The Beaded Path Indigenous Beading Circle
Online Using Zoom
Biweekly Thursday evenings, February 27 to June 19th, 2025
7:00–9:00 PM
FREE | REGISTER HERE
The Beaded Path (formerly BYOBeads) is an Indigenous-led Beading Circle 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. The Beaded Path is a no-cost online space where creative people from across Turtle Island can sit together chatting, laughing, and sharing our experiences while beading and creating together. Whether you are a full or part-time bead artist, or someone who is interested in beading, we welcome you to join us. This space is hosted by East End Arts with support from Native Women in the Arts. The 2025 season will welcome an exciting list of talented Indigenous artists who will share their work, skills, and stories. 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.
NOTE: Sensitive and/or mature content may come up in The Beaded Path program. 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.
P.S. We will be raffling off a $100 Giftcard to BeadFX as part of this season of The Beaded Path! Simply attend at least 5 of our online beading circles, and you’ll be entered to win the gift card! Please note that you must be present at our last beading circle (Thursday June 19) to win the prize (this is when we will randomly draw the winner). We hope to see you all online!
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 February 27, 2025 – 7:00-9:00 PM | Opening Session! No Guest Artist. Open format beading and chat. Come say hello and jump into a new season with us.
- Thursday March 13, 2025 – 7:00-9:00 PM | “Beading Materials Session”. Guest Tour of Bead Collection/Bead Talk. Guest Artist: Krysta Furioso of Fort William First Nation.
- Thursday March 27, 2025 – 7:00-9:00 PM | “Beading Materials Session”. Guest Artist talking about Harvesting Quills and Tufting. Guest Artist: Carmen Miller of Metis Nation of Alberta.
- Thursday April 10, 2025 – 7:00-9:00 PM | “Beading Business Session”. Guest talking about Beading Business Skills. Guest Artist: Jaymie Campbell of Curve Lake First Nation.
- Thursday April 24, 2025 – 7:00-9:00 PM | “History of Beading Session”. Guest talking about the history of beading/antique bead sourcing. Guest Artist: Naomi Smith.
- Thursday May 8, 2025 – 7:00-9:00 PM | “Youth Beading Chat”. Guest talking about Teaching Beading, and Continuing the traditions. Guest Artist: Jessica McKenzie of Opaskwayak Cree Nation.
- Thursday May 22, 2025 – 7:00-9:00 PM | “Material Expert Session”. Guest talking about Working with Birch Bark. Guest Artist: Helen Pelletier of Fort William First Nation.
- Thursday June 5, 2025 – 7:00-9:00 PM | “Beading Business Session”. Guest talking about Selling at Markets/ Powwows. Guest Artist: Barb Nahwegahbow of Birch Island First Nation.
- Thursday June 19, 2025 – 7:00-9:00 PM | Closing Session! No Guest Artist. Open format beading and chat. Come say goodbye to celebrate the amazing season we had together!
REGISTER:
Be sure to register for The Beaded Path by visiting our registration link below:
CIRCLE SCHEDULE:
The Beaded Path is a very casual vibe, but for those of you looking for a bit of structure this is the approximate schedule for the evening:
7:00-7:05 – Ease into Space
7:05-7:20 – Welcome, Introductions, & Show & Tell
7:20-8:00 – Conversation with Guest Artist
8:00-8:50 – Open Discussion and Beading Time
8:50-9:00 – Closing Thoughts & Goodbye
2025 GUEST ARTISTS:
Krysta Furioso of Fort William First Nation, she/her
Website | Instagram
Bio: As a beadweaver for more than 30 years, I’ve come to think of this ancient craft as an outlet for my many visual inspirations. From customary patterns of the Indigenous Peoples of North America, to contemporary design elements, I revel in the shapes and colours with which we decorate our lives.In many cultures and families, beadwoven pieces are made, worn, mended, and cared for with great respect, often passed down through generations. The craft itself is also passed down mother to son, father to daughter, and grows and survives with each new beadweaver.I am Anishinaabe from Fort William First Nation, and growing up near the Great Lakes, I was introduced to beadwork by the Anishinaabe. I was struck by the obvious time invested in each piece of carefully woven beadwork, and the way each shape or colour might communicate something about the culture within which it was created. This beautiful melding of history and craftsmanship has remained my creative outlet to this day.
Carmen Miller of Metis Nation of Alberta, she/her
Website | Instagram
Bio: Alberta based Metis artisan, Carmen Miller, has been practising different art mediums for most of her life. She was born in Edmonton, grew up in a military family and moved from coast to coast in Canada. Carmen taught herself how to make simple beaded items at the age of eight and has been beading ever since. She has had some wonderful friends and teachers that have shared their knowledge of tanning hides, making birch bark baskets, tufting, and quillwork.
She learned the art of moose hair and caribou hair tufting 30 years ago and her tuftings are usually on wearable items such as moccasins, mittens, and jewelry and are combined with beadwork. Carmen is also widely known for her mini tufted jewellery.
Jaymie Campbell of Curve Lake First Nation, she/her
Website | Instagram
Bio: Jaymie Campbell is Anishnaabe artist and writer from Curve Lake First Nation and currently resides in British Columbia. Jaymie is the designer behind White Otter Design Co, which incorporates traditional artistry techniques with contemporary and personal style. She aims to explore connection to land and culture through beadwork, writing, fashion and visual arts. She strives to use authentic materials, sourcing from communities and knowledge keepers. It is important also to learn traditional skills in order to use them in her work and pass them down to future generations. Her work is inspired by her Anishnaabe roots, the land and her family.
Naomi Smith, she/her
Facebook
Bio: Naomi is an Indigenous Artist, Maker and Educator from the Chippewas of Nawash Nation in Neyaashiinimiing. For over 25 years Naomi has focused on sharing teachings about the Indigenous people of the Woodlands and Northeastern region from a historical and contemporary perspective often through the story of beads. Her work embraces ancestral designs in the form of bags, adornment and traditional accessories. Naomi’s work has been exhibited across Canada and internationally. She has exhibited at the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) (Smithsonian) in Washington DC and New York, the Vancouver 2010 Olympics, Peel Art Gallery Museum and Archives, Art Gallery of Guelph and participated in events throughout the year prior to the pandemic.Naomi’s artwork is in permanent collections at the Museum of Fine Art in Boston, MA, The Art Gallery of Guelph, Schneider Haus, and private collections throughout the world.While many of her lectures and presentations are art themed, she also talks about the historic challenges facing indigenous peoples and how this narrative has affected her life journey. Naomi provides insight into her Indigenous world which is a unique blend of traditional teachings and colonial experiences.Artist’s Statement: “Honouring our traditions is my voice within and beyond my Culture and Community. Traditionally there is no word for “art” in Native languages yet artistry and visual expression are critical in defining who we are as Original people. It is this path I wish to exemplify through my teachings and my work.”
Jessica McKenzie of Opaskwayak Cree Nation, she/her
Website | Instagram
Bio: Jessica McKenzie is a proud member of Opaskwayak Cree Nation, living in Toronto, ON. She is a sister, auntie, beadwork artist, and this years Miss Indigenous Canada. With her love for community, she encourages cultural revitalization through traditional beading workshops. Jessica has been recognized on APTN, Women of Influence, and in the Globe and Mail, where she champions the importance of Indigenous art to community and culture. Beyond her professional endeavors, she mentors Indigenous Youth in her Mentorship Program, Wīcih Kītisān (Help Your Sibling), and donates to various Indigenous initiatives across Turtle Island.
- Helen Pelletier of Fort William First Nation, she/her
Instagram
Bio: Coming soon - Barb Nahwegahbow of Birch Island First Nation, she/her
Instagram
Bio: Coming soon
PAST GUEST ARTISTS:
Visit our 2024 BYOBeads page or our 2021 BYOBeads page to check out the past guest stars we’ve welcomed to this program!
A note to settlers interested in attending The Beaded Path:
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.
FUNDERS:
A big thanks to Native Women in the Arts for continuing to fund this program!
