Arla Marquez is a child of generational diaspora. Raised in southern Colorado, like her mother before her, Marquez grew up without a direct connection to her tribal stories, material culture or community. Seeking to reconnect with her heritage, she turned to Haudenosaunee raised bead embroidery as a way to find her way home to her traditions while exploring new possibilities through art. This journey has become a lifelong process of healing for her family and reconnecting with traditions for future generations.

In Haudenosaunee culture, beading is considered medicine through the act of peacemaking, with the first wampum beads having been strung together as an offering that brought the Haudenosaunee people together. Through her work, Marquez embraces the transformative nature of this material culture, turning tiny, unassuming glass beads into intricate creations filled with spirit and meaning.

Without a direct connection to someone who could teach her, Marquez took a self-taught approach, studying historical grandmother pieces, photo archives and the work of contemporary artists to understand traditional techniques. By meticulously examining each line of beads and the paths they followed, she learned to bring these techniques to life through her own creations.

Through this dedication to learning and preserving traditional artistry, Marquez developed a distinctive approach to three-dimensional sculptural beadwork, transforming personal adornments into living extensions of the artist and her cultural identity.