Teresa Cavender (Gates), a member of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, is an expert in beadwork and is experienced in leatherwork, basket-making and other crafts. Her work, which reflects her Native American heritage, also include her own personal twist.
Bio
Teresa Cavender, a member of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, is an expert beadworker as well as an experienced leatherworker and basketmaker. Cavender’s mother taught her daughter to sew, which came in handy when Teresa Cavender worked at a craft store. There, she learned to string beads and do beadwork. She has dedicated her life to learning new forms of craft wherever she can, and has made pine needle, birch bark, willow, and gourd baskets over the years. Her Native American heritage inspires her work to which she adds her own personal twist with shells, pine nuts, and other natural materials. Cavender has completed several different beadwork projects, including the complete regalia for a horse, designs on pouches, designs and pictures for framing, and a collaboration to restore beadwork for the Smithsonian. Cavender also participates in powwows as a traditional dancer. She sews, does the leatherwork, and beads her own and her grandchildren’s regalia; she is also involved in teaching beading and shellwork to those grandchildren. A long-time participant in outdoor schools, Cavender also teaches beadwork for those schools as well as at local arts centers.
