Sophia Lorraine Anderson grew up on the Shoalwater Bay Tribal Reservation on a rural corner of the Olympic peninsula.
My work is inspired by the experience of growing up on traditional coastal land surrounded by my tribal community, and the transition to life away from and back to those roots. After a 4-year stint in Seattle Washington, I currently reside on the Shoalwater Bay Tribal Reservation where I am happy to be woven back into my family and ancestral lands.
Photo by Brian Cruikshank 2023
Now that I am acclimated to life back on the reservation, I find myself confronting history on a more visceral level, which has showed up in my more recent works. Many attempts have been made to eradicate the history, culture, traditions, and family relationships of Indigenous people. Just to exist today means navigating a myriad of intersectionalities.
All beadworkers know that beading is extremely labor intensive, and requires a high level of focus and precision to make something messy and complex appear simple and beautiful. I see my beadwork as a metaphor for the experience of being a modern Indigenous woman. Navigating generational traumas, tribal politics, and other challenges while having experiences that feel as if they should be simple also requires a high level of precision and regulation, and my work is where I aim to represent that experience.
photo by Sierra Grove