Lecturer: Naomi Smith
Date: July 10, 2021 1PM Eastern
Registration: June 14-21, 2021 1PM Eastern

An exploration of Indigenous beadwork from a historical and contemporary perspective. This presentation focuses on the story of seeds beads and how they became a much esteemed part of Indigenous life in the 19th century. We travel through time to exam these early pieces and discover how beadwork became one of North America’s first cottage industries.

Over 2 centuries have past since beadwork was first being created by the woodland and northeastern indigenous communities, this art form continues to be celebrated and appreciated by Indigenous and non-indigenous alike.

We hope you’ll enjoy this visual journey.

Registration is limited to 100 participants and will remain open for a full week. Once registration ends, the entire list will be run through a randomization app and the list of attendees will be filled in that randomized order with the remaining members added to a waitlist. Learn more in our Virtual lecture Series page.

Naomi Smith is an Indigenous Artist and Educator. She is actively involved in sharing traditional teachings with others. She focuses on the ways of the Indigenous people of the Woodlands and Northeastern region from a historical and contemporary perspective often through the story of beads.

Her artwork embraces ancestral designs in the form of bags, adornment, and accessories using quillwork, beadwork and other indigenous methods and materials. Naomi’s work has been exhibited across Canada and internationally. She has shown at the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) in Washington DC, New York City, the Vancouver 2010 Olympics and participates in numerous events throughout the year.

“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 Indigenous people. It is this path I wish to exemplify through my teachings and my work.”