When Camryn (Cam) Stepetin first attended culture camp at six years old, she was hoping to connect with her big sister and feel a part of the older kids’ world. Little did she know that this camp would ignite a lifelong passion for jewelry, setting her on a journey that began in Anchorage and continues to flourish today with her business, Cam’s Shop.
Camryn’s artistic journey officially started as an intern at the Alaska Native Heritage Center (ANHC), where she learned to craft kuspuks.
“I loved making them so much that I ended up with a whole drawer full,” she recalls.
This early exploration of her cultural heritage through crafting led her to expand her skills, creating mukluks, moccasins, and eventually, intricate fringe earrings. Each new craft she mastered brought her closer to the art that would define her creative expression.
“Let’s see if I can make more earrings and come up with my own patterns and designs,” Camryn remembers thinking as she moved from traditional crafts to her first beadwork projects.
She started simply, using small metal bars to thread beads, which she then hooked onto earring clasps. But as her inspiration grew, so did her ambition. Camryn began selling her earrings, initially pricing them modestly at five to eight dollars. As her designs evolved and demand grew, she was able to increase her prices, a sign of her business’s steady growth.
“Business has only grown since I first started,” she shares with pride.
Camryn’s journey in beading began on felt, where she created her first flower earrings. “There’s a template to the basics,” she explains, describing her artistic process. “I often look at pictures online for reference and then come up with my own design and pattern how to make it.” But her creativity doesn’t always follow a plan. Camryn dreams in vivid detail, with patterns and jewelry designs sometimes appearing to her in a dream as if they were written instructions. Walks in nature, where she draws inspiration from the sway of trees and the landscape of the mountains, also help to spark her creative flow.
The most challenging project she has undertaken so far was a pair of sun earrings made with fur and intricate, dangling glass spheres.
“Ensuring the color coordination was just right, finding the perfect beads, and connecting everything together required attention to detail,” Camryn recalls.
This meticulousness is a hallmark of her work and a testament to the care she pours into every piece she creates.
Art, for Camryn, is more than just a craft—it’s a powerful way to connect with her community and express shared experiences. The tragic passing of actor Cole Brings Plenty, which deeply affected many Alaska Native communities, inspired her to create fringe earrings that were braided in honor of those who have been attacked and had their braids cut. “When I looked into what happened, it brought a heavy weight on my shoulders because that’s another member of our Alaska Native community who passed in a brutal way,” she shares. Through her art, she found a way to process her grief and bring awareness to the issue, making an impact far beyond her immediate community.
Despite the demands of school and work, Camryn always makes time for beading.
“The therapeutic movements allow me to escape, it is my stress relief,” she says.
This art form, a blend of tradition and personal expression, is her way of finding peace and adding deeper meaning to her life. When she’s not creating jewelry, Camryn enjoys painting, listening to music, and crocheting—other outlets that feed her creative spirit.
For those who dream of selling their art, Camryn’s advice is simple: “Get up and do it.” She understands the fear of not measuring up to others in the community but encourages aspiring artists to give it a try. “At first, it was difficult to see the beauty in my art,” she admits. But the support and love from customers opened her eyes to a whole new perspective. “I wasn’t ready to start a business at that age, but the amount of support and love that I was given really opened my eyes to the world. You don’t always think you can receive that much love and support outside of your family,” she reflects.
As she continues to grow her business, Camryn remains deeply connected to her roots. Every piece she creates carries the beauty of heritage, the strength of community, and gratitude for the support she has received. In her work, Camryn Stepetin embodies the resilience and creativity of the Unangax̂ people, inspiring others to embrace their culture and express it through art.
“I wasn’t ready to start a business at that age, but the amount of support and love that I was given really opened my eyes to the world.”