Our community is home to so many creatives, each with their own special medium and style. With all that is happening around us, small business owners and artists are taking a substantial hit economically. Although visiting, shopping to support our artists physically is limited, we can still celebrate them and their work virtually and online. Beginning July 1st, Six Nations Tourism will honour our many talented artists, creatives and entrepreneurs through a social media series titled, “The Art and The Artist.” It is our hope that through this series local Indigenous artists and their craft will be celebrated and receive recognition for the time effort and passion that is put in to each piece. Each Wednesday a new artist will be highlighted until the end of the Summer season and our followers will have the opportunity to hear the stories and view a piece of their work on all of our social media outlets; Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Follow us to ensure you don’t miss this amazing series. If you aren’t on social media, no worries, you can view the series right here on our website.

Kelsey Powless

“My journey started out as a method of self care after I had my son, but it quickly turned into so much more. The support and opportunities that I have received from the community has been unbelievable! Powless +Co. has been apart of many lifetime milestones from weddings, birthday’s, baby announcements and more! Through this experience, I have made it apart of my platform to revitalize indigenous languages through home décor. Incorporating the language into my signs has become a simple way for my customers to utilize it in their homes. If one person starts to incorporate a simple Shé:kon into their every day, then their journey to learning the language has started!”

Facebook   Page Powless + Co

Instagram account   @powlessandco

Jake Jamieson

“Hi my name is Jake Jamieson and I am an artist of several crafts. I’m 24 years old and I am Haudenosaunee Mohawk, Wolf clan, living here on Six Nations of the Grand River.

In 2018 I graduated with a BFA in performance production from Ryerson University and I currently work full-time in post-secondary education with the Indigenous Institutes Consortium, who support Indigenous Institutes within Ontario.

My history as an artist roots back to my childhood and learning traditional crafting at home and at powwows through the family business, Jamieson Leather & Crafts, as well spending many summers at Red Barn, where I first learned to loom bead. Because I’m fortunate enough to have explored numerous creative outlets growing up I have a constant need to find new ways to express myself, which has led to experiences with my art branching into an array of fields such as theatrical design/management, traditional craftwork, photography, visual art, video, and more. I learned early on not to limit or categorize myself into one thing because staying open to new opportunities and modes of self-expression has helped bring me the success I have now.

My art is connected to my culture and community here on Six because it’s the wisdom I’ve learned here that I value the most. I envision new opportunities for self-expression in our community and I see plenty of room for accessible spaces for our own people, who are deserving of platforms for artistic exploration and celebration.  My parents and sisters are also artists, so a lot of inspiration for whatever I produce comes from my environment or surroundings and is heavily influenced by emotional instinct and my sense of humour. These days I am finding much inspiration in costume illustrations, and repurposing trinkets from antique shops.

This beaded belt was loomed for my University graduation commencement ceremony in June 2018. The belt consists of 12,083 beads backed on deer-hide leather and was both designed and beaded over the course of one month. The price? Far too high.”

Jody Martin

“My name is Jody Martin I am from Six Nations of the Grand River, ON. I am Mohawk Nation and a member of the Turtle Clan.

I make a variety of different stained-glass pieces. I’ve tried a number of different art mediums over the years but never enjoyed creating something as much as I do when making a stained glass piece. Each piece is so unique because it can be customized in any colour, style and size. The endless amount of glass colours can create an infinite possibility of designs and patterns. Stain glass in itself is unique by the memorizing changing colours it shows during different weather, seasons and time of the day. Overall, each piece is so beautiful and cutting glass is more fun than you’d think. If you’ve never stained glass before I highly suggest taking a class!

I am still a beginner, so I’ve only made feathers and butterflies but hope to move into making different clans, gastowas and the wampum belt. I love that my art form is a unique and beautiful way for community members, including myself, to proudly express their culture and who they are!”

Instagram account @_nativeglass

Photos taken by @littlebrownbearmedia

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