But this summer, that’s exactly what happened.

In June, Big Knife got a call from Xbox, a video gaming brand owned by Microsoft, asking if she’d be interested in doing a project. Big Knife jumped at the opportunity, but so did lots of Indigenous artists, who entered into a pool hoping to be selected by Xbox. Big Knife and other Native graphic designers submitted portfolios and presentations.

After several rounds, Big Knife, who is Chippewa Cree and grew up on the Rocky Boy Reservation, was selected to create a piece for the gaming giant as part of its campaign to increase representation of Indigenous people.

Once she was selected, Big Knife and the Xbox team entered several rounds of design decisions. First, Big Knife presented three mood boards, and the Xbox team picked one, which featured ribbon skirts and ribbon shirts. Next, she submitted artwork based on that concept and entered several rounds of revisions with Xbox.

“It was a crazy amount of deliverable assets,” Big Knife recalled. “I think I turned in more than 40 different designs. It’s definitely one of the most intense projects I’ve ever been a part of.”

A few months later, Big Knife had her design.

Her piece — featuring deep purples, bright oranges and vibrant greens — includes flowers, geometric shapes and the “X” symbolizing Xbox as the glowing sun. She said she intentionally chose a balance of cool and warm colors and avoided typical design schemes, like portraying a yellow sun against blue sky. The piece, called “Dancing in the Arbors,” is featured on Xbox’s social media pages, and players can use it as a free wallpaper, profile picture or for their avatar in games.

Big Knife drew inspiration for the piece from an old black-and-white photograph of her great-grandfather. The floral designs in her graphic mirror the flowers on his regalia.

“Overall, the design scheme is reminiscent of summertime in Rocky Boy,” Big Knife said. “During powwow, I’d be at my Grandma Minnie’s house. She lives over the hills, and when the powwow goes late into the night, people are still out there, there are stars and lights on the arbor. It’s a very lively place.”

Big Knife studied at Stone Child College on the reservation and went on to earn a degree in graphic design from the Institute of Native American Art. She also has degrees from the University of Arizona and University of Montana. In her early college years, Big Knife said she played a lot of Xbox and made lifelong friendships through gaming.

“It’s a dream come true,” she said of the piece. “I never thought I’d be doing something like this for a video game giant like Xbox. It’s just funny to see life come full circle. It was just an incredible experience.”

Despite her success, Big Knife said her pursuit of graphic design wasn’t always easy. There were times she considered leaving the field altogether and times when she worried her art wouldn’t be taken seriously since it wasn’t tactile, like beading or weaving. But, as Big Knife put it, “Life always led me back to graphic design. It’s what I’m good at.”

Now, Big Knife said she appreciates the medium more than ever. She uses graphic design for more than just art — helping local organizations promote events, create business cards and logos, and she’s even created free materials to help preserve the Cree language.

“The digital realm is a very powerful place to be,” she said. “Indigenous professionals and organizations need art, whether it’s branding or selling merchandise. … We, as Indigenous people, need to have a presence in digital art and in digital spaces. This is how I contribute to my community.”

To learn more about Kaylene Big Knife’s work, visit kaybigknifedesign.com.