| Joe is proud of his family heritage and is a member of the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Ojibwe. Over the years, Joe has become a self-taught master of the ancient art of quillwork embroidery. Joe's work has won him many Best-of-Show awards at Native American art shows in the U.S.
Briefly, quillwork is a form of decoration used by many tribal groups throughout North America. Generally speaking, after European influence arrived, quillwork was gradually replaced by beadwork as the chosen medium used for decorating personal items.
Joe uses natural dyes as much as possible in his work, as well as sewing the quills with natural sinew (tendon fibers) and using brain-tanned deerskin, which he does himself.
Enjoy! Feel free to contact Joe about quillwork classes.
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