Intricately beaded bags, purses and hats with bright floral, figural and geometric designs from the 19th century American Indian beadwork collection of Gerry Biron is featured in Made of Thunder, Made of Glass: American Indian Beadwork of the Northeast, an exhibit at the Institute for American Indian Studies (IAIS), in Washington, Connecticut.
Now through June 30.
The center is located at 38 Curtis Rd.; open Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday; noon to 5 p.m. Cost: $5; children, $3.
Gerry Biron, artist, author, collector and independent researcher, is of Wabanaki descent. His collection includes "souvenir" purses made by Native American women during the 19th century.
Regarded by many as some of the finest representations of American Indian art, the creators of this work came from diverse cultures and regions including the Haudenosaunee of New York State and Canada and the Wabanaki of northern New England and the Maritime Provinces of Eastern Canada.
Image, courtesy IAIS.
