ALTRN8V, by Courtney Little Axe

Courtney Little Axe (Northern Cheyenne, Absentee Shawnee, Seminole) is a multidisciplinary artist whose work is deeply rooted in culture, family, and individuality. Her artistic practice spans beadwork, quillwork, appliqué, painting, and sewing, including the traditional Seminole patchwork techniques passed down by her grandmother, Georgia (Jones) Little Axe. Courtney’s materials are as meaningful as her methods. Every piece she creates is intentional, often handcrafted from a blend of traditional elements and modern materials. She frequently repurposes and upcycles thrifted fabrics and textiles, honoring Indigenous values of sustainability and stewardship of the Earth. Her designs emerge from a place of lived experience, cultural memory, and creative rebellion. Courtney draws inspiration from her tribal heritage, her life growing up on the Northern Cheyenne reservation in Montana, and the teachings of her great-grandfather Dave “Busby Grandpa” Glenmore, a skilled, multidisciplinary artist who encouraged her at a young age. These early experiences shaped not only her love for creating but also her understanding of art as a living legacy.

Each ALTRN8V piece reflects Courtney’s personal evolution and artistic voice: eclectic, alternative, and grounded in tradition. Her designs mix motifs from each of her tribes with alt-fashion aesthetics, intentionally crafted for those who feel they’ve never quite fit into society’s mold. Through ALTRN8V, she channels her vision to uplift and celebrate the “rebels and outcasts” within Indigenous communities and beyond, providing representation and visibility for alternative Natives in fashion and art.