Erin Fletcher
Northern News Services

Inuvik (Oct 13/03) - There are never enough beads in Marja Van Nieuwenhuyzen's life.

"I love beads. I love looking at them, I love the feel of them. A true bead worker never has enough beads," she said, adjusting the sparkling blue beaded bracelets on her wrist.

"I call myself a beadaholic."

Van Nieuwenhuyzen has lived in Inuvik for the past 28 years.

As a Inuvik town councillor, the new chair of community programs at Aurora College and a passionate beader she keeps busy.

But not too busy to share her beading talents with others. Van Nieuwenhuyzen is one of many instructors teaching community courses at Aurora College.

Her first workshop is Oct. 18. During the one-day course, students will learn how to match bead colours and read designs to create their own original bracelets and matching earrings.

"You go home with something you made and that's always the fun part of these courses."

Although she's teaching a contemporary course, Van Nieuwenhuyzen's roots are traditional.

She has always been interested in beading but didn't pick up the needle and wire until she moved to Inuvik. She met some talented traditional beaders who helped her waken her own talents.

"I always appreciated the skills, traditional designs and beautiful beadwork we see in the Beaufort Delta and Sahtu regions," she said.

"The work produced here is exquisite."

Beading in this region usually utilizes traditional designs like flowers, which are sewn onto clothing, she said.

After years perfecting her own skills, Van Nieuwenhuyzen taught traditional beading classes through the Native Artisan program offered through Aurora College last year.

Now a lot of her own work follows contemporary lines and mixed mediums.

"(Beads) are so versatile and you can do so much with them."

Lately she's been using beads in her caribou hair tufting projects.