Beading as Storytelling :
A Tactile Studio in Color and Repetition
In this extended workshop, artist Shongee Matangira introduces beadwork as a tactile practice that supports focus, creative exploration, and sustained making. Participants will learn simple beading techniques through brief demonstrations and ample hands-on studio time. The class explores how color, repetition, and touch can hold memory and meaning across cultures and personal histories. Beginner-friendly and open to all skill levels, the workshop centers process over perfection. Participants will work on a beaded piece developed at their own pace.
A Letter from The Artist, Shongee
This class is very hands-on and process focused. Students will use beadwork as a way to explore color, repetition, and sustained making. There is no expectation that your piece will be finished by the end of the class. Progress, experimentation, and learning the method are the goals!
We’ll start with simple techniques and build from there, and I’ll be available
throughout the workshop for one-on-one guidance and troubleshooting. All materials and beads will be included to make your own leopard spot like the ones on the sample hat – some other styles will also be available to choose from.
Please come as you are. Work at your own pace. There is no right way for a piece to look, and no pressure to perform or explain your choices until the end, if you choose to share. I’m really looking forward to working with you and seeing how your pieces develop over the course.
Warmly,
Shongee
About The Artist
Shongee Matangira is a self-taught textile and beadwork artist creating vibrant wearable
sculpture through color, texture, and meticulous handwork. Her practice blends traditional beading with bold pattern design, exploring identity, emotion, and sensory experience through pieces such as beaded hats, shoes, and sculptural accessories. Her work has been presented at New York Fashion Week in 2022, 2023, and 2024, and at the June 2024 Awita Pride Art Show in Los Angeles. She has also presented at the Urban Glass Crafting Symposium, where she centers tactile craft as a tool for alternative learning and community connection. Rooted in the belief that every bead holds a story, her workshops invite participants to create with intention, adaptability, and care.
