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Tribal College Student's Art Adorns Pendleton Blanket
11 Jun
Summary
- Belle Brings Plenty designed the winning blanket, titled 'Journey'.
- Her design honors her late brother and Lakóta traditions.
- Pendleton's partnership provides scholarships for Native students.
Belle Brings Plenty, a recent graduate of United Tribes Technical College, has been honored as the winner of the 2025 Tribal College Blanket Design Competition. Her winning design, named "Journey," will be produced by Pendleton Woolen Mills for their American Indian College Fund collection.
Brings Plenty's design is a deeply personal tribute, created in memory of her brother, Cole Brings Plenty, who passed away in April 2024. The artwork features traditional Lakóta symbolism, including a dragonfly representing healing and stars symbolizing the Star Nation. Geometric patterns and border designs inspired by quillwork and beadwork honor her family's artistic heritage.
The blanket's color palette and motifs hold significant cultural meaning, with red and blue representing life and death, and the blue background honoring the Thunder Being Nation. The design also incorporates Lakóta words, including "Oómani" for "journey."
This annual competition, open to Native students at Tribal Colleges and Universities, aims to promote emerging Native artists. The long-standing partnership between Pendleton and the American Indian College Fund has generated over $2.5 million in scholarships and funding for Native students, supporting Indigenous cultures and education for future generations.
