Delina
White

Delina White, Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, is a Native Apparel Designer, Beadwork Artist and Indigenous Materials Jewelry Maker. White has been making heirloom beadwork and apparel to celebrate traditional ceremonies for as long as she can remember. She loves all cultural arts, not only that of her people, but the cultural arts of all people from around the world, materials rich in texture, natural and handmade, including meaningful symbols that define the diversification of landscape. She is fascinated by color, texture, composition, and construction of fabric based in her traditional Anishinaabe heritage, made into contemporary apparel relevant to today’s modern fashion. She is interested in the history that surrounds clothing and accessories such as dress, bags, and footwear—the combining of functionality with decoration and global influences resulting in the fashion trends within a time, place, and culture. Her artwork is built on the traditional philosophy of living a good life: traditional values rooted in the belief of love for oneself, human kind, and our mother earth. White approaches art as a way to wear the pride, dignity, and distinction of the original Great Lakes and Woodlands people.

Portrait photo courtesy of the artist.