Posts in Beadwork
Lii sooyii moo
Lii sooyii moo

Stitch by stitch, bead by bead, teaching by teaching, I’m learning. This was the project I was most scared to start. I’ve had these materials and the design drawn for months. Sitting, waiting. With the exception of the beads (obviously) I’ve worked with none of these materials before. I was scared, working with hide felt so permanent.

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Indigenous Learning, BeadworkBrittany MayMoccasin, Lii sooyii moo, Ancestors, Beads, Beadwork, Culture, Generation, History, Indigenous, Indigenous Art, Indigenous Artists, Indigenous Culture, Miyuki Beads, Métis Beadwork, Flower Beadwork People, Métis, Métis Nation, Seed BeadsComment
Every Child Matters
Every Child Matters

Orange Shirt Day began on September 30, 2013, to honour the estimated 150,000 children who were kidnapped from their families and forced into residential schools from 1831-1996. Residential schools were government-funded religious schools established in Canada to strip children of their Indigenous culture and assimilate them to Canadian society.

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Indigenous Learning, BeadworkBrittany MayAwareness, Ancestors, Beads, Beadwork, Culture, Canada, Indigenous, Equal Rights, Equality, History, Racism, Seed Beads, Sexual Assault, Human Rights, Miyuki Beads, Colonization, Abuse, Child Abuse, Residential Schools, Cultural Genocide, Orange Shirt Day, #EveryChildMatters, Indigenous Artists, Indigenous Culture, Indigenous History, Canadian History, Indigenous ArtComment
Métis Nation
Métis Nation

Reclaiming what was stolen. Growing up I always knew I was Métis but it was more something mentioned in passing, there were never any traditional teachings passed down, I never grew up feeling like Métis was a part of me that I could claim.

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Indigenous Learning, BeadworkBrittany MayAncestors, Beads, Beadwork, Culture, Indigenous, Red River, Family History, Family, Generation, History, Indigenous Artists, Indigenous Art, Miyuki Beads, Patchwork, Métis Beadwork, Flower Beadwork People, Land Rights, Flowers, Métis, Patch, Seed Beads, Strength, Strong, Colonization, Métis NationComment
Leopard Print
Leopard Print

A very fun custom for one of my oldest friends. She’s a cat lover so I was veeeeery happy to make these for her. I was extra ready for this challenge because I had JUST seen a cow print pair by @runningfoxbeads and I thought they were just the cutest so I was excited to try my hand at animal print.

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BeadworkBrittany MayBeaded Earrings, Beaded Jewelry, Beads, Beadwork, Culture, Earrings, Indigenous, Miyuki Beads, Métis Beadwork, Flower Beadwork People, Métis, Seed Beads, Métis NationComment
ceinture fléchée (Métis Sash)
ceinture fléchée (Métis Sash)

Finished these baddies at 12:15 AM! So worth it. I loved the pattern of the original pair I made (see below) but I wasn’t in love with the colours and the length so here I go adding more drama... and you know they’re drama when they tickle your collarbone.

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Indigenous Learning, BeadworkBrittany MayBeads, Ancestors, Beaded Jewelry, Beadwork, Beaded Earrings, Culture, Indigenous, Earrings, Family History, Family, Flower Beadwork People, History, Indigenous Art, Indigenous Artists, Miyuki Beads, Métis Beadwork, MétisComment
Red River Parisien
Red River Parisien

I submitted my application for Métis Citizenship this week and part of the process is being able to trace your ancestry back to a historic Métis community. My grandfather (5 generations before me) André Parisien belonged to a Métis community just south of where the La Salle River meets the Red River.

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Indigenous Learning, BeadworkBrittany MayBeads, Beaded Jewelry, Beadwork, Seed Beads, Métis Beadwork, Flower Beadwork People, Miyuki Beads, Red River, Métis, Métis Scrip, Half-Breed, Half-Breed Scrip, Métis Settlement, Parisien, Métis Land Rights, Family, Family History, Strong, Strength, Indigenous, Earrings, Ancestors, Land Rights, CultureComment
Plant Mom
Plant Mom

Like many other bead workers, I’ve not felt the urge to pick up a needle in a little bit. I’ve taken some time to learn/unlearn, listen, reflect, watch, read, discuss, check on my friends, rally. It‘s such heavy work but it’s work that NEEDS to happen and keep happening.

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BeadworkBrittany MayBeadwork, Beaded Jewelry, Seed Beads, Miyuki Beads, Flower Beadwork People, Indigenous, Culture, History, Métis, Métis Beadwork, Plant Mom, Monstera, Monstera Leaf, Plants, Monstera Deliciosa, Patchwork, Patch, BeadsComment
Paint with All the Colours
Paint with All the Colours

These are the biggest pair I’ve made to date at JUST under 2,000 beads total. When I first started beading I got really into the earrings that were five beads wide and like 60ish long and I love the simple elegance with those but it’s been so rewarding to design a pattern on my screen and then watch it come to life bead by bead and stitch by stitch.

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BeadworkBrittany MayEarrings, Beadwork, Beaded Jewelry, Seed Beads, Flower Beadwork People, Miyuki Beads, Indigenous, Culture, History, Métis, BeadsComment
Northern Lights
Northern Lights

I’ve been wanting to do a pair like these for a while. My fascination with the sky runs deep I used to cloud gaze with my grandmother on the front lawn in Boissevain and stargaze on warm summer nights at the lake. I love how the sky is so unknown to me, it makes me feel small and insignificant but in a comforting kind of way.

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BeadworkBrittany MayEarrings, Beadwork, Beaded Jewelry, Seed Beads, Miyuki Beads, Flower Beadwork People, Indigenous, Culture, History, Métis, BeadsComment
Malawi Lake
Malawi Lake

I was honoured and so excited to make these for my dear friend Amirah’s mother Faye for Mother’s Day. Amirah and I have been friends since, I’m pretty sure, day one of grade one. She is working tirelessly advocating for nurses in the states right now so I was more than happy to get these to her amazing mama.

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BeadworkBrittany MayEarrings, Beadwork, Beaded Jewelry, Seed Beads, Miyuki Beads, Flower Beadwork People, Indigenous, Culture, History, Métis, BeadsComment
Lake Winnipeg
Lake Winnipeg

These earrings are inspired by sunsets at my family cabin at Winnipeg Beach (Treaty 1 Territory) on Lake Winnipeg. When every one is looking west watching the sunset for the yellows, oranges and reds I’m looking east for the beautiful pinks, purples and blues. These earrings are a representation of that.

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BeadworkBrittany MayMétis, Miyuki Beads, Flower Beadwork People, Seed Beads, Beaded Jewelry, Beadwork, Earrings, Indigenous, Culture, History, BeadsComment