Artist Spotlight: Teri Greeves

This entire image was beaded by Kiowa artist Teri Greeves, who lives and works in Santa Fe, New Mexico. It is the depiction of a cultural story that is important to the Kiowa people and one they continue to tell today.

Teri Greeves has been beading all her life, beginning when she was just eight years old. This work is a culmination of her practice to date, but it is also an effort in experimentation as Greeves undertook hand-dying the underpainting and found ways to bead such a large work.

Greeves used plant materials from both the Northern part of the country and the southern part of the country to hand-dye the underpaintings of the silk canvases she beaded upon. She wanted the completed piece to have representation from both directions.

The black and red panels on either side signify the directions north and south respectively. The yellow and green found in the center panel are representative of life.

This work is called Sons of the Sun, and it depicts the story of the Half Boys, important protagonists in the long-standing stories of the Kiowa people. Their exploits are recounted to teach valuable lessons and give guidance to Kiowa community members.

The story of the Half Boys begins with their mother, who is taken by the Sun, their father. The Sun is depicted in an abstract manner behind the Mother. Greeves did this to honor the historic artistry of Native women, the first abstractionists of this land.

Notice how Greeves depicts the Mother with sunglasses and the children in modern clothing. 

In this way, the artist reminds us that these stories continue to be reinterpreted in the modern world and remain central to Kiowa people’s understanding of themselves and this world they live in.

The artist put a lot of important signifiers into this artwork for viewers to discover and enjoy. Ants were hand-cast by the artist’s sister, Keri Ataumbi and appear at the bottom of the middle panel, remembering the Kiowa creation story.

A summer tree and winter tree flank the center panel. These trees are similar to trees drawn by Kiowa Ledger artist, Silver Horn. Greeves wanted to honor this artistic ancestor. Behind the trees you see how the star positions change with the seasons.

Greeves also put a snake-like path under the feet of the woman and two children.

This motif was inspired by another Kiowa artist, T.C. Cannon, whose painting, “Grandmother Gestating Father and the Washita River Runs Ribbon-Like,” shows a pregnant Kiowa woman walking above a similar motif.

This abstract design signifies Grandfather Snake and the spiders with their webs on either side of the center panel signify Grandmother Spider. Both protagonists are featured in Kiowa stories.

Teri Greeves uses beadwork as a form of storytelling. She often depicts playful scenarios where Indigenous people interact to the western world, striking a wonderful balance between humor, history, and beauty.