Chelsea Saunooke

Chelsea started working in different mediums when she was 8 years old. She was in an after-school program at the Cherokee Baptist Church where Nicey Rattler taught how to make beaded belts. Chelsea continued learning different beadwork patterns and styles from her mother Lynn Taylor and her grandmother Roxanna Stamper. Roxanna also took the time to teach her granddaughter the techniques of her Road to Soco design.

As Chelsea got older she took carving under James Bud Smith in 1997 and found the medium she loves to work in. Working in different woods such as wormy chestnut, walnut, butternut, maple, and cherry, Chelsea finds red cedar to be her favorite to work in. Chelsea finds that you can’t let one style of art you may struggle with deter you. She believes her drawings are okay, but she doesn’t let that deter her from bringing her carvings to life. Her beliefs definitely shine through for Chelsea as her pieces have brought her first place and Best of Show in high school art shows.