Gallery

This linograph print was my first ever attempt at printmaking, and it went on to become one of the most meaningful pieces I created at Academy of Art University. This work is about intergenerational trauma in Indigenous families and the Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women. Intergenerational trauma is not something that is talked about very openly, at least not with the past generations, but the weight is something felt even in the strongest families. After the course ended I went on to print a series in red ink specifically to honor the MMIW, and my mother actually got this work tattooed.

Linograph is a great intro to printmaking, and one easily suited for audiences young to old. This is a great form of printmaking because of how versatile it is. I have made prints using styrofoam take out boxes and printed on everything from paper to clothing. It would be a really great lesson to teach my students how to make their own prints they can take with them and use on many different materials.

Master Copy Study

This work here is a graphite study of William Whitaker’s oil painting titled “Indian Territory”. The class was provided with a list of realist painters to choose from, then given the opportunity to select the work we wanted to focus on, and I was able to find a beautiful painting of a Native woman done so without the sexualization and over-romanticization typically seen. This assignment was a challenge for me, but I am very proud of the end product.

In my experience, children are eager to copy what’s around them. There have been multiple classes where I end up taking free-draw requests from my students, where I draw what they have in mind on the board and give them the opportunity to follow along on their own paper. Using what I learned as an example, students could bring in an artwork that means something to them, whether it be from their favorite book or something they saw in a museum, and work to replicate it in their own creative way.

Even the Iron Still Fears the Rot

This work was my watercolor final. The end is inevitable, whether or not we fight against it or lie back and take it, you cannot escape your fate. The nails in these paintings are rusted and beaten down, but they are still capable of causing damage. The owl is an omen of death, but also a symbol of wisdom. The end may be inevitable, yes, but we are capable of seeing things in different lights depending on how you hold it. I have plans to create a more permanent display for the three paintings and make wooden frames for each.

This may be a heavy topic for children, but taken at its core, a great lesson. For this piece I took song lyrics from a musician that means a lot to me, and reinterpreted it in my own way. Students could select a line from their favorite song and create an art piece that reflects what those words mean to them.

Imiyewakon & Tefillah

These pieces were my screen printing final, a two part series that represents my culture, identity, and faith- Native and Jewish. Seven screens were created for each, all hand drawn on Acetate with Rapidograph pen and ink. The first is titled "Imiyewakon”, the Peskotomuhkati word for prayer, and features me braiding my hair, a sacred and spiritual practice. The second is titled "Tefillah”, the Hebrew word for prayer, and shows me covering my eyes as tradition when reciting the Shema prayer.

I am very passionate about finding ways to incorporate student’s background and culture into my lessons. Having a complex and layered identity myself makes this very dear to my heart, but beyond that I recognize how important it is for everyone to feel proud of where they come from and be confident enough to explore what that means.