About the Artist

Courtney is Northern Cheyenne, Absentee Shawnee, and Seminole and was raised on the Northern Cheyenne reservation in Montana for the majority of her life. Courtney’s interest and love for art began at a very young age, but it wasn’t until her family moved from Kansas to the Northern Cheyenne reservation in Montana that her talents were truly nourished with the help of her second grade art teacher, Ann King, and great-grandfather, Moohtaenahkohe (Black Bear); or Dave “Busby Grandpa” Glenmore (Seminole). Mrs. King played a vital role in providing a positive, encouraging environment for Courtney to express herself and exhibit her talents in class. Courtney’s great-grandfather, Busby Grandpa, also played a crucial part in emboldening the artist within her. Busby Grandpa was a talented and versatile Cheyenne artist that utilized various mediums in his art. (You can read more about him in the article below.) When Courtney’s family relocated to Montana, they lived with Busby Grandpa for a few years, and those years were when her artistry really began to take shape. A core memory that Courtney has of Busby Grandpa is when they would sit at the dinner table and she’d draw/color/paint and he’d work on his art pieces while they visited. Little did she know that those times would spark the hunger for art throughout her life. Busby Grandpa was a tough cowboy with a dry sense of humor and work ethic like no other, but he always made sure to encourage Courtney to continue drawing, painting, and coloring. He liked to tell people that Courtney was going to “..be a good artist when she grows up,” which now serves as her inspiration and main driving force behind pursuing her dream of being a full-time artist.

Courtney's grandmother, Georgia (Jones) Little Axe, is also a pillar in her journey as an artist. Georgia is to thank for taking the time to teach her how to sew traditional Seminole patchwork; which Court is still actively learning. Georgia's pride in her Seminole culture is strong, and she was beyond excited to pass this skill to Courtney to carry on the tradition for their family.

Presently, Courtney’s expertise lies within beadwork, quillwork, applique, painting, and sewing. Her style can be described as eclectic, contemporary, and alternative. As Courtney grew up, she continually had a desire to stand out from the crowd; to be unique and memorable. This characteristic can be exhibited in her art through the type of materials and designs she utilizes. Courtney has drawn inspiration from multiple subjects, including her own tribal designs, her life experiences, and even her taste in music. Her style integrates traditional designs and clothing styles with alternative elements.

Courtney’s motivation for launching ALTRN8V was to bring a Native-owned business to the forefront of the alternative fashion scene, because there is a lack of Indigenous representation within it. Her goal is to help boost visibility of alternative Natives and to provide a specific fashion for them.