PROGRAM DETAILS:
Date Sunday, February 15, 2026
Time 1-3:30 PM
Location NUMU | 106 E. Main Street, Los Gatos, CA, 95030
Cost $90 General, $75 NUMU Members.
Membership starts at $40. Become a member today!
Pre-registration is required.
Skill Level: Beginner-friendly and great for returning beaders
Ages: 18+
Join local artist John Paul Amaral for a beading circle and conversation on its significance in Native American Indigenous cultures. John Paul will introduce students to methods of beadwork to create a traditional hairpipe choker necklace. While creating their own treasures, the beading circle will host a conversation about the significance of beadwork in American Indigenous cultures, how the art expanded over time, and its place in living history.
Take home your hairpipe choker necklace with either the NUMU theme or bring your own glass beads to strand and personalize.
About John Paul Amaral
Continuing his late grandmother Pablita (Paulette) Marshall’s legacy in American Indigenous art traditions, John Paul Amaral carries on the practice of creating Living Art, each made with the spark of purpose and duty. Gemstones and jewelry had always fascinated him, and creating jewelry allowed him to delve into his first love. After beading a tapestry for one of his aunts in 2023, she challenged him further to submit to museums. He then used tapestries to explore the impacts of colonization and rebellions. He made his museum debut in the summer of 2024 with the Museum of Beadwork’s Emerging Beader Program and genARTS Silicon Valley’s 4th annual experimental exhibition, Boundaries. Currently, his works are on display at Martin Luther King, Jr. Library.
John Paul leads community beading circles for people to share and learn about their cultures and traditions. You can view more of his work on his Instagram @shashyohi.
