Hayden R.

Osiyo, my name is Hayden. I’m from Phoenix, AZ and go to school at an arts boarding school in California. Beadwork has always been my main art form. Over the years I’ve progressed from making small earrings to making regalia and fully beaded portraits. For me, beading is how I keep traditions and culture alive in a modern world. Wado.

I’ve always loved sea animals and the ocean. Since I was little I remember watching ocean documentaries and collecting shark stuffed animals. As I got older I realised it was more than something fun to learn about, it was my passion and what I want to do with my life. My dream is to work with reef conservation, and do my part of using traditional and modern knowledge to help save them. I wanted to mix the two things I care about most: my beadwork and the ocean.