Beam Paints
Meet Anong Beam, Anishinaabekwe from M'Chigeeng First Nation, on Manitoulin Island. Anong is an entrepreneur, paintmaker, painter, mother, and curator.
Aanii boozhoo Anong! Thank you so much for sharing your words with us. To start us off, please tell us about your business
Beam Paints draws on my early education in Indigenous pigment and expands it to encompass all paint traditions. A focus on high quality pigment content creates sublime artist materials, with plastic free packaging. In our shop you will find our handmade watercolours, inks and palettes, as well as carefully chosen papers and brushes.
Plastic Free Paints, Lightfast pigments, Manitoulin wildflower honey handmade watercolour paints, 100% indigenous female entrepreneurship.
What was or is the inspiration for your paint and artist supply business?
My Dad (Carl Beam) I remember him working so hard, and really trying to make space in these times for our traditions in a modern way. I started Beam Paints on his birthday, and think of him often and how much he would have loved this.
I’ve heard this isn’t your first business. Can you share why you chose entrepreneurship? Or what drew you to this career?
I love the freedom that entrepreneurship offers, even when you make mistakes, everything is yours and you can choose how you let that help you grow.
How is your business making a difference in you community?
My business provides part time work for 11 women and their families, who range from young girls with their first summer job, to people who have recently lost their jobs due to covid 19, disabled workers, and single mothers, I feel really humbled and honoured to be that support to these families.
How is your culture reflected in your business strategy? Or how does culture inform your business. Why is this important?
I feel my culture reflected in my business culture when we stand firm on being plastic free, which was more trouble to set up but just felt right as we grew, most recently to not giving in when a major retailer asked us to package in plastic to carry our paints and we refused. It is core to why we make paint in this way to help people feel connected to their environment. I also love naming our products in our language (Anishnaabemowin), hearing so many people easily say "Minjeemin" Sweet pea, (a kind of travel case we make) makes me smile every time. And I firmly believe that with commerce and manufacturing creating the products we see and live with, having an Indigenous reality reflected on those items helps other people see us in a real way. And helps our young people see us in the wider world that they want to be a part of, which builds pride.
Who is another Indigenous entrepreneur you admire?
Warren Steven Scott, luxury fashion designer, tailor, and craftsperson.
What are some challenges you’ve overcome on your entrepreneurial journey?
I’ve had to develop a lot of computer and bookkeeping skills.
What is some advice you would give to an Indigenous entrepreneur just starting out?
Try to bootstrap your way along, I know a lot of things I tried didn't work out and I didnt give up but kept trying new ways to make it work, and when you've made something the people want they let you know!
Don't try to make people want what you like, find out how to thrill people in their hearts.
Such wise words Anong.
Miigwetch!
>> From Beam Paints instagram:
“My dad took me everywhere, I’m thinking a lot about that lately, I was homeschooled and am now homeschooling my boys. I used to love following him into rock cuts and gravel pits, coming back with hands full of special rocks, it taught me to look closely at the ordinary or mundane and see it electric and living vibrant and beautiful. My Paintstones are inspired by his, this is his Paintstone bag, and file still red from hematite. For art lovers the photo is him at his first solo show.”