NWT Arts

I am a beadworker. I prefer making big earrings, often with fringes, as well as bracelets and rings. I like to mix colours in bold ways, using different cuts, sizes and types of beads to create unique looks. I also sand all my findings to alter their texture and sheen.

I learned how to bead with the precious help of a childhood friend in 2021. Initially, I wanted to find a creative hobby to have something casual to do in the evening now that my kids are older, but I ended up really getting into it.

I love to figure out what colours go together, new ideas, new patterns, and seeing the final result. Sometimes I even dream about beading and I have to get up from bed to test out the design in real life. Beadwork takes up a lot of space in my mind now! It has become a really healthy activity for me.

I get a ton of inspiration from other artists, especially those who create one-of-a-kind colour combinations. I am continually learning new techniques from online videos. I also love to take pictures of flowers while at the cabin with my family. Observing nature has become a main source of
inspiration for my earring designs.

I start my creative process by filling out my designs on grid paper with coloured pencil. I’ll create original patterns, or I’ll recreate flower patterns that I’ve seen in the wild. It feels very therapeutic and satisfying to go through that process, from beginning to end. I love that what I put on paper becomes a tangible object, which I can then see being worn by someone at the grocery store!

I’m originally from northern Manitoba and my grandma used to show me her craft when I was a teenager, but I didn’t pay as much attention as I wish I had. She would make me slippers every year until she passed away in 2024. I kept all the worn-out pairs she made for me, looking at her beautiful beadwork often. Now, I can truly appreciate how she made them. I even transformed some of the worn slippers’ beadwork to make hair clips. I will always cherish this incredibly special collection that connects me to her and to my culture.

My art is a tangible representation of what lives in my head. It’s my imagination, my hard work, come to life for others to see. That’s why I prefer doing transactions in person, because I want to interact with people who purchase my artwork. I have a connection to my work so it’s important for me to know who will be wearing it.