Saηksaηnića is the Dakota word for dress. The Plains Women Traditional Cloth and Hide Dresses, in their intricacy, grace and beauty, have captivated Lita Fontaine ever since she was a little girl. Going to powwows with her family, she dreamt of eventually owning such a dress. In this new body of work, Fontaine honors these forms that carry cultural symbols from her Dakota and Anishinaabe heritage. Through the use of mixed media, painting and collage, Fontaine’s forms incorporate traditional patterns with fabric, paper, beads, buttons and other found materials. Like the dresses that Fontaine references, her paintings act as protective mantles and vessels. In the repeated patterns and recurring images, Saηksaηnića highlights the honor and responsibility of wearing such vessels of collective memory and shared knowledge.