Indigenous artist Serena Steel explores belonging through painstakingly intricate beadwork and hand-stitching
q̓emxwéqsem (to tie a knot at the end of your thread) is a new exhibition at Craft Council of B.C. until September 26
“Who Do You Belong To?” by Serena Steel.
q̓emxwéqsem (to tie a knot at the end of your thread) is at Craft Council of B.C. until September 26; an artist’s talk and private viewing takes place on August 30 at 5:45 pm
SECWEPEMC ARTIST SERENA Steel likes to keep her hands moving. It’s no wonder she specializes in intricate beadwork and meticulous hand-stitching.
“It’s nice to keep my hands busy while I’m talking to someone, listening to music, or watching a movie,” Steel says in a Zoom interview with Stir. “Ever since I was a kid I’ve focused better when my hands are doing something. So even though it’s slow—like painfully slow—work, it’s stuff that I think really centres and grounds me….The repetitive motions are meditative, in a way.
“One reason I also like beadwork is because it’s accessible,” she adds. “When I was young, I thought I was going to be a painter, but it turns out I don’t like painting; there’s something about the mixing of colours that just does not come to me naturally. Beadwork is more intuitive. I get to select colours that are already existing. It’s therapeutic. I like the tactileness of it.”
“Text Me When You Get Home Safe” by Serena Steel. Photo by Gail Johnson
Steel, who was born and raised in her home community of Simpcw First Nation, has a new exhibition of her painstakingly created artwork now on at Craft Council of B.C. on Granville Island called q̓emxwéqsem (to tie a knot at the end of your thread). Having graduated from Emily Carr University of Art + Design in 2022 with a bachelor of fine arts, with a major in critical and cultural practice and a minor in social practice and community engagement, Steel says that art is a way to connect with and pay homage to the people who are closest to her heart.
Consider the signature piece in her new show, called “Who Do You Belong To?” Made of teeny-tiny glass beads hand-sewn onto Melton wool, the work features portraits of her mother—who is her greatest inspiration, influence, and supporter—grandmother, and grandfather. It was her grad project at Emily Carr and was displayed in an exhibition called Beaded Nostalgia at the Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art.
“It’s one of my favourite pieces, and it also holds a lot of personal significance to me,” Steel says. “The meaning behind the phrase ‘who do you belong to?’ is something I was thinking about at different community events if I had met someone new and people would ask ‘Who do you belong to? Who are your parents? Who are your grandparents? Where are you from?’ I began exploring my belonging, and thinking about the people that support me and the people I want to take care of. It’s a portrait of people I care about deeply, and the people I think about in my day-to-day as I try to go through the world in a good way.”
“Text Me When You Get Home” is another piece that’s based on a personal connection. Displaying a pink flower with a yellow centre resting above the titular phrase, the oval-shaped artwork, which is set within an embroidery hoop, refers to a saying that Steel and one of her best friends always say to one another after time spent together.
“I was thinking about the ways I care about people around me, and the ways I’ve been cared for by people around me,” Steel says. “There are references to moments in my life that I hold dear—often mundane, everyday moments.”
“Gone Fishing”, with a beaded fish at the centre, is a nod to Steel’s roots. “Fishing has always been a big part of my life, not only culturally, but it’s a big way I’ve always connected with my grandfather,” she says. “It’s a pillar in our relationship. I’m using these works as a visual diary of things that are important to me.”
Serena Steel.
Also making up the exhibition are a pair of handmade beaded fringe earrings, long and dangly in hues of green, rose, violet, and coral; and a trio of small baskets made by hand out of pine needles, birch bark, cedar root, sinew, and decorative glass beads. There are also miniature mittens and moccasins made of leather and rabbit fur. Steel will give an artist’s talk and private viewing on August 30 at 5:45 pm.
Sewing by hand is a practice that Indigenous people have employed for millennia, and Steel is not the least bit tempted to use a modern-day sewing machine. “Sewing machines hate me,” she says with a laugh. “We aren’t friends.” Beadwork demands a certain slow precision and isn’t something that can be rushed; it has taught Steel how to create with intention and care. If she doesn’t have a particular story or image in mind when embarking on a new project, she will often start out by selecting her colours and letting those choices influence the direction of the piece.
The throughline of Steel’s work, the artist says, is joy.
“I think a lot of the colours I use are very bright and happy and uplifting—pinks and greens and nature colours. At first glance, I just want my work to feel joyous and lively and happy.
“Generally the reason I really enjoy making art, especially in the context of craft, is because I did my bachelor of fine arts and I learned a lot about art and the art world, which has been so useful and so meaningful to me. And I’ve been drawn back to this world of craft, because that’s where I’ve felt the most connection with people,” she says. “A big pillar of my work is being connected with other people. Often my mom and I will sit and bead together. It’s a lot about community. I also hope when people look at my work they can make their own connections and maybe feel warmed by my work.” 
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