12/27/2025
Meet the artist!
It's been a while since I've introduced myself on my socials. I struggle with consistently posting online (thanks chronic illnesses and overwhelming responsibilities) but there is a person behind the artwork 😁
My name is Angela Negus. I'm a 26 year old student, artist, small business owner, community-based instructor, caretaker, and auntie from Sesetcook, Mi'kma'ki (Chezzetcook, Nova Scotia). I currently live in the Kjipuktuk (Halifax) area.
My pronouns are she/they, and I identify as q***r. I'm disabled as a result of multiple illnesses such as fibromyalgia, chronic migraines, and POTS. In my day to day life I use an electric wheelchair to help me live a fulfilling life without completely draining myself of energy. I am the daughter of an Indigenous/Settler man and Dutch/British immigrant woman, though I was raised by just my father for most of my life. I feel more connected to my Indigenous heritage, which heavily influences my work. These intersecting identities impact my lived experiences, and speaking out about inequalities or injustices is extremely important to me.
I'm a student at Saint Mary's University studying anthropology and Indigenous Studies. I started my bachelor of arts in 2018, ended up dropping out after that first year, and now have picked it back up again with a clearer idea of what I want to study and how to manage it with my disabilities. I completed a criminology diploma in 2023, then worked for IWK Health in both the outpatient mental health and provincial preschool autism service departments until the summer of 2024 when my health took another turn for the worse and I had to step away from full time work.
I started creating my art under the business name of Weeping Willow Crafts in 2023 after years of people encouraging me to start selling my work. Truthfully, I was super hesitant to call it a business until the summer of 2025, but through the support of hundreds of lovely people who have purchased pieces from me it's now undeniably a small business.
My primary medium is beadwork and for the most part I create wearable pieces of jewelry like earrings, necklaces, medallions, bracelets and more. I've created a few larger beaded portraits as well, and I always enjoy seeing what I can do with a material like beads. I also create small pieces of leatherwork (leather bookmarks, small pouches, etc) using moose or deer leather, and paintings ranging from mini paintings (2" by 2" ish) all the way to wall size murals.(Biggest so far was 6' by 12').
In May 2025 I was awarded a $5000 grant from Howl Experiences to run free beading workshops across HRM, and I finished the nine workshops in September 2025. Its important to me to be able to teach these workshops to community members with as few barriers as possible and luckily I've been able to offer all of my workshops at no cost. Because I was able to put myself out there with grant funded workshops, various community organizations have had me come in to teach for their community members, so I've been able to continue offering my workshops. Community is at the heart of what I do and I'm very proud to be able to call myself a community-based instructor!
I'm looking forward to seeing what 2026 has in store, but I plan to be more aware of what my body can handle this year. As many who know me are aware of, I'm my grandmother's caretaker. It's a responsibility I take seriously, and in the coming months she's going to need more support as she prepares to transition to the spirit world. Additionally, my roommate and I will be moving to a wheelchair accessible apartment on February 1st, which will be much better for me on the day-to-day but is a sudden and challenging process. It's for those reasons I don't expect to be very active online during the beginning of the year, but I'm hoping that I'll be back in action in the spring.
Thank you all for all the support and love sent my way! I feel so fortunate to have met so many amazing people this year. Every workshop, conversation at a market, or kind comment fills my bucket and makes all the bad days worth it ❤️
