A Voice from the Eastern Door
A Voice from the Eastern Door
Gina David holding her handmade beaded moccasins. Many beaders offer lessons and classes and Gina can be reached at gina@[email protected] for lessons.
Debbie Rourke holding her handmade wool and fleece lined mitts, the perfect gift for someone you love; a gift that will keep them warm during our long, cold winters.
Caroline Bigtree is a familiar face on the craft market circuit. Besides beading and selling at craft and artist sales, she offers lessons and classes on beading, making moccasins and, upon request, will repair your treasured beadwork. Caroline can be contacted on Facebook.
The Akwesasne Beader's Showcase comes from the creative mind of Tracy Thompson. This is the second year of the showcase and according to Thompson each year becomes better than the last.
Brenda Garrow had unique and one of a kind beadwork on display and for sale. Brenda can be reached on Facebook.
Otsikwha Beads of Kahnawake presented a large array of beads in every color, shade and tone, as well as shape and size.
Brianne Lazore and her beaded earrings that came in a variety of sizes and colors. Each beader tries to make a piece that is unique and original, at least until it's copied for the next show.
Margaret and Macy Thompson, a mother and daughter duo, proudly display their actual beadwork and photos of beadwork that is available for order.
Sophie Mitchell and Tsiko David, former students of Tracy Thompson, confidently and proudly display their beadwork at the Akwesasne Beader's Showcase.
A grandmother teaches her granddaughter how to bead, the granddaughter teaches her granddaughter and the passion for the time intensive and intricate and detailed traditional art of beading is born. In the year of 2014, many beaders have been taught in a classroom. Wherever the artist blossomed, the passion and artistry continues. Traditional beadwork has evolved into modern traditional artwork representing every familiar logo from cancer's symbolic pink ribbon to fight cancer, to the Montreal Canadiens' logo. Then there is the breathtaking raised beadwork that has moved from the expensive velvet photo frame and transformed into pendants, neon bright beadwork is now called "bling" and beading classes happen around the kitchen table as much as in the local craft store and our local schools.
The 2nd Akwesasne's Beader's Showcase at the Kawehnoke Recreation Center on Saturday, November 22, 2014 showed more than just local beadwork from our local artists. It was a showcase for the ever changing and evolving history of traditional and modern traditional beadwork. Each beading artist has their own story that has a beginning, middle but never a conclusion, as every piece of beadwork will live on long after the beading artist. While some artists at the Beader's Showcase are well known in the community and beyond, others were young artists proudly displaying their beadwork for only the second time.
The Akwesasne's Beader's Showcase was a feast for the eyes, not only for those who bead, but for those who truly appreciate the intricate and detailed art form of beadwork. Like stepping into a sweets shop, beads were for sale and displayed like irresistible candy. One could find beads of any size, shape, and color. In addition to beads you could buy templates and designs, waxed thread and of course beadwork, turquoise jewelry and a hot lunch to top it all off.
The event was conceived and organized by Tracy Thompson. Thompson is the owner of The Bead Shack located at 310 Island Road (Kawehnoke). There, the Bead Shack is home to several types of classes for anyone interested in learning the craft of beading. Two of her most popular classes are beading for adults and another for children. Classes are also held for making moccasins, leather pouches, dream catchers and more. Thompson was very pleased to have increased the number of artists displaying and selling their beadwork this year, but when all is said and done, she is most proud of young girls who were her beading students and took the imitative to have their own table to display and sell their beadwork.
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