Artist Felandus Thames is using intricate beaded portraits to celebrate influential Black figures and explore the stories, culture, and history connected to Black identity.

Thames’s studio in West Haven, Connecticut, serves as a creative space where his unique works take shape. The artist, who has lived in the state since 2008, creates portraits and installations using thousands of carefully arranged beads.

During a recent visit, several of Thames’s latest beaded curtain portraits of notable Black cultural figures were displayed in his two-room studio while they awaited completion.

One of his earlier works featured a green beaded curtain with the word “pleasure” spelled out in orange, creating a visual style inspired by advertising and popular culture.

Through his work, Thames aims to encourage viewers to look closer and become curious about the people and cultural histories represented in his art.

His beaded portraits combine craftsmanship, cultural memory, and visual storytelling, transforming familiar figures and ideas into striking works that invite reflection and conversation.