Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community member Maricela Hinojosa (Onk Akimel O’odham/Yaqui) was taught beadwork by her late uncle Paul Andrews.

Hinojosa hadn’t beaded in a while when a close friend rekindled the spark in her at a “beading party,” and she picked up the needle again.

Now, for the past decade, Hinojosa has been honing her craft on her own, inspired by traditional beadwork, which includes a softer palette of colors. She travels the rez, across the Valley and to Native American art markets throughout the Southwest with her jewelry business, Beaded Plume.

“Primary colors are not my friends,” said Hinojosa with a smile, “even though I would love them to be. But that’s kind of what makes me unique and different.”

Hinojosa enjoys creating beaded jewelry pieces in pastel colors, which she says offers different options for wardrobes worn in settings such as professional conferences, workspaces or an evening out.

“It’s funny, everybody asks how I get my color schemes. To be honest, I literally have a bucket with vials of [colored beads] thrown in there,” said Hinojosa. “Sometimes I’ll just throw my hand in there because I know they’re all colors I work with.”

O’odham Action News caught up with Hinojosa at the Pathways Indigenous Arts Festival presented by the Poeh Cultural Center, which took place August 19-21 at the Buffalo Thunder Resort & Casino in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

At Pathways, Hinojosa sold her unique jewelry, which is inspired by both her O’odham and Yaqui cultures.

One set of jewelry called Merritt, made in memory of Hinojosa’s grandfather, features caribou antler, 24-karat gold-plated beads and Swarovski pearls.

“For me, I think that’s really cool that I’m able to share [my] home with the rest of Indian Country,” she said. “Whether it would be the squash blossom baskets or coyote tracks, I’m able to explain to [customers] where we come from and give a piece of myself away to people who respect it and appreciate it.”

Ultimately, Hinojosa wants her customers to pass down the jewelry she creates to future generations and create family heirlooms.

Being one of the only O’odham vendors at Pathways was particularly important to Hinojosa.

“[My beadwork] is something I take pride in. They say if you love something, you’re not really working, and I actually do love it,” she said.

Hinojosa also took her Beaded Plume business to the Meow Wolf interactive exhibit the day before Pathways, where she sold her jewelry while people enjoyed live music and an immersive art experience.

Beaded Plume has a table at the Native Art Market in Old Town Scottsdale, and Hinojosa also can be contacted through her website, www.beadedplume.com, and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/beadedplume/.