Julie Powell’s beadwork is a confluence of the world of textiles, color and of adornment. She weaves and embroiders tiny glass beads, with a needle and fishing line, one at a time to create intricate cuffs, necklaces and earrings. With a background in weaving, knitting, quilting, embroidering and dyeing she blends the colors and patinas of beads into flexible fabrics. The process takes many hours. Every single bead she picks up is a choice, one element in shaping the whole. The rhythm of touching each bead to the needle and pulling it through to connect to the next bead is meditative and fascinating to her.

She is inspired by the tradition of ancient crafts and textiles from all over the world. She takes these traditions and push them into a contemporary direction, preferring to emphasize color and form rather than complicated stitches and patterning. She is inspired by the natural world, from the mountains and rivers to the oceans and sky.