NWT Arts

I make beaded, tufted and quill earrings. I also work with rabbit fur and caribou hide when I have those materials at hand. My earrings designs can take many shapes, including flowers, cloudberries, ghosts, dragonflies, moons, suns, or anything else that I can draw. When I was a little girl, my grandma encouraged me to learn how to sew. Eventually gave me uppers to bead, and I just kept going from there.

Both my grandma and granny stir my creativity. I also get inspired by all my aunties! I love to see the beautiful work that these incredible women in my family bring to life. I look at their beadwork and see if I can make it my own in some way.

In my artistic process, I love working with a varied palette, but I love purple the most. I often combine dark shades with softer ones to make the designs pop. If I am working with quills and tufting, I will take the time to pick the right length, shades and patterns that goes best with the design I have in mind. My favourite part of the whole process is seeing it all come together.

Making art is a way for me to express myself. I can rarely sit still, so I am always looking for projects to work on. It occupies my hands and brings me a sense of accomplishment. It makes me feel happy and calm.

This practice connects me to my Dene culture in many ways. My grandma sews, It makes her happy to see me take on this family tradition. In return, I rejoice to know that my granny, grandma and aunties have all done this before me and that I am now able to teach these skills to my daughters. It’s a very special feeling.