary jewellery designs. Taking traditional Caddo pottery classes last year led to a new trajectory for her work. As she was learning how to hand dig, process, and sculpt clay the way her ancestors did, she started envisioning ways she could incorporate those skills into jewellery making. Her work shows how her ancestors' 10,000-year-old knowledge is relevant today in modern applications. Her jewellery has been exhibited at the Mint Museum and the Cain Center for the Arts. In addition to creating her own art, Kathleen finds a lot of joy from teaching her 8-year-old son to bead and carry on the family tradition. Creating Caddo jewellery can be found on Etsy and at museum gift stores and markets in the United States in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas. She lives in South Carolina with her husband and son.