Gift Shop Artist | Miranda Red Cloud
At a time when many young people are swamped with the pressures of high school life, a 15-year old Miranda Red Cloud was also learning the artwork of the Oglala Lakota people. Now with years of experience under her belt, Miranda is a driving force in one of the world’s rarest jewelry and art mediums: porcupine quillwork.
“It's an ancient art form passed down through generations,” Miranda says of the intricate practice. “My grandmother and grandfather taught my father, aunties, and uncles how to bead and quill, and in turn they showed us.”
The time and effort involved in the quill weaving process make it a skill often developed within families. For generations, techniques and designs are handed down from parent to child. Through this, an expertise develops that is apparent in the quality of the work. Miranda takes pride in both the family traditions of quilling and beading, and in the quality of her work.
“I would like people to know the effort, dedication, and love I put into all my work,” she says, displaying here newest works at The Heritage Center. “I am proud of that: proud of my history and proud of my heritage.”
Miranda has been selling her work through The Heritage Center since she was 18 years old. Residing on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, remotely located on the grassy plains of South Dakota, she likes the idea that her work can reach different parts of the world. To her, this is the appeal of selling to The Heritage Center.
“I love to have an outlet like The Heritage Center because I know how many tourists and people from all around the world stop by. It makes me proud to know that my work is out there somewhere in this big world, being loved and cherished by someone; that there is someone out there with a piece of my artwork and that they appreciate it as much as I do.”
You can find Miranda’s work in The Heritage Center Gift Shop, both onsite and online:
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Photos © 2016 Red Cloud Indian School, Inc.
last updated: April 1, 2016