Eva B. St. Clair Washakie McAdams (June 18, 1927 – January 29, 2010) was a

Shoshone The Shoshone or Shoshoni ( or ), also known by the endonym Newe, are an Native Americans in the United States, Indigenous people of the United States with four large cultural/linguistic divisions: * Eastern Shoshone: Wyoming * Northern Shoshon ...

regalia maker and beadwork artist. Born on Wyoming's

Wind River Reservation The Wind River Indian Reservation, in the west-central portion of the U.S. state of Wyoming, is shared by two Native American tribes, the Eastern Shoshone (, ''meaning: "buffalo eaters"'') and the Northern Arapaho (). Roughly east to west b ...

, McAdams was named a Fellow by the

National Endowment for the Arts The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created in 1965 as an independent agency of the feder ...

in 1996.

Biography

Early life

Eva B. St. Clair Washakie was born in

Fort Washakie Fort Washakie was a U.S. Army fort in what is now the U.S. state of Wyoming. The fort was established in 1869 and named Camp Augur after General Christopher C. Augur, commander of the Department of the Platte. In 1870 the camp was renamed Cam ...

, on the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming on June 18, 1927. She was the second oldest of eight children, and a great-granddaughter of

Chief Washakie Washakie (1804/1810 – February 20, 1900) was a prominent leader of the Shoshone people during the mid-19th century. He was first mentioned in 1840 in the written record of the American fur trapper, Osborne Russell. In 1851, at the urging o ...

, a Shoshone leader. As a child, she learned the tradition of Shoshone needlework and beading on buckskin from her mother, grandmother Mary Washakie and aunt. Buckskin sewing was historically regarded as a survival skill amongst the Shoshone, and today has grown into a ceremonial role.

Beading and needlework

In 1945, Eva married her husband Alfred "Dutch" McAdams. The couple operated a ranch in Wind River, and Eva practiced her needlework in her free time. To support her family, McAdams worked several jobs, such as operating a native crafts store and for the Bureau of Indian Affairs while raising eight children. McAdam's reputation began to grow for her traditional designs on buckskin, used for Shoshone ceremony. McAdams became particularly known for her ''Shoshone Rose'' and floral motifs, which she claimed were inspired by advertisements. McAdams said, " Sacajawea and the Shoshones considered the rose the world's most beautiful flower. That's why they selected it for beading. It represents goodness and love".

Recognition and legacy

In 1990, she received the Wyoming Governor's Art Award, and was the first Native artist to be honored with the award. In 1996, she was awarded a

National Heritage Fellowship The National Heritage Fellowship is a lifetime honor presented to master folk and traditional artists by the National Endowment for the Arts. Similar to Japan's Living National Treasure award, the Fellowship is the United States government's h ...

by the National Endowment for the Arts. McAdams taught her traditional needlework to her children and grandchildren. McAdams died in Fort Washakie on January 29, 2010. Today, her granddaughter Joanne Brings Thunder continues her grandmother's needlework and beading traditions.

References

External links

Eva McAdams
at the

Eva McAdams
at

Smithsonian Libraries Smithsonian Libraries and Archives is an institutional archives and library system comprising 21 branch libraries serving the various Smithsonian Institution museums and research centers. The Libraries and Archives serve Smithsonian Institution ...

* Main Street, Wyoming; Eva McAdams, Digital Public Libraries of America {{DEFAULTSORT:mCaDAMS, eVA 1927 births 2010 deaths Shoshone people Native American artists 20th-century Native American women 20th-century Native American artists Eastern Shoshone people Wind River Indian Reservation National Heritage Fellowship winners