Métis artist recreates great-grandmother's portrait in beads
CBC
It was a feat of determination, said Christina Lennox, who re-created a 1930s photo of their great-grandmother using 87,000 beads.
When Lennox was looking through a box of family photos at their grandfather's house in Richmond, B.C, there was one that drew them.
"Something about this photo in particular, really captured me," said Lennox, who is a member of the Métis Nation B.C.
Her Métis family comes from the Lockport area, about 26 kilometres outside of Winnipeg.
The photo was of Lennox's great-grandmother Annabella McKay crossing a street in Winnipeg in the late 1930s.
"She just seemed really playful and fun in the photo," said Lennox.
"From the stories I've heard about her, she was a very persistent and stubborn lady and for me, when I look at that photo, I really see that."
Those were traits possibly inherited by Lennox, who said they needed to be stubborn and resilient to complete the project, which took 10 months.
Lennox scanned the black and white photo and uploaded it into a software program that assigned each pixel a number that determined what shade of bead Lennox would need to use.
The beaded portrait is made up of many smaller pieces, like individual earnings, hung on a board.
"It wasn't necessarily fun to make," said Lennox.
"I often hear the stereotype that beading is so relaxing but when you're sitting in front of a computer that is reading to you in a digital voice numbers for eight hours a day, it's exhausting,"
But Lennox said there was joy in making it and it made them feel more connected to their great-grandmother.
"I know actually very little about her in reality, but I feel like I've really gotten to know her through the process of making this art," said Lennox.
