The Beaded Path Indigenous Beading Circle
Online Using Zoom
Biweekly Thursday evenings, October 1 to December 10, 2026
7:00–9:00 PM EST/EDT
FREE TO JOIN | REGISTER HERE
The Beaded Path 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, supported by Native Women in the Arts, and the 2026 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 another $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 December 10) 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 October 1, 2026 – 7:00-9:00 PM EST/EDT – Opening Fall Session with Guest Artist, Carrie Moran McCleary (@plainssoul on Instagram)
- Thursday October 15, 2026- 7:00-9:00 PM EST/EDT – Guest Artist, Jalynne Geddes (@nehiyanahk on Instagram)
- Thursday October 29, 2026 – 7:00-9:00 PM EST/EDT – Guest Artist, Breanna Deis (@artbybreannadeis on Instagram)
- Thursday November 12, 2026 – 7:00-9:00 PM EST/EDT – Guest Artist, Isaac Shoulderblade (@shoulderblade_designs on Instagram)
- Thursday November 26, 2026 – 7:00-9:00 PM EST/EDT – Guest Artist Details Coming Soon!
- *Thursday December 3, 2026 – 7:00-9:00PM EST/EDT – (special extra session, which does not follow our bi-weekly format!) – Guest Artist Cheyenne Sparks (@twosparkscc on Instagram)
- Thursday December 10, 2026 – 7:00-9:00 PM EST/EDT – Closing Winter Session with Guest Artist, Devin Knezacek (@devolocaraptor on Instagram)
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
FALL 2026 GUEST ARTISTS:
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Carrie Moran McClearyShe/her
Instagram: @plainssoul
Website: www.plainssoul.com
Joining on Thursday October 1st, 2026, 7-PM ESTCarrie Moran McCleary is a fashion designer, artist, and Little Shell Chippewa Tribal member who lives on the Crow Reservation in Montana. In 2016, after years of designing clothes and accessories for her family, she founded Plains Soul to share her unique style and artistry with a wider audience.
“My work is centered in the union of contemporary style and traditional designs,” Moran McCleary said, “I want Native people to wear my work to the office or a powwow, and non-Native people to wear my work and not fear it is appropriative. So please don’t be shy!”
Known for upcycling and Indigenizing everyday items, Moran McCleary learned to bead and sew from her mothers, discovering at a young age how to customize thrift-store finds and hand-me-downs, transforming them into works of art and expressions of her identity.
Moran McCleary has participated in Montana Fashion Week, Native Fashion in the City, and Honor Our Legacy Fashion Show. She co-produced and participated in Apsáalooke Community Market’s Native Days, Yellowstone National Park’s Tribal Marketplace, and the Crow Fair 101 fashion shows.
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Jalynne Geddes
She/her
Instagram: @nehiyanahk
Joining on Thursday October 15th, 2026, 7-PM EST
Headshot and bio coming soon! -
Breanna Deis
She/her
Instagram: @artbybreannadeis
Joining on Thursday October 29th, 2026, 7-PM EST
Headshot and bio coming soon! -
Isaac Shoulderblade
He/Him
Instagram: @shoulderblade_designs
Joining on Thursday November 12th, 2026, 7-PM EST
Headshot and bio coming soon! -
Artist To Be Announced Soon!
Joining on Thursday November 26thth, 2026, 7-PM EST
Headshot and bio coming soon! -
Cheyenne Sparks
She/Her
Instagram: @twosparkscc
Joining on Thursday December 3rd, 2026, 7-PM EST
Headshot and bio coming soon! -
Devin Knezacek
He/Him
Instagram: @devolocaraptor
Joining on Thursday December 10th, 2026, 7-PM EST
Headshot and bio coming soon!
AN IMPORTANT NOTE TO SETTLERS:
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.
FUNDER + PARTNER:
A big thanks to Native Women in the Arts for continuing to fund this important program!
PAST GUEST ARTISTS:
Visit our Spring 2026 Beaded Path page, 2025 Beaded Path page, our 2024 BYOBeads page, or our 2021 BYOBeads page to check out the past guest stars we’ve welcomed to this program!