Art, Traditions, and Heritage

Eva Oldman brings graphic design and Anishinaabe culture together

By Rachel Pasche | Nov. 23, 2024

Eva Oldman has been working in graphic design for 16 years, but her passion for art began much sooner than that.

“I was always an artsy child growing up,” Oldman tells us. “I was really into crafts as a kid and was always making things with my hands. When I was 13 years old, I made my own Native American dance regalia with the help of my aunt and cousin.”

(Anyone who’s had the opportunity to attend a powwow knows how intricate and elaborate this regalia can be, and countless hours of work go into crafting these colorful ensembles of clothing and accessories.)

In high school, Oldman enjoyed working with computers and using them to create art, which pushed her to go to school for graphic design. “Graphic design is all around us, from packaging, marketing materials, to business logos, and once I realized the full scope of what someone could do with graphic design, I decided to go to school for it.”

But even after getting several degrees and completing an impressive array of projects, Oldman still wanted more art in her life. So she launched her line of apparel, accessories, and products featuring her unique designs inspired by her heritage. Oldman is a tribal citizen of the Little Traverse Bay Band of Odawa Indians and Northern Arapaho from the Wind River Reservation.

Always Creating

For her “day job,” Oldman works on graphic design with various clientele to create marketing materials, package designs, and web layouts. She especially enjoys helping build brands from the ground up, which includes elements like logo design and other digital designs for small businesses that are passionate about what they do.

Some of the large-scale projects Oldman has worked on include design work for colleges, including Michigan State University and the University of Michigan, libraries like the Traverse Area District Library and the Petoskey Library, and the American Indian Cancer Foundation and the PrEP HIV prevention pill. Her passion for the arts has led her to work with the Mitchell Museum of the American Indian and the Detroit Institute of Arts, and she’s used her education in her work with several small tribal governments.

And then there’s Creative Graphics by Eva, Oldman’s apparel business. The line of sweatshirts, shirts, bags, shoes, blankets, and even umbrellas includes instantly recognizable northern Michigan imagery like bears, cherries, strawberries, and buffalo, alongside Indigenous symbols such as the thunderbird.

“My inspiration for the pieces in my new Indigenous product line comes from the world around me, and sometimes it comes from experiences I’ve had,” she says. “Occasionally, inspiration for a piece will come from my own Native American heritage, and the traditions we practice to honor that heritage.”

For example, one of her top-selling designs is for products with woodland floral artwork.

“This artwork represents the Anishinaabe of the Great Lakes Region, and for this design, I take inspiration from the plant life, berries, flowers, and animals that inhabit this beautiful region we call home, and that are important to the culture.”

Another design Oldman is particularly excited about is a little fishy (in a good way!).

“The Nme [sturgeon in Anishinaabemowin] design not only represents the Sturgeon clan people that we have in our tribal community, but it also helps to shed light on the immense importance of water and the creatures that inhabit the water that makes the Great Lakes region so spectacular.”

Other designs featured include the Turtle Island design, which references the Anishinaabek creation story of lands formed on the back of a turtle; a bright applique floral pattern; parfleche patterns, which is an homage to a container made of rawhide used by Indigenous peoples; and bright geometric designs.

This past year, Oldman decided to expand her line to include kids, too. The children’s shop is called Niibiishenh, and it’s a space where kid-friendly designs—think unicorns, dinosaurs, and butterflies—meet Indigenous inspiration.

Looking to the future, Oldman says her next project will be to get involved in fabric design, with the hope that people could buy fabrics with her unique design work to make their own crafts and clothing.

“My target audience is anyone who is interested and appreciates my art. My pieces are Native American Indigenous designs, but you don’t have to be Native American to wear my art. If you love what you see and my art makes you happy, then I encourage you to purchase my products and support me as a Native American artist.”

The Artist Recommends

Looking for gift recs? Here are some items Oldman suggests for holiday gifting this year:

The Woodland Floral Bag ($50) is made of nylon with adjustable straps and tons of pockets, making it versatile as a stylish backpack, diaper bag, or bead bag.

No matter where you’re headed, the Turtle Island Travel Bag ($70) goes with you through all your holiday travels. And it’s water resistant to hold up to whatever wind, rain, and snow December brings us.

The Woodland Cherry Purse ($65) has sturdy, faux-leather straps and tote bag sensibilities to hold your wallet, sunglasses, phone, gloves, hat, scarf, and every other winter survival item you need.

Cozy up in the Sturgeon Hoodie ($50+, unisex sizing) this winter, made with a soft cotton/polyester blend and Oldman’s iconic design.

Shop at creativegraphicsbyeva.com and niibiishenh.com.