Born and raised in Tulsa, Martha Berry moved to Texas in 1977, but has remained active in Cherokee Nation art and current affairs. She began studying traditional post-Contact, pre-Removal Cherokee beadwork in the 1980s. In 1994, when her daughter Christina started college, she began beading on a daily basis.

When she started, there were no teachers, classes or how-to books. By the end of the twentieth century, there were only about a dozen beaders who were creating Southeastern tribal beadwork. Of that number, only half were tribal descendants, and only two were Cherokee. Martha’s teachers were photographs of historic Cherokee and Southeastern beaded artifacts. In 2000, she was awarded a grant to study the Southeastern beadwork collection at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.

Today she divides her time between creating, researching and teaching this beautiful and unique art form. She has won many awards and taught many students how to create and appreciate it. She has dedicated her “empty nest” years to the revival of this once nearly lost art form.

Tribal Affiliation: Cherokee Nation

Martha Berry’s Art Gallery

Martha Berry’s Beadwork Patterns

Martha Berry has created several beadwork patterns which you can follow to create your own beadwork.

Contact Form

Whether you’re interested in placing a custom order, commissioning a piece of art, or just want to let the artist know how much you love their work — this form’s for you.

Awards & Honors

• 2013 Cherokee National Treasure
• Best of Class, Beadwork/Quillwork, Cherokee Art Market 2010, Tulsa, OK
• Best of Division, Traditional Beadwork/Quillwork, Cherokee Art Market 2010, Tulsa OK
• Second Place, Cultural Items, Cherokee Art Market 2008, Tulsa, OK
• Second Place, Beadwork & Quillwork, Cherokee Art Market 2007, Tulsa, OK
• Grand Prize, Cherokee Homecoming Art Show 2007, Cherokee Heritage Center, Tahlequah, OK
• First Place, Diverse Arts, First Annual Cherokee National Holiday Art Show, Tahlequah, OK, Sept. 1-3, 2006
• People’s Choice Award, Art Under the Oaks Gallery Show 2006, Five Tribes Museum, Muskogee, OK
• First Place, Beadwork Category, Commercial Division, Art Under the Oaks Gallery Show 2006, Five Tribes Museum, Muskogee, OK
• Martha Berry – Beadwork Class, Tahlequah 2004 First Place Traditional Beadwork, 10th Annual Homecoming Art Show, Cherokee Heritage Center, Tahlequah, OK, October 2005
• Honorable Mention, Heard Museum Guild 2005 Indian Fair and Market Juried Competition, Cultural Items category, Phoenix, AZ, March 4, 2005
• Grand Award 9th Annual Cherokee Homecoming Art Show, Cherokee Heritage Center, Tahlequah, OK, October 2004
• Honorable Mentions (2), 8th Annual Cherokee Homecoming Art Show, Cherokee Heritage Center, Tahlequah, OK, October 2003
• Best of Category, 32nd Annual Trail of Tears Art Show, Cherokee Heritage Center, Tahlequah, OK, May 2003
• Second Place, Art Under the Oaks 2003, Five Tribes Museum, Muskogee, OK
• First Place, 7th Annual Homecoming Art Show, Cherokee Heritage Center, Tahlequah, OK, October 2002
• Best of Category, 31st Annual Trail of Tears Art Show, Cherokee Heritage Center, Tahlequah, OK, May 2002
• First and Second Place, 6th Annual Homecoming Art Show, Cherokee Heritage Center, Tahlequah, OK, October 2001
• Martha Berry – Cherokee Cultural Society, Houston 2004 Special Merit Award, 30th Annual Trail of Tears Art Show, Cherokee Heritage Center, Tahlequah, OK, May 2001
• First and Third Place, 5th Annual Homecoming Art Show, Cherokee Heritage Center, Tahlequah, OK, October 2000