Nadia Myre’s Evolving Body Of Work Is Shaped By Process, Place And The Power Of Materials

With a focus on material and process, Nadia Myre creates intricate works that explore identity, memory and belonging.

Born in Montreal, she’s an Algonquin member of the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation and maintains a strong connection to the community alongside her studio practice. While her earlier work includes sculpture and installation, in recent years, she’s turned to beadwork and weaving. Drawing on the significance of bead weaving in Nadia’s Indigenous heritage, her work is informed by wampum, traditional shell beads, which connects her practice to history and storytelling. Nadia’s careful, meditative approach transforms unexpected materials into detailed pieces that carry both personal and political meaning, inviting viewers of her work to reflect on resilience and the evolving nature of cultural identity.

Nadia studied at Camosun College and Emily Carr University of Art + Design before completing her MFA at Concordia University. She has exhibited extensively, with more than 25 solo exhibitions in the past decade alone. Her work is held in major public collections including the National Gallery of Canada, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts and the Canadian Museum of History. She’s represented by Blouin Division with galleries in Montreal and Toronto; her pieces typically begin at around $15,000 and range to around $85,000 for larger works.

Nadia’s practice unfolds through a process of observation, discovery and transformation. A pivotal moment came during her time in London, U.K., when she noticed small ceramic fragments along the banks of the River Thames. Drawn to their form, she collected them, later discovering they were remnants of clay tobacco pipes. Back in her studio, these fragments became the foundation for a new body of work.

She was drawn to the idea that an object can feel both familiar and not entirely recognizable, something that sits between artifact and abstraction. Over time, the clay fragments began to take on the form of beads, naturally aligning with her visual language. She started producing her own ceramic beads, describing them as “elongated pixels.” Creating these time-intensive, handmade elements offered her greater control over scale, texture and composition, expanding her pieces beyond traditional beadwork into something more fluid and expressive.

Each bead is handmade, with pigment worked directly into the wet clay. Subtle variations emerge through marbling, striations and shifts in tone, giving each bead distinct character. “I’m always exploring different processes in the studio and, in doing so, uncovering something new,” says Nadia. These works are defined by care, complexity, and a tactile, hands-on approach.

What first drew me to Nadia’s art was her use of colour, a mix of jewelled and dusky tones. Her compositions evoke the natural world, with hints of landscape and the occasional horizon line reminiscent of a sunrise or sunset. She integrates terracotta hues and warm golds to create the impression of a glow across an open sky. I love the interplay between glazed and unglazed ceramic surfaces that adds dynamic contrast, with glossy finishes catching light and matte textures absorbing it. This variation creates a subtle sense of dimension, giving the works a sculptural presence that almost extends beyond the wall.

Some pieces even take on a three-dimensional quality, recalling rolling waves, vessels or open weaves. Encountering Nadia’s work often sparks curiosity, as though you’re looking at something familiar but not entirely understood. That sense of tension sits at the heart of her practice, encouraging viewers to pause and engage more deeply with what they see.

Nadia has two exhibitions coming up in early fall 2026: one at the Montclair Art Museum in Montclair, N.J., and one at Macaulay + Co. in Vancouver. She also has a permanent installation on view at the newly renovated Gardiner Museum in Toronto.

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