"Makinaak Portal"

By Alicia De La Cruz

Alicia De La Cruz is a native artist from Minneapolis, Minnesota and an enrolled member of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe. My work reflects the contemporary native art style and a touch of old style Ojibwe art with my own twist. Especially important to me in my work is the preservation of my culture, through both language and art. I enjoy using beadwork, painting, mixed media, ink and marker in non traditional ways to showcase my own identity as a native artist and also as a woman of the 21st century. I love the intricacy of beadwork, which inspires me to connect with my ancestors through a beautiful traditional native art form. Color, medium and design are carefully considered in how they reflect me and my culture. It’s important for me to show the craftsmanship and vision I put into each piece from start, to end. In my eyes, it is the responsibility of each native generation to revive and renew the Native art form, and I’m here to do just that.