Moose Spotlight: Beautiful Creations by an Afro-Indigenous Beader
"Keep going! It may not be perfect in the beginning but Picasso wasn't born perfect."
- Gianni, @beadedbygiachrista
MEET THE ARTIST
@beadedbygiachrista on Instagram
Meet Gianni Lacey-Howard from Durham, NC. She has been beading for seven years now and her creations can be seen on her Instagram @beadedbygiachrista 💚
Gianni is a citizen of the Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation, which is one of eight state recognized tribes in North Carolina. "I am of both Indigenous and African-American descent. Most of my creations are inspired by the heritage of my people."
She first started beading when she was in her second year of high school. Gianni shared, "I learned from one of my cousins who was leading a beading class on our tribal grounds. Immediately, I fell in love with making jewelry and over the years it has helped me throughout many challenging life experiences including balancing my responsibilities as a Duke student."
Gianni started off only beading for herself and wearing her own work because she knew it wasn’t perfect, but she was proud of her progress as a Beader. Overtime, she began to perfect her skills and her first piece was purchased by a close friend of hers who insisted that she must have a pair of custom earrings made by Gianni. How special! 💚
Curious if there's an explanation behind her brand name, Gianni explained that her brand name gets its name from her first and middle name. "My first name is Gianni and my middle name is Christina. When I was a little girl, my mom would always tell me stories of how she saw me having my own boutique and how the name of this place would be GiaChrista’s."
Let's take a look at some Gianni's gorgeous creations!
Creations by Gianni Lacey-Howard of @beadedbygiachrista on Instagram
ARTIST'S DESIGN STYLE
Gianni shared, "A design I am most proud of was one I wore to a PowWow in October 2022. I spent nearly two months creating all of the pieces of my dance regalia that I wore proudly as a Women’s Southern Traditional Dancer." 💚
THE DESIGN PROCESS
For her, at most times, she sketches out ideas onto paper and the details come about as she goes along with creating her beading piece. "I am an Afro-Indigenous Beader and use beads, stone inlays, shells, bone, wood, and other natural pieces."
Here are a few more stunning creations by Gianni!
Creations by Gianni Lacey-Howard of @beadedbygiachrista on Instagram
JEWELRY DESIGN TIPS, TRICKS, AND HANDY TECHNIQUES
What's one design tip you one to share with your fellow artists?
"Save all of your creations. Even the ones you don’t see worthy of saving."
One piece of technical advice on creating.
"Give yourself time and be patient."
Any words of encouragement or tips to those who are starting out in the world of jewelry-making?
"Keep going! It may not be perfect in the beginning but Picasso was born perfect. He took time to find himself in the passions of his art."
Lastly, here is Gianni's message to the universe:
Follow her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beadedbygiachrista/
Subscribe to our Newsletter for more updates. 💚
