Growing up, Adrienne Fleek spent time with her great aunt Maria Ackerman, a Tlingit leader, beader, weaver and author, and says she was always touched by her presence and calmness.
“When we would visit with her and she was beading, she always seemed to be in a really good space, and I was attracted to that type of spirit and presence in our really hectic western lifestyle,” Fleek said. “She was always a banner of a way to be.”
Fleek began attending embroidery classes at Alaska Native Medical Center, which she took as a way to relax and do something creative. That’s when she started her business, L’ook Beadwork, where she melds traditional forms of beading with what she loves and is passionate about: the environment, politics, LGBTQ+ issues, pop culture, Halloween, Valentine’s Day (her favorite holidays) and more…