Portrait of an Ojibwe beadwork artist wearing handmade strawberry beaded earrings, surrounded by lush greenhouse plants

Hey, I'm Kaytlyn Nadjiwon!

Hiiii!

I’m the queer mixed ojibwe artist & workshop facilitator behind Soft But Sturdy Beadwork. My home studio is located on Anishinaabe aki (currently known as Ottawa, Ontario, Canada), where I was born and raised.

My ojibwe mom & Italian dad were big cheerleaders of my creative pursuits, and always encouraged me to follow my artsy little heart! While I have always loved to write, draw, paint, collage, and play around with digital designs, I found my true passion in beadwork back in 2018 when my best friend taught me to bead in a local little doughnut shop.

I had no idea that just a few years later I’d be passing on that gift by teaching groups of eager learners (as young as third grade!) to take beads, thread, and felt and turn it into art. As it turns out, sharing the peacefulness of working with your hands, the cozy community vibes of beading around a table, and the beauty and story behind the art of beadwork has been one of the great joys of my life and career.

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Tattooed hands pulling thread through a partially beaded earring piece on a beading tray scattered with pink and red seed beads

Tired of hearing “you’re so strong,” and being admired for her resilience, Kaytlyn wrote a personal zine that explored aspects of herself that were less about overcoming and more about just being her soft, squishy, compassionate self. She titled it Soft But Sturdy and realized that it represented her in a way that other labels hadn’t.

When she began beading, she felt a similar duality. Beading is fine, intricate work. When beading onto a foundation, each bead is strung by one hand and tacked down with the other. When weaving beads, each bead is secured to the next, one loop at a time. Over and over, each tiny stitch adds strength to the overall piece. Once complete, beadwork is strong yet delicate. Soft but sturdy.

ABOUT SOFT BUT STURDY

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Portfolio

Custom handmade Ojibwe beaded lavender proposal pouch by Kaytlyn Nadjiwon, Soft but Sturdy Beadwork — Ottawa, Ontario.
Handmade Ojibwe beaded cedar earrings, botanical series, by Kaytlyn Nadjiwon, Soft but Sturdy Beadwork — Ottawa, Ontario.
Handmade Ojibwe beaded blueberry life cycle earrings, botanical series, by Kaytlyn Nadjiwon, Soft but Sturdy Beadwork — Ottawa, Ontario.
Handmade Ojibwe beaded lilac branch earrings, botanical series, by Kaytlyn Nadjiwon, Soft but Sturdy Beadwork — Ottawa, Ontario.
Handmade Ojibwe beaded sun and moon mismatched circle earrings by Kaytlyn Nadjiwon, Soft but Sturdy Beadwork — Ottawa, Ontario.
Handmade Ojibwe beaded daisy earrings in multiple colours by Kaytlyn Nadjiwon, Soft but Sturdy Beadwork — Ottawa, Ontario.
Handmade Ojibwe beaded lilac brooch by Kaytlyn Nadjiwon, Soft but Sturdy Beadwork — Ottawa, Ontario.
Handmade Ojibwe beaded loop earrings in orange and pink by Kaytlyn Nadjiwon, Soft but Sturdy Beadwork — Ottawa, Ontario.
Handmade Ojibwe beaded strawberry pendant choker by Kaytlyn Nadjiwon, Soft but Sturdy Beadwork — Ottawa, Ontario.
Handmade Ojibwe beaded strawberry character brooch by Kaytlyn Nadjiwon, Soft but Sturdy Beadwork — Ottawa, Ontario.
Handmade Ojibwe beaded purple flame earrings by Kaytlyn Nadjiwon, Soft but Sturdy Beadwork — Ottawa, Ontario.
Handmade Ojibwe signature pink strawberry circle earrings by Kaytlyn Nadjiwon, Soft but Sturdy Beadwork — Ottawa, Ontario.
Handmade Ojibwe medicine puff heart earrings in red by Kaytlyn Nadjiwon, Soft but Sturdy Beadwork — Ottawa, Ontario.
Handmade Ojibwe medicine puff heart earrings in gold and ochre by Kaytlyn Nadjiwon, Soft but Sturdy Beadwork — Ottawa, Ontario.
Handmade Ojibwe beaded fringe earrings in pink, blue, and purple by Kaytlyn Nadjiwon, Soft but Sturdy Beadwork — Ottawa, Ontario.
Handmade Ojibwe signature pink hoop earrings by Kaytlyn Nadjiwon, Soft but Sturdy Beadwork — Ottawa, Ontario.
Portfolio
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