Hollis Chitto

Hollis Chitto was born in an art town to artist parents. He grew up surrounded by art, artistic discussion and talented people. Hollis started making clay masks and shields when he was five years old. He learned to roll out the clay, sand them, and decorate and paint the pieces himself. When he was ten years old, he started working with glass seed beads and porcupine quills and since then, these have been his principle medium. Hollis was featured recently in Native American Art magazine, New Mexico Magazine and on Vogue.com as an “Indigenous Beaders Modernizing Their Craft.”

My grandmother was a beadworker, selling her pieces in Chicago where my dad and his family lived. Unfortunately, I did not have the chance to learn any techniques from her, since she died when I was very young. Many people have said that her talent in beadwork was passed down to me. The designs I come up with are contemporary and bold, and I use only high-quality materials. I never think of beadwork or quillwork as craft, but as fine art.

• Institute of American Indian Art Artist in Residence, Santa Fe, NM 2021
• School for Advanced Research Dubin Fellowship, Santa Fe, NM 2022
• The Church Artist in Residence, Sag Harbor, NY 2025

• The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, "Bloodwork no.2"
• The Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art, "Blue Bag"
• The Gochman Family Collection, "Napakanli Um Okla Imma" (Flowers For My Family)
• Virginia Museum of Fine Art, "Hmm... Pisa Saachukma Ka" (Damn, I Look Good)
• Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, "Bouquet Bag"
• The Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art, "Floral Autonomy"

2006 Santa Fe Indian Market, 2nd Place, Plains Style Doll with Quillwork

2008 St. John’s College Student Art Show, Best of Show, Beaded Frame Bag

2008 St. John’s College Student Art Show, 2nd Place, Beaded Doll Cradleboard

2011 AIHEC Student Art Show, 1st place, Quilled Bag

2011 AIHEC Student Art Show, 2nd place, Beaded Doll Cradleboard

2012 Heard Museum Art Show, Honorable Mention, Beaded Derby Hat

2012 AIHEC Student Art Show, 1st place, Quilled Bracelet

2012 AIHEC Student Art Show, 3rd place, Taylor, Crow Doll

2013 SWAIA Indian Market, Honorable mention, Beaded Doll Cradleboard

2013 Cherokee Art Market, 2nd place, Black Beaded Evening Bag

2014 Cherokee Art Market, 3rd place, Beaded Gauntlet Gloves

2015 SWAIA Indian Market, 2nd place, Beaded Frame Bag with Fringe

2016 Cherokee Art Market, Best of Division, “Proud Sister” Blackfoot girl with cradleboard

2016 Cherokee Art Market, Best of Division, Blue Beaded Bag with quillwork

2017 SWAIA Indian Market, 2nd place, Blue Beaded Evening Bag

2017 SWAIA Indian Market, Honorable Mention, Brown Bag

2017 Cherokee Art Market, 3rd place, Blue Beaded Evening Bag

2017 Cherokee Art Market, 3rd place, Beaded Doll Cradleboard

2018 SWAIA Indian Market, 1st place, “Green Decadence” Beaded Evening Bag

2018 Cherokee Art Market, Best of Division, “Resplendent Quetzal” Woman’s Cornmeal Bag

2019 Bernalillo Indian Festival, Best of Show,  Beaded Evening Bag with chain

2019 SWAIA Indian Market, Honorable Mention, Beaded Evening Bag

2019 SWAIA Indian Market, Honorable Mention, White Bag with Fring

2019 Cherokee Art Market, Best of Division, “Adeline” Contemporary Soft Sculpture

2019 Cherokee Art Market, 2nd place, Beaded Evening Bag with chain

2020 Heard Museum Art Show, Honorable Mention, “Adeline” Contemporary Soft Sculpture

2020 Cherokee Art Market, 2nd place, “Chata Anumpa In My Accent” Beaded Bandolier Bag

2023 Heard Museum Art Market, 2nd place,  “Quilled Dance Bag”

2023 Cherokee Art Market, Best of Division, “Quilled Dance Bag”

2023 Cherokee Art Market, Best of Division, Judges Choice, Culture Keeper Award,

“Napakanli Um Okla Imma” (Flowers For My Family; Contemporary Bandolier Bag)

2024 Heard Museum Art Market, Best Of Show, “Napakanli Um Okla Imma” (Flowers For My Family; Contemporary Bandolier Bag)

2024 Heard Museum Art Market, 2nd place, “For Our Two Spirits” Contemporary Soft Sculpture

2024 Eiteljorg Museum Indian Market & Festival, 2nd place, "Quilled Dance Bag"

2024 SWAIA Indian Market, 2nd Place, "Bouquet Bag"

2025 Heard Museum Art Market, 2nd place, "Hmm... Pisa Saachukma Ka (Damn, I Look Good)" Contemporary soft sculpture

2025 Eiteljorg Museum Indian Market & Festival, 2nd place, Blue Bag with antique purse frame

2025 Eiteljorg Museum Indian Market & Festival, 3rd place, Purchase Award, "Floral Autonomy"

• Vogue.com, “Meet 8 Indigenous Beaders Who Are Modernizing Their Craft” Christian Allaire
• New Mexico Magazine, “Artists We Love: Native Beadworker Hollis Chitto” Nina Sanders
• First American Art Magazine, “Creating During a Planetary Pandemic” FAAZINE
• Huffington Post, “23 Indigenous Fashion Brands That’ll Inspire Your Wardrobe” Rohina Karoch Sehra
• Metalsmith Magazine, “Hollis Chitto: Beadwork That Speaks to the Moment” Andrea Dinoto
• Art Jewelry Forum, “Hollis Chitto Blurring Traditions in Native Beadwork” Rebekah Frank
• Hyperallergic, "The Never-Ending Storytelling of Native American Jewelry and It's Makers" Bryan Fleetwood
• Western Art and Architecture Magazine, "Artist Spotlight: Hollis Chitto" Norman Kolpas
• Native American Art Magazine, "Mastery of the Bead" Jessa Rae Growing Thunder