BYOBeads Indigenous ONLINE Beading Circle
Online Using Zoom. Register on Google HERE
Biweekly Thursday evenings, May 2 – July 11th, 2024
7-8:30pm – tune in any time!
FREE
REGISTER HERE FOR THE LINK!
BYOBeads is a welcoming online beading circle for traditional bead artists, hobby-beaders just learning their craft, experts, elders, and enthusiasts to gather and work together on current project(s), share skills, and show off the beautiful things they’ve been working on! This season’s BYOBeads is again led by Mel Bartel, a talented Toronto-based, 2 Spirit, Nishinaabe artist whose work lives at the intersection of colourful abstract art and traditional Anishinaabe beadwork.
We are thrilled to again be presenting an amazing selection of Indigenous Guest Artists as part of BYOBeads! Throughout the season, we will welcome talented Indigenous beading artists to share their work at one of our beading circles! Come and be inspired by the artistry, and bring questions that you’d like to ask. Scroll down to learn more about this season’s Guest Artists.
We hope to see you online! Come and bring a cup of your favourite tea, share your bead work, share your tips, enjoy a discussion, and gather socially (from a distance!) with people who share your love of this traditional craft.
NOTE: Participants are not required to call in with video – We all know how zoomed out things can get these days, so please, feel free to join us however you feel comfortable (though we would LOVE to see your work!)
ALSO NOTE: Sensitive and/or mature content may come up in BYOBeads programming. If at any time you feel unsafe or uncomfortable, or if you require support, please let the facilitator Mel Bartel or any of the East End Arts staff know and we will be more than happy to assist you.
ABOUT THE FACILITATOR:
MEL BARTEL: Toronto-based Nishinaabe artist Mel Bartel believes that all art is healing and therapeutic. It doesn’t matter if you are viewing it or creating it, the effects are the same.
She is known for her expressive and intuitive ability to capture emotion, personality and spirit. Her mediums are acrylic paint on wood cradled birch panels and bead work. She studied Art and Graphic Design at Claude Watson School of the Arts, George Brown College and briefly at Ontario College of Art & Design.
Mel grew up as a child in the Manitoba prairies and was raised by a Mennonite family. She is Sixties Scoop and her home community is Lac Seul First Nation.
Her Nishinaabe name is Nendowaaamjiget which means Seeker. This name is particularly fitting for Mel as it seems she has been seeking most of her life – for identity, her culture, her place in the world. She is a member of the Wolf Clan.
Following a successful period as Graphic Designer for Loblaw Brands Company designing President’s Choice product packaging, she has returned to expressive art as her primary focus.
UPCOMING BEADING NIGHTS:
- Thursday May 2nd, 2024 | 7-8:30pm – Welcome Back Session!
- Thursday May 16th, 2024 | 7-8:30pm – Guest Star joining – To be announced soon!
- Thursday May 30th, 2024 | 7-8:30pm – Guest Star joining – To be announced soon!
- Thursday June 13th, 2024 | 7-8:30pm – Guest Star joining – To be announced soon!
- Thursday June 27th, 2024 | 7-8:30pm – Guest Star joining – To be announced soon!
- Thursday July 11th, 2024 | 7-8:30pm – End of Season Closing Session!
REGISTER:
Be sure to register for BYOBeads by visiting our registration link HERE!
CIRCLE SCHEDULE:
BYOBeads is a very casual vibe, but for those of you looking for a bit of structure this is the approximate schedule for the evening:
7:00-7:15 – Welcome, Introductions
7:15-7:30 – Show and tell/update on Beadwork Projects
7:30-7:45 – Presentation by Guest Artist
7:45-8:25 – Discussion and Beading Time
8:25-8:30 – Closing Thoughts & Goodbye
A note to settlers interested in attending BYOBeads:
1) This is primarily an Indigenous circle, which is open for non-Indigenous folks to attend. Please don’t ask questions about culture, history, or politics. Lots of folk come here to unwind, and your questions are likely loaded in ways you may not understand. Hang out, listen, laugh, and be mindful of not taking up too much space.
2) If you are a settler looking to learn about beading, we strongly encourage you to seek out artists who offer workshops and classes, or who have made videos teaching – or heck, you could just offer somebody whose work you admire money to share what they know with you. The worst that could happen is that they say no, and one of the easiest ways that we can be allies is with our dollars.
This is a space that strives to be inclusive of all identities, but we don’t always get it right. Let us know if we can do anything to bring you in.
2024 GUEST ARTISTS:
COMING SOON!
PAST GUEST ARTISTS:
Visit our 2021 BYOBeads page to check out the past guest stars we’ve welcomed to BYOBeads!
FUNDERS:
A big thanks to Native Women in the Arts for continuing to fund this program!
