Paula is an Aleut artist who has been fascinated with beads since her childhood. As a small child she learned to string trade beads from a small jar of her grandmother's trade beads. She would string the beads, and then at the end of the day, cut the thread and put the beads back into the jar. As an adult, Paula has rediscovered beading and uses indigenous techniques such as peyote stitch and double needle and niedble weaving in creating contemporary fetish icons using traditional methods. The first pair of shoes she created took over a year to complete, as she experimented with different methods. Paula strives to create lush, unusual pieces. A hallmark of Paula's work are the vivid color combinations she uses. Intricate, off-loom weaving techniques allow Paula to turn everyday objects into fanciful creations. Thousands of beads are required to complete the embellishment of a single icon, such as a shoe, spirit mask or toy. Wirework has become a signature of her designs, and is chosen to compliment the overall design.