Artist Statement:

Nature, community and indigeneity are all things that are very crucial to my work. I cultivate different community events for Native and Indigenous students within the Chicagoland area and within the School of The Art Institute of Chicago. I’m organizing collaborative and informative events that help fight negative narratives and stereotypes as well as workshops, studio visits, and film screenings that center Native students allowing for us to have a space to come together in. By curating, organizing and facilitating different community events, this allows for a larger picture of generational joy and resilience to be seen within every collective community member. 

My community work heavily fuels my multi-media artistry. In my most recent piece, I'm using antlers as a root for the basket. This creates an organic shape that then intertwines into another antler piece showcasing the idea of community and connection. An exploration of representation is heavy within my work and I’m using the camera as a tool to investigate this concept more. Showing what my community, culture and identity is like through my art is very important and I'm using my art as an extension of myself. Through designing jewelry and beadwork I'm connecting to myself using a traditional method in a contemporary way. Rooted in Native culture through my own perspective as a young Seneca woman who grew up in a tight knit matrilineal community.