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For Matthew Vukson, beading is more than just art — it's healing.

"It's done so much for my life," he said. "I love the colours — that's why I got into it. It was the ability to choose so many different colours and combine them.

"My concept is I want to make my own moccasins, I want to make my own card holder and vest."

The Tlicho Dene artist is celebrating a career milestone in hosting a solo-exhibit at the Prince of Wales ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Heritage Centre (PWNHC). The show opened June 5 and runs until December.

On display will be 35 pieces — the entirety of Vukson's eight years of work — along with artist statements explaining the significance of each piece, which vary from traditional beadwork to modern expressions, including a series on tools of oppression which features beaded sculptures of a police badge, handcuffs, a guillotine and a cross.

"I'm just fascinated with history," he said. "These tools of oppression, they were never here before contact. Indigenous people never would have seen what a police badge was, what handcuffs were or have the concept of locking people up. It's a form of control that the greatest empires used all over the world.

"So when we were designing the words, I made sure that they took out that this was oppression just to Indigenous people. It was used all over the world against all people, all societies and all cultures."

Introduced to the craft at a residential school healing workshop in his hometown of Brantford, Ont., Vukson said he quickly came to appreciate the healing aspect of the traditional craft through lessons from the late Samuel Thomas.

Vukson is a student of the Dene craft of "Two Needles" beading, which is renown across craft circles as among the highest quality beadwork in existence. He learned the art from his mother.

Dene beading stands out because of the time and effort that goes into it. Vukson said most of his work had thousands of hours put into it.

"They stitch down every bead using two needles," he said. "Traditionally, when people were on the land, all their clothing had to be securely made to last because the landscape is so harsh. So people put a lot of work into their designs, a lot of love and a lot of stories and memories and communal visits.

"It's a story within a story. The beadwork tells a story, the artist tells a story and that story leads to another one."

Beading is both a healing and explorative process for Vukson, who said it's opened up a huge number of opportunities for him.

One of which is teaching art and shop for Mantoba First Nations School Board as his day job. But he has a large number of art projects on the go, including plans to release his own line of fashion and even a novel. He's also planning to complete his Masters degree in education to continue to help other emerging artists on their path.

Ehts'o naatsʼeelii (We Sew Beads) is open for viewing at the Mezzanine Gallery in the PWNHC.