Arla Lucia is an enrolled citizen of the Seneca-Cayuga Nation of Oklahoma. Raised in southern Colorado, like her mother before her, without a direct connection to her tribal stories, material culture, or community. Arla decided to pursue Haudensosaunee raised bead embroidery as a vehicle to make her way home to her traditions. It has begun the lifelong process of healing for her family and reconnecting to traditions for future generations. In her culture, beading is medicine through the act of peace making, with the very first wampum beads having been strung together as an offering that brought the Haudenosaunee people together. The material culture manifests in an alchemical effort of transforming unassuming, tiny, glass beads into magical creations filled with spirit.

In the absence of knowing anyone to teach her, she became a “self-learning” artist; sitting at the feet of masters by meticulously dissecting historical grandmother pieces, photo archives, and even contemporary artists to reverse engineer the art and techniques. Following the path that each line of beads laid out and where it took her, they came to life before her eyes.