Seeding and Beading Fall Update

Seeding and Beading: A Community and Land-Based Method to Counter-Memorializing Sites of Difficult Histories has set off to a successful start! Thank you to everyone who has participated, supported, and contributed to the initiative so far. Keep an eye on our socials so you can join us for upcoming winter activities! 

What Took Place This Fall?

Seeding and Beading is a collaboration between the NSCAD Treaty Space Gallery and NSCAD MAAE student Sydney Wreaks. The project thus far has resulted in four successful workshops, a Seed Harvesting Walk/Sites of Difficult Histories Discussion, and has contributed to engaging conversations with community over tea. 

people stand in a group on the grass at the Halifax Public Gardens
Image credit: Cuba Adekayode Fisk
​​
people stand in a group discussing at the Old Halifax Library

The Seed Harvesting Walk and Sites of Difficult Discussion kicked off the initiative’s fall happenings. Participants met at the Dalhousie University Pollinator Garden where they were gifted handmade medicine bags by Natalie Laurin—Métis artist and Treaty Space Exhibitions Coordinator—and taught how to harvest seeds from the perennial flowers blooming there. Seeding and Beading coordinator Sydney Wreaks then led us on a Difficult Histories walk, stopping at Halifax Public Gardens and the Old Public Library. Sydney spoke about the difficult histories of both locations and encouraged participants to reflect upon these spaces and how land-based practices can act as a tool for counter-memorialization.

close up of hands holding a small broken-open apple and apple seeds
people stand in the Dalhousie pollinator garden among the plants collecting seeds

In November, participants were invited back to the Treaty Space Gallery to create their own medicine bag, or choose to personalize the bag they received at the previous event. Métis artist Natalie Laurin taught participants a basic picot edging technique. 

a workshop participant holds their brown leather medicine bag with white heart-shaped shell button and light green edging on the lid
Image credit: Danté MacDonald

Through October and November, the Treaty Space Gallery and CiMADE Lab collaborated on a series of 3 porcupine quill workshops. Participants learned how to clean, sort, and dye quills—prepping them for the final quill workshop where Mi’kmaw artist Crystal Gloade taught us how to create quillwork birchbark medallions. She guided us through the creation process using the beautiful cleaned, dyed quills; sweetgrass; birchbark; and leather. 

Overhead view of various paper cups full of porcupine quills sitting inside a foil pan. The quills are dyed bright colours like orange, yellow, neon green, blues, and purples.
four birchbark quilled medallions sit on a table next to cups of dyed quills

What's Happening This Winter?

As the winter season approaches, there is more in store for Seeding and Beading. Our winter programming consists of a winter seed-sowing workshop using the seeds collected from the Seed Harvesting Walk, campfire gathering, and garden planting in the spring. Join our mailing list to stay informed about upcoming events. 

How Do I Find Out About Upcoming Events and Workshops?

Upcoming events and workshops will be announced as the season progresses. Join our mailing list to stay informed about upcoming events. Follow @annaleonowensgallery on Instagram and Facebook or check the events section of the theanna.nscad.ca website.

Thank you to all of those who have continuously joined us and participated, we invite you to please continue to check your email for upcoming workshops and events.

 

We appreciate your enthusiasm and look forward to seeing you all again,

Ava Clarke
Treaty Education Curatorial Assistant

 

Seeding and Beading is a Treaty Space Gallery and NSCAD Art Education thesis initiative funded by Indigenous Youth Roots.