An Indigenous Northern Michigan artist in the modern world.
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As a member of Peshawbestown’s Grand Traverse Band of Odawa and Ojibwe Indians, Samantha TwoCrow grew up surrounded by artists. Her mother, an Indian boarding school survivor, taught beadwork. Her father was a painter, as was her grandfather, who lived on Beaver Island and taught her how to traditionally harvest black ash, birch bark, deer hides, copper and porcupine quills for basket making and beading.
“My creativity is deeply rooted as an Indigenous woman,” TwoCrow says. “We lived so intelligently in our cultural traditions, using sustainable, Indigenous materials and leaving Mother Earth intact.”
TwoCrow was always passionate about her art, but never believed she could make a living with it, so she began a career in accounting with the tribe. The job put food on the table, but it didn’t feed her soul, so she later quit and enrolled at Northwestern Michigan College to study fine arts.
The 37-year-old wife and mom of four (who is also the director of Indigenous education at Suttons Bay Schools) is currently working on two pieces to be unveiled at the prestigious 2023 Santa Fe Indian Market—her second year as an invited solo artist. Her work has previously won awards at the Santa Fe show and her beadwork is also held by the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian. Follow her work on Instagram @sam2crow.
Related Read: Hear My Heritage: Eric Hemenway Shares the Odawa’s History in Harbor Springs
