ABOUT

Hello, and welcome to Matte & Shiny Objects! My name is Ananda X. Suddath, and I’m a contemporary beadwork artist and jazz musician based in Montreal, Canada.

▪️ MY BEADWORK — (PORTFOLIO • SHOP) — has focused on visual art since 2021, and now also features a line of original JEWELRY which I started developing in late 2023. Rooted in the Native North American beadwork tradition, my work is in many ways a living exploration of my blended ancestry. It also features themes and techniques borrowed from different cultures, a Western mixed-media approach, and a distinctly contemporary perspective and aesthetic.

▪️ FLINTSTITCH BEADWORK was launched in 2023 to share and promote my work.

▪️ THINK OF THIS SUBSTACK AS a series of casual, interactive studio visits I host for curious readers. We get into the inspiration behind pieces, techniques and materials I use, updates on work in progress, a wide variety of related reflections (in prose or poetry), and more.

▪️ YOU’LL DEFINITELY WANT TO SUBSCRIBE IF you’re specifically interested in contemporary beadwork, the ongoing rediscovery and revival of this practice across North America, and perspectives on a visual art practice profoundly shaped by an “upbringing” in a completely different medium: jazz. (Though currently on hiatus, I’ve also been a pro musician since 2009. While this Substack is about beadwork, jazz practice—with its rich traditions and brilliant luminaries—is very much at the core of my identity and foundation as an artist, having taught me much of what I know about patience, commitment, craftsmanship, idioms, stylistic singularities, faith in the process, and other essentials I’ll unavoidably end up referencing here.) Read BIO.

▪️ Please JOIN THE CONVERSATION—it’d be so great to have you! I’m excited to see what’s next, and to share some of my process here. I hope to offer readers a useful, engaging newsletter, so any questions, feedback, suggestions, or topic requests are most welcome. Leave a comment or write to flintstitch@substack.com any time.

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Featuring a behind-the-scenes look at my creative process, reflections on art, culture, history and identity, occasional shop talk and beading tutorials, spontaneous poetic outbursts, jazz inspirations, and more. Welcome!

People

Ananda X. Suddath

@flintstitch

Ananda X. Suddath is a contemporary beadworker and jazz musician based in Montreal, Canada. She is the founder of and artist behind Flintstitch Beadwork. For her full bio, portfolio and pieces available for purchase, visit www.flintstitch.com.