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“I am an Indian; and while I have learned much from civilization, for which I am grateful, I have never lost my Indian sense of right and justice. I am for development and progress along social and spiritual lines, rather than those of commerce, nationalism, or material efficiency. Nevertheless, so long as I live, I am an American.”
―Charles Alexander Eastman, From the Deep Woods to Civilization
Kirsten is a contemporary Indigenous artist, model, and storyteller whose work explores identity, resilience, and what it means to be Indigenous in the modern world.
Raised in Aurora, Colorado, and later moving to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Kirsten often describes herself as an “Urban Native”—someone whose Indigenous identity was shaped by city life while remaining deeply connected to her cultural heritage.
Kirsten is an enrolled member of the Ponca Nation. Her mother and grandfather are members of the Santee Sioux (Dakota) Nation. Growing up in a biracial household while knowing and embracing her Indigenous heritage gave her a perspective that continues to influence the way she approaches art, storytelling, and the world around her.
Her creative work spans painting, fashion, photography, storytelling, and digital media. Much of her artistic practice examines the lasting effects of colonization, forced assimilation, Indian boarding schools, broken treaties, and blood quantum while also focusing on something equally important: resilience.
It's about showing that Indigenous people are still here.
Creating.
Changing.
Dating.
Building businesses.
Making art.
Being messy.
Being funny.
Being complicated.
Being human.
And that's where In Heat & Ready to Breed fits into the bigger picture.
Because Kirsten's creative work has never been limited to one box.
She can spend one day painting a historical Indigenous figure, another designing clothing, another talking about culture and identity—and then turn around and spend two hours asking complete strangers whether wearing shoes inside the house is a red flag.
And honestly?
That's the point.
Modern Indigenous life isn't one-dimensional.
Neither is Kirsten.
Her work across fashion, fitness, art, and digital storytelling explores the intersections of culture, identity, healing, relationships, sexuality, humor, and everyday life.
In Heat & Ready to Breed is simply another part of that storytelling.
It's less formal.
A lot more chaotic.
And occasionally much more inappropriate.
But underneath the jokes, dating games, interviews, and questionable questions is the same thing that drives the rest of her creative work:
curiosity about people.
Who are we when nobody is judging us?
What are we looking for?
What are we afraid to admit?
What makes us attracted to someone?
What makes us walk away?
What do we consider a red flag?
And what happens when we're willing to have conversations that most people are too uncomfortable to start?
That's what Kirsten wants to explore.
Through her art, clothing, stories, and now In Heat & Ready to Breed, she is creating an honest record of modern life from her own perspective. Honoring where she comes from while continuing to build whatever comes next.
Because being Indigenous isn't just about remembering the past.
It's also about being here for the future.