Textile Center announces
a new exhibition in the Studio and Community Galleries
Turtle Voices:
Featuring the Work of Artist Douglas K. Limon
May 1 - July 3, 2015

Doug Limon Bandolier Bags

Limon sews thousands of tiny glass beads onto a variety of materials to make a statement--not only as art--but also to preserve the history and culture of his Native American ancestors. His exquisite beadwork is a spiritual expression of traditions that have survived thousands of years. Turtle Voices includes Limon's signature Turtle medallions, beaded cradleboards, and Bandolier bags.

Doug Limon is the 2012 recipient of the Minnie Jackson Lifetime Achievement Award by the Ziibiwing Center of Anishinabe Culture and Lifeways for demonstrating a lifetime of traditional art perpetuation. In 2014, the First Peoples Fund Jennifer Easton Community Spirit award was given to Limon for his commitment to sustaining the cultural values of Native people.

Doug Limon Artist Statement of Background
"My primary medium of art is traditional and contemporary beadwork. I learned to bead the traditional way. My mother taught me how to bead on a loom in 1965 when I was five years old. I eventually taught myself the appliqué style of beadwork. My work has evolved over the years from traditional functional beadwork starting with wristbands, headbands, belts, bags, moccasins, and medallions. My most recent work includes cradleboards and Bandolier Bags. I have experimented for over fifty years in beadwork traditions while transforming my creations into contemporary wall art. My signature design is a Turtle with a unique piece for the shell. Through the use of various contemporary materials I create one-of-a-kind pieces. I bead directly on to art paper. The finished work is matted and framed ready to hang.

Doug Limon Turtle Voices

I also designed my son's Grass Dance regalia when he was 14 months. I beaded his yoke, headband and belt. I also supervised my family members that worked together to bead his aprons. We completed his regalia in 7 days. In 2013, I completed another grass dance regalia for him to grow into. In 2009, I made my first cradleboard or dikinagan. My Cradleboard design is a traditional Anishisnabe style with the exception of the beaded inlay. I have incorporated my beadwork into the backboard of the dikinagan....The major goal for the 2011 Cradleboard project was to revitalize the endangered tradition. I accomplished this by not only bringing light to this fading cultural tradition but by teaching four individuals how to make a cradleboard for their family. They pay for the materials and promise to teach someone else to make a cradleboard. I am also teaching a cradleboard workshop at the Leech Lake Tribal Community College. The beadwork on the cradleboards were the largest pieces I made at the time. They are ten inches in diameter.

The 2012 ... Bandolier Bag Project entailed making two bandolier bags. One was a Community Bandolier Bag, everyone in Minnesotans was invited to bead on the bag. We had over 400 people participate from 6 years old to 70+, male and female. The other bandolier bag I made by myself. I beaded the mirror image of the Community Bandolier Bag design. This is the largest single beadwork piece I have made to date."

Doug Limon

Textile Center's mission is to honor textile traditions and promote excellence and innovation in fiber art.

This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a Minnesota State Arts Board Operating Support grant, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.