Crystal Lepscier
Crystal Lepscier (Wāqsepāēhketūkiw) is an enrolled member of the Little Shell Band of Chippewa of Montana. Her mother is enrolled Stockbridge-Munsee and father (kaeh nap) is enrolled Menominee, making her a direct descendant of both Wisconsin tribal communities.
Crystal’s beadwork and other art captures her connections to these woodland tribal communities while interacting with contemporary colors, shapes, and designs. She has been creating collage paintings with overlaid beadwork to capture emotional connections and experiences to Indigenous topics.
She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A) in 2005 from UW-Madison in Studio Art with a focus on painting. Working at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) inspired her to get more involved in beadwork. She returned to UW-Madison to complete graduate studies, earning a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis (ELPA) in 2011. She recently earned an Educational Doctorate (Ed.D.) in First Nations Education from UW-Green Bay (May 2022). She strives to connect art and education and focuses her research on how we can tap into our cultural practices to aid in relationship building and healing work in our communities.
Crystal mixes her passions for art and education, and continues to work in community spaces which allow for these types of collaborations. Creating art is cultural nourishment for Lepscier. Crystal, her husband Justin, and their two children reside in Shawano WI. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, beading, and spending time with family.
“She Carries Our Hopes” (2025)
Velveteen, Calico, Lace Trim, Bias Tape, Size 11 Seed Beads, Brass, Sequins, Nymo Thread
Utilizing contemporary based colorways, this bonnet represents various plants and florals in a woodland style beading. As traditions have been passed down through generations among various communities, so must we continue to pass down what we know. It has been told to me that what we learn, we share in our Indigenous communities. Rather than a burden, we take this as a responsibility. In our efforts to survive and thrive, we pass on our traditions to our family and community. This has been done for many generations, and has been severely neglected due to many other obstacles and challenges throughout history. The bonnet represents pouring back into the cultural arts, carrying our gifts forward, sharing them with our children. It is a statement to reclaim things we have lost along the way by no fault of our own. This bonnet could have been worn long ago, and can be worn with pride today. The size indicates a young child, where we store our hopes and dreams for the future. Boarding schools, the 60s scoop, relocations, language loss, forced sterilization, intergenerational trauma, and the list goes on. Through the reclamation of designs, practices, and culture, I attempt to provide cultural nourishment to our youth and beyond.
“She’s Da Bomb” (2025)
Brain-tanned Smoked Hide, Size 11 & 13 Seed Beads, Pellon Felt, Nymo Thread, Porcupine Quills, Sinew Plaid fabric
This hand constructed mini backpack represents the artist’s youth. Growing up in the 90s as an adolescent meant trying to find where or where not to ‘fit in.’ In retrospect, seeking a sense of belonging tends to gnaw at many youth and adults alike. This creation draws on some iconic imagery from the 90s while maintaining footing in contemporary and historical connections. The use of bead colors on traditional and non-traditional woodland florals shows a sense of today’s colorways while echoing works of the past. The black and white quill background done crosshatched in a checkered pattern represents not only a punk-rock sensibility but also the dichotomy of black and white, shadow and light. At the crossroads of our adolescence, we begin to decide what is right and wrong and test the limits of our possibilities. This piece is about a youth reimagined and woven with the strength of culture to gain nourishment and confidence.
Menominee Style Woodland Moccasins (2026)
Brian-tanned Smoked Hide, Size 11 Seed Beads, Pellon, Velvet, Nymo Thread, Sinew, Plaid Fabric
These handmade beaded pucker toes moccasins were created for a young Menominee/Oneida woodland dancer. He has been dancing since a small child, and is now in his pre-teens. His family wanted to honor him with a new pair of moccasins for his journey on the powwow trail. He was highlighted as a youth head dancer at the annual Menominee Nation New Year's Eve Sobriety powwow and shared his talent with all in attendance.
'If you die, I die' Valentine's Day Earring Collection (2026)
Felt, Size 11 Seed Beads, Nymo Thread, Porcupine quills, Jewelry Findings, Smoked hide backing
This 8-part earring collection was created to honor the deeper and darker passionate side of love. Rather than the light and airy kind of puppy love, this collection asks you to consider how you love, who you love, and what feelings are invoked when you consider your life and death. Are you deep in it? Are you expressing your desires? Are you telling your loved ones about your love?