Bead Belt c. 1936

Gordena Jackson made this image of a bead belt. She meticulously rendered its intricate patterns and textures. Just imagine sitting with a brush, trying to capture the play of light on each tiny bead. What’s so magical about Gordena’s work is how she transforms humble materials into something extraordinary. I can almost feel the weight of the beads, the coolness against my skin. And those colours, the blues and greens, they evoke open skies and lush landscapes. Maybe she was thinking of those landscapes as she worked? Thinking of Georgia O'Keeffe? Or maybe, like Rosie Lee Tompkins, she was working purely by intuition. It's an ongoing conversation between artists across time, inspiring one another's creativity. This piece is not just an image of a bead belt; it’s a portal into Gordena's world, her thoughts, and her experiences.