Leslie Bitsie Jr. (born 1968) is a beadwork artist from Tohatchi, NM on the Navajo Nation. He is the 12th generation to reside on and maintain his ancestral family lands in Tohatchi. In the Navajo kinship system, Leslie is Dzil T'aa Nii (Mountain Base People), born for Chishi Dine'e (Chiricahua Apache People); his maternal grandfather is Tsenjikinni (Black Stone House People), and his paternal grandfather is Ashihii (Salt Area People). Leslie is a graduate of New Mexico State University (Master of Science, Bachelor of Science), and the University of New Mexico (Associate of Arts, Associate of Applied Science). His introduction to beadwork was a result of his lifelong exposure to and appreciation of Native American culture. This inherent passion was cultivated through both his late mother Alice, and maternal grandmother Nellie. Leslie was influenced also by his parents' and grandparents' spiritual beliefs and wisdom. Through observing and participating in Native American Church, The Christian Reformed Church, Navajo Sing Ways; and understanding his own Spirituality, and deep appreciation for Native style, grace, aesthetics, and sophistication, Leslie took on a style of his own that would help keep Native beadwork alive.
Leslie’s artwork can be described as a carefully calculated, selected, and sorted arrangement of seed beads hand embroidered onto various foundations. He utilizes European glass beads, precious metals, crystal beads, and various natural materials such as shells, select gemstone cabochons, and naturally, needle and thread. The material onto which Leslie beads range from brain tanned smoked hide, Navajo tanned deer hide, commercial tanned hide, and manufactured fabric. His beadwork could be labeled as ‘Made by Navajo hands on Navajo land’. In 1995 Leslie began to pursue beadwork full-time. His first ever public showing of original Navajo beaded art occurred at the 1997 Gallup NM Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial, earning a 1stplace blue ribbon. This award validated his artistic ability and led to forming an artistic career. Leslie's beadwork has garnered awards, and showed at Santa Fe, NM, Phoenix, AZ, Prescott, AZ, Los Angeles, CA; Gallup, NM, Albuquerque, NM, Window Rock, AZ, and Flagstaff, AZ. His beadwork is held in various private collections.