In this public workshop at the Bard College Library, Sayo’:kla (On^yote’a:ka, Oneida Nation of WI. Turtle Clan) will lead us through the creation of "Water is Life" pins.

All materials + light snacks will be provided.

Sponsored by Bard Center for Indigenous Studies and Rethinking Place: Bard-on-Mahicantuck, a Mellon Foundation "Humanities for all times" initiative.

Artist biography:

Sayo’:kl^ (It Snows Again) Kindness-Williams, Turtle Clan of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin is a beadwork artist. She was born in Chicago, IL and began beading at the age of 8 years old. She became interested in art at a young age. She learned to bead from a family friend and also took moccasin making class at the Oneida Summer School. Sayo’Kla attended Santa Fe Indian High School and received her bachelor’s degree from Mount Holyoke College in 1997 and an M.B.A. from Kaplan University in 2008. She is currently enrolled in the Master of Fine Arts-Studio Arts Program at the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, NM and recently returned from Indigenous Art School Residency in Venice, Italy.

Sayo’:kla began participating in art shows in 1998, winning 1 st place in Beadwork at the IAIA High School Art Competition. She has participated in regional art shows including: the Woodland Indian Art Show, Green Bay, WI (Best of Show-2022 & 2023 and only artist to sweep a category with 1 st , 2cd and 3 rd place), the Hodinohso:ni Art Show at Ganondagan (1 st place Beadwork 2020), Haudenosaunee Art Show-Spring (1 st place Beadwork). She also participates in larger art markets including Santa Fe Indian Market (SWAIA, 2023 Classification VIII: Beadwork and Quillwork-Best of Division A: Articles of Attire and VIIIA Category 2901-Beaded Clothing, Non-Woven-1 st Place Winner), Heard Museum Indian Fair and Market (2023 Judge’s Choice Award), Eiteljorg Museum Indian Market (Beadwork/Quillwork-Honorable Mention)

Sayo’:kla has exhibited art at the Lynden Sculpture Garden, Milwaukee, WI (2022 Healing Coat Exhibit) and the Opalka Gallery in Albany, NY (2023 To-Be Named Exhibit, writing a companion essay included in the To-Be-Named Volume of work at the Smithsonian Museum of Anthropology. Sayo’:kla’s fully beaded Land Back sign is featured in the Tia Collection (Santa Fe) and will be displayed at the 2024 Inaugural exhibit Driving the Market at the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture.

Top Image: "Healing Coat: Remembering the Journey of On^yote?a:ka (The People of the Standing Stone)," shown at Opalka Gallery in Albany, New York as a part of To Be--Named.

Below Image: "LAND BACK: Thanksgiving Haudenosaunee Land Protectors", Image Courtesy of Southwestern Association for Indian Arts.

Beading Workshop with Sayo’:kla Kindness Williams