Cynthia Masterson

Oklahoma-born Seattle resident Cynthia Masterson (Comanche) beadweaves using deep knowledge of a misunderstood technique inconsistently called gourd or peyote.  With grit and a VHS tape she taught herself to bead in 2003 and is working to document sixteen different ways to do this stitch.  

Her art combines writing, everyday objects and beadwork, creating assemblages with stories reacting to current events, loss of language, and time.  Works have appeared at Red Earth Art Gallery, Washington State History Museum, Bellevue Art Museum, Columbia City Gallery and the yəhaw̓ exhibition at King Street Station.  

Cynthia is a two-time First Peoples Fund Fellow, and received grants from Potlatch Fund, Puffin Foundation, The Evergreen State College Longhouse, 4 Culture, Artist Trust, Na’ah Illahee Fund and Seattle Foundation.    

She founded Little Bead Library to share surplus beads and Blue Dot Beadwork, where she encourages connection to culture through beads and specializes in showing pre-med students the relationship of beading to practicing medicine.