Gradex Iteration
This body of work explores dreams through the lens of Anishinaabe cosmologies. The entire process has been guided by mamatowisiwin. My choice of installation is because the feeling is more important than any individual aspect of the work. The plants symbolize my mothers garden when I was a baby, when my dream medicine first started. The herbs are chosen for their magickal properties. The paintings are dreams I've had, and serve as portals. The choice to not hang them on the walls was so one wouldn't look at them as if they were paintings.
Nogojiwanong is about self preservation. Miskwaadesi of the importance of traditional knowledge. And Mikinaak was a confirmation dream of a personal question I had asked. All together this body of work is a surreal art piece of the space in between awake and asleep.
Dirt, Grass, Hydrangeas, Pansies, Fern, Rosemary, Lawn lanterns, Tarp, Wood, Acrylic paint, Canvas, Oil paint, Plastic container, Audio and Plastic Grass.
2026
In-depth statement on paintings
Nogojiwanong (Middle) means the place at the end of the rapids, which is the name for Peterborough (ON). This painting is the first dream I ever had in Anishinaabemowin. In the dream someone had asked me for some fish and I said no when I had had enough to give. This was a very shameful dream to wake up from but after some thinking I realized it was about self preservation. You may have the means to give, but not have the emotional capacity too which is equally important.
Acrylic, Unstretched Canvas, Oil Pastels, Safety pins, Image transfers and a bamboo pole.
Miskwaadesi (Right) means painted turtle. This dream was one of my most beautiful dreams. With the painted turtle symbolizing traditional knowledge, breaking through the walls of a forgotten library shows the importance of traditional knowledge.
Acrylic, Canvas, Oil pastels, and Image transfers.
Mikinaak (Left) means Snapping turtle. This dream was a confirmation dream I asked for. I had been questioning my clan, and felt that the change that had taken place from colonization in the clan system wasn't working for me. I felt very selfish about this but when I had this dream it was cleared up and I knew it was ok to claim my grandmother's clan.
The imagery depicts a giant snapping turtle on the side of the road. I was working to help save the last of the species of giant snapping turtle when the last male was about to die. Over the walkie talkie they had found a female. This captures the moment when hope was restored, and the rush of trying to get the two turtles together to save the species.
Acrylic, Canvas, Oil pastels, and Image transfers.