Julia Marden

Julia Marden (born 1962 ) is a Native American artist based in Vermont. A member of the Aquinnah Wampanoag tribe, Marden specializes in traditional Wampanoag arts and crafts, including basket and mat twining, wampum belts, and painting.

Early life and education Marden was born in 1962 She had created 63 twined pieces by 2012. It takes Marden about two months of 40-hour weeks to twine a bag with commercial cordage. the Mashantucket Pequot Museum, the National Heritage Museum, the Rhode Island Department of Administration,

In 2022, Marden was one of eight Wampanoag artists profiled in Lee Roscoe's book, Wampanoag Art for the Ages: Traditional and Transitional.

In 2023, Marden created a turkey feather mantle she had twined by hand, making it the first-known such mantle created post-European contact 400 years earlier. Marden called it "most likely the most important piece" she will ever make. It will be shown at the Aquinnah Cultural Center in 2024.

Personal life Marden has one daughter, Leah Llanes, who learned to twine at age 6. Leah Llanes 3 daughters have also learned to twine. Julia also has a son Joshua and a grandson.

Marden was given the name Bluejay Weaving in a Wampanoag naming ceremony, in honor of her craftsmanship and the fierceness with which blue jays protect their young.

Marden has resided in Vermont since at least 2015, but has also previously lived in Cape Cod.