The Story Behind My Webs
Always a student of cultures and art history, I have always been deeply interested in native North American art and craft work. I wanted to learn to make similar objects, but didn't know how I could ever find someone to teach me.
While working as an art therapist on the traumatic brain injury unit of a rehabilitation facility in Minneapolis, I met my first teacher, Leon, a Sisseton Wahpeton Sioux with great skills in loom beading and leather work. Though quite disabled, I helped him complete 4 beaded leather belts. I'm the proud owner of one of them. The experience taught me about traditional design, materials, and having patience to work in detail over a long period of time.
Leon, happily working on one of his loom beading projects (1995).
With Leon's inspiration and encouragement, I taught myself how to do loom beading and other types of intricate bead work.
The craft of making a dream catcher still eluded me. How do they make that beautiful web? Four years ago another friend gave me a kit, and learned the trick to the web. I made a few more, then decided to go off the beaten path and use yarn instead of leather cord; twine and thread instead of sinew; shells, trinkets and found objects to place on the web. Yes, I still make dream catchers using traditional materials, like those of the Great Lakes Tribes, such as the Anishinabe (Ojibwe).
Above: Anishinabe "teardrop" design.
Like a spider, I needed to find a safe and creative place where I could set up my web. And the webs keep changing and evolving. Would Leon approve?
I think he would.
– Martha Bush