Etlitoq: Meet the Makers!
Laylia Bennett of Little L'nu
Laylia is an autistic queer bead artist from Bear River First Nation, based out of Sackville, NB. They make fringe earrings including their signature cloud design, flatstich earrings, Pokémon pins, pride pins and more.
Imriel Bissnette of Radical Cat Creations
Imriel Bissnette works primarily in fiber arts with a focus on 2SLGBTQ+ and geeky subjects. Xe is a reconnecting Mi'kmaq with Black/African Nova Scotian and European family ties. Imriel has been learning and using various fiber arts since they were 8 years old after learning to knit from their mother. Xe lives in the beautiful Annapolis Valley with xer husband, two dogs, two cats, three rats, and snake.
Chelsea Brooks of Chelsea Brooks Native Art
I am from Sɨkɨpne'katik where I grew up until the age of 25 when I moved to Halifax! I am the granddaughter of Christine Pictou Brooks - Birchbark Crafter & the daughter of David J Brooks - Visual Artist & Wood Carver. I work full time being a Visual Artist & Owner of Chelsea Brooks Native Art. I create paintings on feathers, wooden boxes, canvas & other items. I also make reproductions of my original artwork such as prints, fridge magnet sets, bookmarks, etc. My style is a mix of traditional, modern with a mix of femininity.
Sarah Brooks of Brooks Textiles
Sarah Brooks (she/her) is an artist and craftsperson based in Punamu’kwati’jk (Dartmouth, NS), and is from the Mi’kmaq community of Sɨkɨpne'katik First Nation, Mi’kma’ki (Nova Scotia). She graduated from NSCAD University in 2019, receiving her BFA with a major in textiles and a minor in art history. Since 2019, Sarah has been employed through Confederacy of Mainland Mi’kmaq (CMM) and Saint Mary’s University, contributing to the project titled T’an Weji-sqalia’tiek: Mi’kmaw Place Names. Sarah received her Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in 2022 at NSCAD University in Kjipuktuk (Halifax, NS). Some mediums that Sarah has been exploring with further are; textiles, beadwork, ceramics, and incorporation of natural/organic materials.
Jalisa Charles of Jal's Creations and Alterations
@jals.creations.and.alterations
I am Coast Salish from Beecher Bay First Nation on Vancouver Island, BC. I was born and raised on the East Coast of Canada and always felt disconnected with my culture. Through beadwork, I have been able to explore what being Indigenous means to me. I have been beading for less than a year but have expressed my artistic side my whole life. Right now, my focus is on beadwork, sewing, painting and 3D modeling and printing. I take pride in letting myself be creative with multiple different platforms and am always exciting to try something new.
Pip Doak of Odyssean Press
Doak is a multi-disciplinary artist, musician, poet, and art historian who was born and raised in Halifax, Nova Scotia (Kjipuktuk, Mi’kma’ki). Through various printmaking methodologies, and their creative writing practice, Doak explores their interests in mythology and history - especially those that are intertwined with their complex family heritage as a mixed settler and Mi'kmaw person - and their identity as a queer person and their relationship to the land that they live upon. Currently, Doak is training as a letterpress printmaker and technician at the Dawson Print Shop, as well as beginning to incorporate beadwork into their book arts practice.
Jayme-Lynn Gloade of Reclaim Clay Studio
Jayme-Lynn Gloade is a Mi’kmaq visual and craft artist from Millbrook First Nation, Nova Scotia. She obtained her BFA from NSCAD University, with a focus on Photography and Art History in 2014. She returned to NSCAD in 2019 for a post-bachelorette certificate in ceramics. She currently works at Every One Every Day / Mi'kmaw Native Friendship Centre and has her own studio in the North End in Halifax, NS. Gloade is interested in decolonizing spaces with her pottery to transform and adapt our environment in order to make it our own. Gloade emphasizes the role of our humanistic nature and how it participates in constructing the spaces we live in. While using traditional stories and personal experience, Gloade strives to find the empowering side of the ominous.
Isaac Jeddore-Gould of Isaac Jeddore-Gould Art
I am Isaac Jeddore-Gould, a 2spirited artist from Eskasoni. I focus on watercolor, acrylic, and gouache. I love to paint landscapes of Una’ma’ki and portraits of my ancestors.
Jayden Jeddore-Gould of L’nu’k Magick
My name is Jayden Jeddore-Gould , I am the Business Owner of L’nu’k Magick. My business is located in Eskasoni, Nova Scotia and my studio space is at the Eltuek Arts Center in Sydney. I mainly focus on beading and jewelry making but my business sells crystals and holistic tools aside from my artwork. I tend to work with several other mediums such as Textile Art ( Sewing/ Embroidery), Acrylic, Watercolour, Gouache, Wood burning, Uv Resin and Leather work. My passion for creating art started at a young age and I just continued to dabble into different styles along the years. I decided to take my art seriously when I launched my business on Facebook and Instagram in December 2020.
Chanelle Julian of Two Spirited Nmpisun
Chanelle Julian a two spirited l'nu artist from Eskasoni, predominately an acrylic painter. Inspired by native culture, their work offers their perspective on traditionalism and spirituality.
Meg Langlais of Megsuhiki
Hello my name is Meg! I’m from Northwestern Ontario and am mixed Métis-Japanese Canadian. I grew up disconnected from both of my cultures and I’ve found that art has been a powerful way to feel connected to my heritage. Mizuhiki is a Japanese craft that isn’t well known in Canada. Mizuhiki involves long twines of washi paper wrapped in silk and it is used to make many different knots to create jewelry, or art pieces. My great grandmother was very passionate about this craft and I hope to follow her footsteps and bring the beauty of mizuhiki to Canada!
Kim Lickers of Gold Finch Beads
She:kon! Kim ioniats! My name is Kim and I am Turtle clan. My band is Seneca but I grew up near Akwesasne Ontario in Mohawk territory. I moved to Mik'maki in 1997 to go to Dalhousie, fell in love, got married and have never left. I am employed by Dalhousie university and work directly with Indigenous students in medical sciences. I am a beader. I started beading in high school and make earrings, necklaces, bracelets, pins, regalia pieces and so much more. I love to use Nova Scotia agate centres and scallop shells cut into different shapes created by a retired scallop fisherman. Beading is medicine and allows me to think and connect with my artistic side but also to express myself and find beauty in small things.
Kris Reppas
Kris Reppas is a Queer, Kanien’kehá:ka (Mohawk)/European artist from Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory. His work brings together traditional styles of beadwork with themes of queerness, gender identity, and sexuality. These topics can often be hard to navigate so he makes work that is meant to be tactile. The viewer can interact with the work based on their boundaries and come to terms with these topics with pieces that promote healing, kinship, and grounding.
Kary Shannon of 1790 West Farm & Goods
Mi’kma’ki is the beautiful, ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq. My spirit name is Anishinaabe Odayinkwe, which means woman with the human heart. My elder explained that the name came with the responsibility to live and share the seven sacred teachings. As an Anishinaabe cousin, I work to reclaim, relearn and share Anishinaabe traditional practices with local resources to shape and nurture our love and coexistence of all our relations - through tanning, beading and bark.
Shaniya Vance of Shaniya Beads
My name is Shaniya Vance and I am a self-taught beader. I’m from Potlotek First Nation, but grew up in Sydney, NS. The items I make are earrings, keychains & pins/phone grips. My art includes items made from traditional materials (quills, hide, etc.), but I also incorporate modern day ideas in my work as well (cartoon characters, pop culture references, etc.). Reconnecting with my culture, but with my own twist, is something I’ve been working towards and become very proud of.
Marsha Vicaire of Be Heard Beadwork
Marsha Vicaire is a Mi’gmaw bead artist from Listuguj in Gespe’gewa’gi. Currently, she is based out of the Moncton area and enjoys learning from the landscape in that traditional district of Mi’gma’gi. Marsha grew up in a family of fluent Mi’gmaw speakers who were closely connected to traditional land-based practices. Her early influences along with her passion for the Mi’gmaw language and culture have largely informed her beading creations, and have led her to regain the traditional practice of fish tanning. Today, her work blends traditional materials with contemporary influences. Marsha continues to grow as an artist through opportunities that allow her to share her art, culture, language, and stories. As an educator, she appreciates teaching and sharing her knowledge with others, especially through activities geared towards building and empowering the next generation.
Maryann Woodworth of Tribal Vibe- Nature's Tea
As a child, I was taught native ways by my father. As an adult, looking for alternatives to pharmaceuticals, I returned to my roots. I create wildcrafted, natural teas, using wild ingredients that were traditionally used in native plant medicine. I have 6 blends and each blend includes artwork that was done by my family members.
Sydney Wreaks of Sydney Wreaks Art
Sydney Wreaks (they/them) is an interdisciplinary artist educator. They are of Kanien'kehá ka & euro-settler decent, and currently finishing their graduates degree in Art Education at NSCAD University in Mi’kma’ki. They are currently working on their thesis; As well as a beading practice centred around gift giving, and manifesting medicine through beading.
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Posted Mar 22, 2023
