Support Native Artists this Holiday Season
November is Native American Heritage Month, a time to celebrate and honor Native nations in the Pacific Northwest and across the United States who have lived here since time immemorial.
In February of this year, PNB premiered a new production of The Sleeping Beauty, with scenic design by renowned glass artist and Tlingit tribal member Preston Singletary. Part of the premiere was a Community Day in celebration of Southeast Alaskan Native and Seattle Urban Native art, dance, and culture. We recently caught up with several artists who participated in Community Day. Here’s where you can find them this fall and holiday season – we encourage you to shop local and support Native artists!
Cynthia Masterson (Comanche) shared this update:
My beads were sleeping.
A dear friend died while I was in the middle of a commission. It’s common to “put your beads down” for a time after a loss. Mine were down for a long time. When I was invited to community day at PNB my creative heart was re-ignited and I made dozens of earrings inspired from the Sleeping Beauty costumes. These earrings will be at Pioneer Square First Thursday Native Art Market at Metropole (December 4, 3 – 7 pm).
Last year I pivoted to offering Bead Breaks where I bring simple beading activities to office meetings, conferences, and retreats. The idea was born in the pandemic for people to have a no-tools, doable, project. Every job sustains my art practice and work with underfunded programs like libraries.
In addition to Instagram (@bluedotbeadwork), here’s where you can find Cynthia this holiday season:
Photos courtesy of Cynthia Masterson.
Bill Pfeifer (Tlingit):
In addition to my Eagle painting workshop, I’ve been offering workshops at local schools too. I’m excited to share that my wife and I have started a cross-cultural jewelry line called Northwest Diné. We’re thrilled to be offering more classes in the Olympia area soon. Additionally, I will be offering carved panels for sale shortly, and we have some fantastic new ornaments for sale this year. I’m also looking forward to tabling at the upcoming Native Holiday Market at Evergreen State College on December 12th and 13th.
Bill’s art is also on exhibit at Evergreen Gallery in Olympia through December 4, 2025. If you can’t make it to Olympia, you can find his work online at formlineevolved.com. We’ll definitely be hanging one of his formline holiday ornaments on our tree.
Follow Formline Evolved on Instagram at @formlineevolved.
Images courtesy of Bill Pfeifer, Jr.
Sondra Segundo (Haida)
Sondra has been busy this year, launching her new online shop and recording a new album with band Khu.éex’ (Red Cedar in the Hour of Chaos, released on September 5). You can find Sondra’s music, books, and a top-notch selection of clothing and accessories at sondrasegundo.com. We’ve featured a few of our favorites below.
Follow Sondra on Instagram at @sondrasegundo.
Images courtesy of Sondra Segundo.
Images courtesy of Sondra Segundo.
Images courtesy of Tommy Segundo.
Tommy Segundo (Haida)
Tommy recently completed his latest mural, Portage Ways, located on the Burke-Gilman trail near the East Ballard Fred Meyer. This mural depicts “Native peoples navigating from the Salish Sea to fresh water lakes like Union and Washington. They’d flip their canoes and walk them across land before the Fremont/Montlake cuts – a practice known as portage.”
Tommy’s CreNative Designz apparel and accessories line is available for online ordering, but the best way to keep up with him is to follow him on Instagram at @crenativedesignz or visit his Linktree. He will also be launching a Black Friday sale later this week! These are on our wishlist:
Images courtesy of Tommy Segundo.
