Heidi Kummli, a renowned bead artist based in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, has built an extraordinary body of work that weaves ancient storytelling, spiritual symbolism, and deeply personal vision into intricate, wearable art. Her beadwork transcends adornment, functioning as mythological artifacts—pieces of jewelry that speak to ancestral memory, the wisdom of the natural world, and the universal yearning for connection between the seen and unseen. Each piece she creates feels as though it emerged from a ceremonial past, yet it is unmistakably alive with contemporary artistic intuition.
Kummli’s work draws from a wide range of mythological and cultural traditions, particularly those of Indigenous North American tribes, shamanic belief systems, and the animist philosophies that honor all beings as sacred. Her beadwork often centers on animals imbued with symbolic meaning—wolves, owls, ravens, bears, cougars, and buffalo—each chosen not just for aesthetic beauty but for its spiritual resonance. These creatures appear as focal cabochons in her necklaces and breastplates, often carved in bone, shell, or stone, and surrounded by swirling bead embroidery that acts like an aura or field of energy. The finished pieces become talismanic, rich in protective symbolism and power.
A defining feature of Kummli’s wearable art is her meticulous use of high-quality natural materials. She favors semi-precious stones such as turquoise, labradorite, carnelian, jasper, and ammonite, each selected for its visual character and metaphysical properties. Her glass seed beads are often matte or iridescent, chosen to harmonize with the organic textures of the stones and shells they surround. She stitches each bead by hand using traditional techniques that allow for complex patterning and precise layering. The result is a dense, richly textured surface that shimmers subtly with light, echoing the timeless appeal of ancient ceremonial regalia.
In one particularly iconic piece, titled Raven Spirit, Kummli uses a hand-carved raven centerpiece made of jet, surrounded by black and indigo beads that spiral outward in a pattern reminiscent of feathers and wind currents. Interspersed among the beads are tiny garnets and silver accents, which lend the piece a sense of both mystery and elegance. The raven, a trickster and guide in many Indigenous myths, becomes a central figure in a story that is worn close to the heart. The necklace is not merely decorative—it invites contemplation of transformation, communication between realms, and the cycles of death and rebirth.
Kummli is also known for her shoulder and chest pieces, which recall the form and gravitas of traditional breastplates, yet are entirely original in design. These works often include long fringe made of bone, antique trade beads, and metal charms, giving the pieces movement and sound, qualities that reinforce their performative and ritualistic aura. When worn, these creations transform the body into a site of storytelling, where the individual wearer carries myth and memory into the physical world.
Her designs reflect not only aesthetic and symbolic sophistication but an ecological and ethical consciousness. Kummli often speaks about her connection to the natural world and the importance of working in harmony with it. Many of the materials she uses are repurposed, ethically sourced, or antique, including old trade beads that carry their own historical weight. This sensitivity to the origins of her materials adds yet another layer of narrative to her work, linking the artist, the earth, and the wearer in a web of shared respect and intention.
Beyond her own studio practice, Kummli has played a major role in the beadwork community through her books, exhibitions, and teaching. She co-authored the influential text The Spirit of Bead Embroidery, which articulates not only techniques but a philosophy of beadwork as spiritual practice. Through workshops and lectures, she encourages students to move beyond pattern replication and into the realm of personal and mythic expression. Her teaching emphasizes that beadwork can be a form of meditation, a practice of honoring ancestors, and a way of channeling the stories that lie dormant in the subconscious.
Kummli’s work has been exhibited internationally and has received numerous awards, including recognition from the Bead & Button Show and the Saul Bell Design Award. Her pieces have been featured in major publications and are collected by museums, galleries, and private collectors alike. Yet she remains deeply grounded, continually inspired by the land around her, the animals she encounters, and the spiritual currents that guide her hands. For Kummli, art is not a product but a process—a path to remembering who we are and what we carry forward from the ancient into the present.
The wearable mythology of Heidi Kummli is a living testament to the power of beads as more than mere decoration. In her hands, they become vessels of meaning, threads that stitch us into a vast and interconnected cosmos. Her jewelry does not simply adorn the body; it awakens the spirit, reminding us that we are all participants in an unfolding story far older and more mysterious than any single lifetime can contain. Each bead, stone, and stitch is a step in that journey, guided by instinct, reverence, and a profound love for the sacred tapestry of existence.