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| Elizabeth B. "Tiny" Arthur was born January 2, 1917 in Roy, Montana and was the daughter of Joe and Mary Rose LaFountain. She grew up as one of 15 children in Cone Butte near Roy. They had to walk 5 miles to school, so in the winter they moved to town. Tiny attended high school through her junior year and played basketball for 3 years while there. She quit school and was united in marriage to Hedley Arthur on May 31, 1935. They had 5 sons and 2 daughters, who all live in Montana with the exception of 1 son who lives in Alaska. |
| When Tiny was a young girl she was very small and short, and so she was nicknamed "Tiny." She always went by this name and if anyone called her Elizabeth no one knew who you were talking about. She was a member of one of Montana's Native American Tribes, the Chippewa Tribe. It is a heritage in which she took much pride. |
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Tiny was concerned that much of America's native indian culture would be lost as the older Indians died and the younger ones were absorbed into the white man's world. It was this concern
that prompted her to learn how to do traditional indian beadwork, since besides being a part of the indian culture, beadwork also held some warm childhood memories for her of watching her
mother beading when she was a child. She learned the craft from a woman who lived on the Fort Belknap Reservation some years back, and was particularly interested in the symbolism that had been passed down through the generations. She created her own designs which were symbolic of her forefathers' beliefs, and incorporated Indian symbols and colors into the jewelry she made. She designed her own symbol, the "Flying Bird," which resembles a straight line with a V midway through it and used it to sign all her beadwork. Her jewelry has gone all over the United States and even as far as England, New Zealand and Argentina. Some of the items include bracelets, medallion necklaces, earrings, pony tail holders, belt buckles, and bolo ties. Tiny's work has been displayed at events and shows all over the state of Montana and in several adjoining states also. She was included in several national magazines, one being "Farm Wife," and was also a guest on the Norma Ashby Show and various television talk shows where she demonstrated her craft. Tiny was an active participant in the Native American Art Show in Great Falls for several years and her presence is missed. |
| In hopes that some of her family would preserve the craft of her forefathers, Tiny taught beadwork to one of her daughters, a son, her daughter-in-law, a granddaughter and some of her nieces. She worried that the younger generation of Native Americans would have no time or patience for the intricate task of beading, and treasure the precious ways of her ancestors. She hoped that the next generation would preserve the craft of their forefathers as she had. |
| Tiny passed away on October 3, 1993 after a courageous battle with cancer. She is walking in the beauty of the Great Spirit and her eyes are beholding the red and purple sunsets that she loved so very much. Her spirit lives on in the beauty of her beautiful beadwork which she took such great pride in. We miss you, Tiny. |
