Beads & Beyond: Adorned Objects by Jan Huling

Jan Huling’s vibrant sculptures are equal parts meticulous craft and joyful imagination. A self-described “beadist,” the American artist transforms ordinary found objects, including Kewpie dolls, insects, birds and even plastic toys, into dazzling totems of color and texture. Using an air pen to apply thousands of seed beads alongside other elements like coins, buttons and bits of costume jewelry, Jan builds swirling, hypnotic surface patterns that both obscure and elevate her chosen forms.

Jan’s career began in the world of greeting card and product design, but her pivot to personal artwork quickly took flight. In just a few years, she landed representation at galleries in New York and St. Louis, and became a regular presence at top-tier art fairs like SOFA Chicago and SCOPE Miami. Her beaded sculptures can now be found in museum collections across the country, including the Museum of Beadwork and the Racine Art Museum.

Drawing inspiration from global travels, spiritual symbolism and pop culture ephemera, her pieces feel like relics from a parallel universe, where sacred icons and childhood toys share equal footing. Each sculpture invites close inspection, not just for its detail, but for the way it asks us to reconsider the beauty of everyday materials when viewed through a more playful, enchanted lens.

You can continue exploring Jan Huling’s mesmerizing creations on her website and Instagram.

More art on the grid Jan Huling’s website