"Dakota Mahpíya Hanhépí" (Dakota Night Sky)

Dakota Night Sky is a girls traditional buckskin dress. Inspired by the summer night sky of my Dakota homeland, this dress represents the evening sky (the black traditional color) with the stars bursting with all of their brilliant colors. Designed and beaded with the highest quality materials, this dress has a fully beaded yoke, beaded skirt, mink hair ties, a separate purse, strike-a-light, knife sheath, trailer, a full traditional bone breastplate with 4 beaded medallions, fully beaded belt and a bone choker with a beaded Swarovski drop.

The bead technique/methods include lane stitch, applique stitch, and peyote stitch. Every element of this dress is all hand stitched. The dress measures at 32" x 38". A very wearable piece for a young girl, but also a very collectable piece of art for the Fine Art Connoisseur.

Materials include Size 15 glass seed beads (over a million beads used to complete the dress), Size 15 Sterling Silver Czech Charolettes, Size 2.5mm Swarovski Jet Black Crystals, Size 8mm Swarovski Black & White Opal Crystals, 27mm Swarovski Jet Black Rivoli, 1" and 4" bone hair pipes, natural black horse hair, 2 platinum minks, Size 6mm Sterling Silver beads, Sterling Silver cones, Sterling Silver findings, Pewter beads, and 4 premium traditionally brain tanned deer hides. The dress took 3 years to complete.

"Dakota Night Sky" has received numerous awards from the Santa Fe Indian Art Market, the Heard Museum Indian Fair & Market, and "Best of Show" at the Autry Museum of the American West.