Featured Artist

This month we welcome Bill ThreePaws Elias, State Chief of Indiana. Bill works predominantly in several mediums, including beadwork, leatherwork, and wood burning. Wonderful examples follow, please give them a moment to load.

Loom and Appliqué Beadwork

Bill uses glass beads in size 8º for his appliqué beadwork, with heavy Pea Coat wool material that is tightly woven for backing material. The artist prefers to work with the single needle technique, where you put on about six beads, go through the material and back through three of the six. Waxed artificial sinew is stripped down to single strand is the thread.

Loom beadwork is done with all artificial sinew threads, well waxed as it is worked. Bill works on a loom of his own making, running a thread above and then below the glass 6º beads, trapping the warp (the long strands) in between. When he completes the piece, he weaves a couple of inches and then makes a knot, flattens it well, turns it under and sews it down to buckskin. The weft also is used to strengthen both outside edges, which take a lot of wear and tear on belts. You'll break a bead before you can break the weaving.

Appliqué Beadwork

Bill works with the single needle technique, where you put on about six beads, go through the material and back up, then back through three of the six beads. Waxed artificial sinew is stripped down to a single strand, waxing it again once the thread has been split.

Glass Bead Rosette

Another fine example of the beautiful work of this Artist.

Inspiration comes from things that just come to him, he sees of interest in a book, or from a historic piece. Many times he just begins a piece and sees what it becomes. As many Traditional Artists believe, you never make things perfect but always have a mistake, which acknowledges that only Creator is perfect. Chief ThreePaws puts one bead that is special in each of his pieces to remember this.

Woodburning

The front of the workshop with a wide variety of Chief ThreePaws signs that he has woodburned. To look closely at them is to the see the amazing amount of detail he puts in each piece.

The Artist in His Workshop

Many thanks to you for sharing your work with us!

For more information about this fine artist's work, please contact:

Bill ThreePaws Elias
3925 E. 800 N.
Fremont, IN 46737