About the artist

Kayla McDermott was born in Kodiak and raised in Old Harbor, Alaska. She graduated from high school in Old Harbor and attended the University of Alaska Anchorage, where she got her culinary arts degree.

Her love for beading started at age 7 where she learned how to bead during Alutiiq week at school. She started off with small projects and at age 12 learned how to make headdresses. She picked up headdress making again at age 19 and from there she made 26 headdresses in 10 years.

See more of her work on the museum’s website.

Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women Headdress

• Kayla McDermott
• Alutiiq Museum
• 2020