Excerpt from the Artist Statement:
“While some art is made from the hand, this art is made with my teeth. Birch bark bitings are an imprint. Illumination and shadow, teeth and bark. A kaleidoscope of impressions from my life.
I was born and raised in Churchill, Manitoba in the 1950’s. My maternal roots are from Southend Reindeer Lake and Pukatawagan, Manitoba. My mothers resilience has impacted me deeply and her spirit is woven into everything I create. I am a member of the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation (PBCN). We are Assin’skowitiniwak (Rocky Cree). Currently, I live in Nakusp, BC. I am a mother and a kookum to many and relationships continue to thrive.
I feel a great responsibility as a carrier of this traditional art form and for the teachings it holds. I have always produced art to nourish and heal my spirit while living in unjust systems. I have run restorative justice programs and have helped marginalized people throughout my entire life. In this art exhibition I am creating awareness of past and present issues impacting Indigenous people and I am envisioning a solution/ based future. Combining laser etching technology and fashion my bitings can tell stories in new ways. Originally on birch bark and now imprinted on hide, wood, copper and fabric. Here through cultural resilience, I bite back.”
