Beading the Wildflowers of Minnesota Wildflowers

We’re excited to share that Bell Museum Resident Artist Alicia De La Cruz‘s work is on view at the Bell Museum from May 17 to July 21, 2024. 

In an arts residency at the Bell, Alicia De La Cruz explored plant specimens from the University of Minnesota Herbarium. She learned about evolution and the tree of life, and about endangered plant species in Minnesota and the Midwest. De la Cruz focused on 14 wildflowers that are native to Minnesota and useful to Ojibwe peoples. Drawing on Ojibwe beading traditions that feature stylized floral forms, she set out to create true-to-life representations of these plants. 

Keep reading to learn more about De La Cruz’s artistic process and the discoveries she made during her residency with the Bell Museum. 

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Hello! My name is Alicia De La Cruz and I’m an enrolled member of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe and a descendant of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe. I have been beading since the age of seven, so I have many years of practice in being a beadwork artist. I’m proud to have been taught by my aunt and grandma. 

For my Resident Artist Research Project at the Bell Museum, I wanted to learn more about native and endangered Minnesota plants. I was excited to learn about the evolutionary tree of life, which is one way of understanding how things are interconnected.

Applique beading is a complex process. There are a few materials that I always use. These include pellon interfacing, which I use as a backing (it’s the white material in the photos), needles, thread, and, of course, seed beads! I start by drawing a design on the pellon with a small pen. I then thread my needle and start by outlining in beads. Sometimes I will fill in the background with color so the white won’t show through. Other times I just fill in the design with beads. This process can take anywhere from an hour to even 48 hours! It all depends on the size of the project. For this Bell Museum project, each piece took approximately 8 to 10 hours each, depending on the intricacy.

Process images of De La Cruz’s milkweed beadwork

About Alicia De La Cruz

Alicia De La Cruz (she/her) is a beadworker and a proudly two-spirit member of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe and descendant of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe. She belongs to the first Metropolitan Regional Arts Council Artists’ Futures cohort and to Indigenous Justice Circle/IMAGEN Network’s inaugural Indigenous Young Leaders cohort. She is also a 2024 Twin Cities Pride Artist in Residence

Following the display at the Bell Museum, De La Cruz’s beadwork will be shown at the Mille Lacs Indian Museum and the Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport. 

Resident artist research projects are made possible in part thanks to the generous support provided by the McKnight Foundation.