Koleppa (Fireflies)

Andrea Day is a multidisciplinary artist, cultural advocate, accomplished musician, and citizen of the Mvskoke Nation. Andrea infuses Mvskoke fine art with a modern twist through her unique signature medium of acrylic paint and meticulously hand-sewn seed beads on stretched canvas. Guided by a passion for language preservation and a commitment to reclaiming and innovating ancestral Mvskoke beadwork tradition, her work represents an evolution in First American art through progressive techniques and art invention. Andrea’s contemporary style and original designs speak Mvskoke and machine languages, drawing inspiration from the strength of nature, conceptual illusions, and the collaborative energy from her vibrant life in New York City.

A perfect illusion of the original (sewn beadwork, faceted glass beads, invisible ink (uv-sensitive) and acrylic on canvas), this work showcasing night flowering petunias with fireflies (koleppa) that illuminate in black light. The piece is uniquely enhanced with faceted glass beads and binary code using Mvskoke language sketched along the blooms for the curious observer to hint at the whispers of years past and the nostalgic tug of childhood and home.