mámawihitowin | Ganaagishkwadaadiwin | Asenbli | Rencontre | Gathering
Contemporary Artists
Bronwyn ButterfieldBiography:
I am a Métis-Cree-Settler artist who was born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba. My Métis family (Cree-Scottish) are the McLeods from Norway House, Manitoba. I hold membership with the Manitoba Métis Federation as a citizen of the Métis Nation. I began doing beadwork in 2018 through joining a weekly beading circle, learning from multiple teachers. My work is inspired by the historical beadwork of my direct ancestors as well as other Métis beadwork. I strive to honour the past while also drawing inspiration from the land and my personal relationship with it, and my passion for art, design and creating. |
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Rooster Bag
At first glance of the rooster bag, one would not see a stereotypical, traditional octopus bag. The large beaded rooster is very much different from traditional Métis florals that would be expected on these historic bags. Each leather tassel of the rooster bag has 8 “points,” which is informed by historical octopus bags.
For the rooster bag, I knew that I wanted to communicate texture and movement in the piece to reflect the uniqueness of a rooster’s colouring and composition. I specifically used true-cut Charlotte beads from India to capture the light, and reflect the distinct shimmer of a rooster’s feathers. In combination with vintage beads that would have been used by our ancestors, the bag combines the past and the present in its composition. Very much like a traditional octopus bag,
the rooster bag is functional and can comfortably fit a wallet, phone, keys, etc. for today’s needs. My goal with the rooster bag is to present a different perspective of Métis people: who we are today, and how our art is fluid and ever-changing as we navigate our identities in the present day.
I have a huge respect and owe a lot of my own teachings regarding beadwork to historical, ancestral beadwork. I also recognize why it is so important to our identity as Métis bead workers and artists. For me, the rooster bag communicates that we are a complex and evolving people, and our artwork evolves alongside us in this way. I believe that it is important for people to see other representations of us, that challenge the perception that we are stagnant in history. The bag
is a different representation of who we are as Métis, while remaining informed by our ancestors through its materials, construction and underlying inspiration for the project.
I would also like to acknowledge my teachers:
Nancy Gouliquer, Shayne Duguay, David Heinrichs, Teresa Byrne, Louise Gordey, Jeannine Krauchi, Josée Lavallée, the late Lawrie Barkwell
At first glance of the rooster bag, one would not see a stereotypical, traditional octopus bag. The large beaded rooster is very much different from traditional Métis florals that would be expected on these historic bags. Each leather tassel of the rooster bag has 8 “points,” which is informed by historical octopus bags.
For the rooster bag, I knew that I wanted to communicate texture and movement in the piece to reflect the uniqueness of a rooster’s colouring and composition. I specifically used true-cut Charlotte beads from India to capture the light, and reflect the distinct shimmer of a rooster’s feathers. In combination with vintage beads that would have been used by our ancestors, the bag combines the past and the present in its composition. Very much like a traditional octopus bag,
the rooster bag is functional and can comfortably fit a wallet, phone, keys, etc. for today’s needs. My goal with the rooster bag is to present a different perspective of Métis people: who we are today, and how our art is fluid and ever-changing as we navigate our identities in the present day.
I have a huge respect and owe a lot of my own teachings regarding beadwork to historical, ancestral beadwork. I also recognize why it is so important to our identity as Métis bead workers and artists. For me, the rooster bag communicates that we are a complex and evolving people, and our artwork evolves alongside us in this way. I believe that it is important for people to see other representations of us, that challenge the perception that we are stagnant in history. The bag
is a different representation of who we are as Métis, while remaining informed by our ancestors through its materials, construction and underlying inspiration for the project.
I would also like to acknowledge my teachers:
Nancy Gouliquer, Shayne Duguay, David Heinrichs, Teresa Byrne, Louise Gordey, Jeannine Krauchi, Josée Lavallée, the late Lawrie Barkwell
Meaghen FillionMeaghen is a Métis and French-Canadian artist from St. Jean Baptiste, Manitoba with roots embedded in the Red River region. She still lives in St. Jean Baptiste with her husband and four cats.
She grew up surrounded by creative women. Her mom, matantes and memères were crossstitchers, knitters, crocheters, seamstresses and general crafters like herself. Through research, Meaghen has discovered that one of her ancestors was a master beader and she was determined to teach herself how to bead and revive the tradition in her family. Her creative spirit has given her the confidence to try new artforms. Using art to revitalize Métis pride in herself and her family has lead her to creating her first family heirloom that will be the first of many for generations to come. |
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Le sac à Lennon
With the announcement that her brother and his wife were expecting their first child, Meaghen was determined to teach herself how to bead and sew a mossbag for this baby. She wanted them to grow up knowing who they are and where they came from. Shortly after learning that she was going to be an auntie, she drafted up the design, bought the supplies and got to work. She started beading using the two-needle technique, but eventually had to put it down out of frustration. Nine months later, her niece Lennon was born and Meaghen knew she needed to finish this project. The process was a lot smoother after learning the one-needle technique. If you really look, you can see her progress and how she improved along the way.
The beadwork design represents the coming together of two families and the creation of a new one. The floral print on the fabric on the interior of the mossbag and on the bonnet represents Lennon’s maternal Ukrainian heritage.
This piece was inspired by leggings (métasses) that were beaded by Meaghen’s third greatgrandmother Mathilde Perreault (Carrière). They are currently housed at the Musée de St. Boniface Museum. She wanted to mimic the black velvet as the base material so that the colourful beadwork can pop. Meaghen also used similar floral elements from Mathilde’s leggings and incorporated it in the design at the front of the mossbag. From the leggings, you can tell that Mathilde was a master at her craft and it has inspired Meaghen to continue to push herself in learning the craft and tradition.
With the announcement that her brother and his wife were expecting their first child, Meaghen was determined to teach herself how to bead and sew a mossbag for this baby. She wanted them to grow up knowing who they are and where they came from. Shortly after learning that she was going to be an auntie, she drafted up the design, bought the supplies and got to work. She started beading using the two-needle technique, but eventually had to put it down out of frustration. Nine months later, her niece Lennon was born and Meaghen knew she needed to finish this project. The process was a lot smoother after learning the one-needle technique. If you really look, you can see her progress and how she improved along the way.
The beadwork design represents the coming together of two families and the creation of a new one. The floral print on the fabric on the interior of the mossbag and on the bonnet represents Lennon’s maternal Ukrainian heritage.
This piece was inspired by leggings (métasses) that were beaded by Meaghen’s third greatgrandmother Mathilde Perreault (Carrière). They are currently housed at the Musée de St. Boniface Museum. She wanted to mimic the black velvet as the base material so that the colourful beadwork can pop. Meaghen also used similar floral elements from Mathilde’s leggings and incorporated it in the design at the front of the mossbag. From the leggings, you can tell that Mathilde was a master at her craft and it has inspired Meaghen to continue to push herself in learning the craft and tradition.
David HeinrichsDavid Heinrichs (he/him) is a Queer Michif beadworker from Winnipeg. David first started beading about 10 years ago, but over the last 5 years became more intentional about the time spent working with beads, and has spent much time learning from Jennine Krauchi, and spending time visiting with ancestor pieces in the Manitoba Museum. In addition to beadwork, he has started to work with porcupine quills alongside other Metis artists working to re-learn these skills to continue creating Metis quillwork. Sharing these activities with his family, particularly his mother, has been a rewarding experience of handing traditions up to the generation that came before him.
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As a queer man, creating beadwork allows him to subvert colonial gender roles and expectations. His family names include Poitras, Champagne, Fisher, and Grant with recent family connections to St. Vital and St. Boniface. He is a citizen of the Manitoba Metis Federation and a founding member of the Two-Spirit Michif Local who lives in Winnipeg with his partner and their cat and dog.
Using beads both modern and from as far back as the late 1800s, I take inspiration from historical pieces finding their origins in the Metis Nation. I create pieces for the women in my family, gifting and adorning them with beadwork to show that they are loved and honoured. My beadwork is influenced and inspired by ancestor pieces, creating modern beadwork leaning on old-style Metis colours and patterns. Through my background in biological sciences and passion for connection with the land and plant kin, I incorporate these knowledges into my beadwork through selection and representation of plants.
This tea cozy was created for my mother. A gift for my mother. Woven into the beads are stories of our family. Flowers and berries are representative of family members, as well as moments in our lives. On one side the flowers symbolize family members who have passed on, including her grandmothers, parents, sisters, and even some family pets. The other side has five central flowers for our immediate family of my parents, my sisters, and myself with other flowers and
berries representing extended, but important family. It is my hope that whenever my mom uses the tea cozy she can feel as though she is visiting with family.
Using beads both modern and from as far back as the late 1800s, I take inspiration from historical pieces finding their origins in the Metis Nation. I create pieces for the women in my family, gifting and adorning them with beadwork to show that they are loved and honoured. My beadwork is influenced and inspired by ancestor pieces, creating modern beadwork leaning on old-style Metis colours and patterns. Through my background in biological sciences and passion for connection with the land and plant kin, I incorporate these knowledges into my beadwork through selection and representation of plants.
This tea cozy was created for my mother. A gift for my mother. Woven into the beads are stories of our family. Flowers and berries are representative of family members, as well as moments in our lives. On one side the flowers symbolize family members who have passed on, including her grandmothers, parents, sisters, and even some family pets. The other side has five central flowers for our immediate family of my parents, my sisters, and myself with other flowers and
berries representing extended, but important family. It is my hope that whenever my mom uses the tea cozy she can feel as though she is visiting with family.
Tashina Houle-SchlupBoozhoo, Aaniin. My name is Tashina Houle-Schlup, and I am a 24-year-old Anishinaabe woman with roots in Ebb & Flow FN, Manitoba. I have practiced quillwork and many other Indigenous art forms all my life, and I now have a small business - Quillwork by Tashina. I mostly create modern pieces like earrings, but I also love to do traditional pieces like moccasins, bags and knife cases. I love quillwork because it can be done solely with land-based materials, and it is also a craft practiced long before European arrival.
I graduated in 2021 with my Bachelor of Arts in English and History from Brandon University. I currently work at Manitoba Museum as the Head of Indigenous Programming & Engagement. |
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Abinoojiiyens Makizinan
As a quillworker, I acknowledge the connection the art form has to our ancestors, so for my piece, Abinoojiiyens Makizinan, my Anishinaabe ancestors inspired me in terms of my technique, design and materials.
For these moccasins, I created them in the plains style and decided to add a floral design to pay homage to my roots. I used the straight stitch-down technique and stitched primarily on top of the hide. For the material, I used very soft, traditionally brain-tanned deer hide and a thicker buffalo hide for the soles. I used perfectly sized dyed quills and Italian beads that date back 120+ years.
I also wanted to make them honour moccasins by quilling and beading on the bottom of the soles. I was inspired to do this because of my nieces and nephews, who have brought so much joy and love into my life. Moccasins with beadwork or quillwork on the soles were typically used for ceremonial use. For baby moccasins, they were used mainly for walking-out ceremonies, which celebrated a baby’s first steps and ensured a happy and healthy life. I decided to do six straight rows of quillwork and bead the edges, using the lane-stitch method, with mountains and four dragonflies. The dragonfly is representative of protection, good health, and a connection to the spirits of our ancestors.
It was a privilege to create these moccasins in honour of our children, as they are the future of our people. I also want to dedicate these moccasins to the remembrance of our babies and children that were lost to residential school.
Miigwetch.
As a quillworker, I acknowledge the connection the art form has to our ancestors, so for my piece, Abinoojiiyens Makizinan, my Anishinaabe ancestors inspired me in terms of my technique, design and materials.
For these moccasins, I created them in the plains style and decided to add a floral design to pay homage to my roots. I used the straight stitch-down technique and stitched primarily on top of the hide. For the material, I used very soft, traditionally brain-tanned deer hide and a thicker buffalo hide for the soles. I used perfectly sized dyed quills and Italian beads that date back 120+ years.
I also wanted to make them honour moccasins by quilling and beading on the bottom of the soles. I was inspired to do this because of my nieces and nephews, who have brought so much joy and love into my life. Moccasins with beadwork or quillwork on the soles were typically used for ceremonial use. For baby moccasins, they were used mainly for walking-out ceremonies, which celebrated a baby’s first steps and ensured a happy and healthy life. I decided to do six straight rows of quillwork and bead the edges, using the lane-stitch method, with mountains and four dragonflies. The dragonfly is representative of protection, good health, and a connection to the spirits of our ancestors.
It was a privilege to create these moccasins in honour of our children, as they are the future of our people. I also want to dedicate these moccasins to the remembrance of our babies and children that were lost to residential school.
Miigwetch.
Shauna PonaskBorn and raised in The Pas, Manitoba, Shauna Ponask is a Canadian Artist from Treaty 5 Territory of Cree and European ancestry. Shauna’s family roots come from Tatasweyak Cree Nation, and Churchill Manitoba making her a true Northerner. Shauna found comfort in beading and sewing while providing care to her husband in 2020, as he battled cancer. Shauna shifted her creative expressions from pyrography to textiles, embracing traditional leatherwork and beading. With teachings from mentor Amber Cook, Shauna was able to develop her own sense of style inspired by items worn at the Northern Manitoba Trappers’ Festival. Now, with her husband’s cancer in remission, Shauna’s artistic pursuits have evolved in their overall mood and intention. Honouring traditional methods and committing to 100% handmade items is at the heart of her work.
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Residing in the community of Wanless, Manitoba, Shauna sources materials from local hunters and trappers when available. Shauna has participated in the Northern Juried Art Show in 2021 and 2022 receiving various awards. Inspired by the beauty of Northern Manitoba Shauna’s love for nature is fully communicated to her audience through her detailed artwork and can be found on social media through “Creativity to Burn” on Facebook and Instagram.
As an artist of mixed ancestry, I am deeply inspired by traditional bead and leatherwork. The love and attention that went into creating beautiful historical masterpieces is evident in every item, and it is this level of craftsmanship that I strive to emulate in my own work. Using only traditional methods and working entirely by hand, I aim to honour the knowledge passed down through generations before me. Although I was never taught directly, my connection to my Cree heritage and my paternal grandmother, in particular, is a driving force behind my art. She tells me that my style reminds her of her own mother’s (my great grandmother’s) beadwork and this fills me with a sense of pride. I find inspiration in the natural world, and take great care in crafting each piece with love and attention, honouring the beauty that surrounds me in Northern Manitoba. Through my art, I hope to share my connection to the land and the traditional ways from the past with others. It is my wish that my art will serve as a reminder of the beauty and importance of preserving these traditional techniques.
This beadwork is inspired by the natural beauty that surrounds us in Northern Manitoba. The loon brings the spirit of the North, and its distinct call can be heard while out on the glistening lake. As you explore inland, you are surrounded by the smells of greenery and medicines represented here by cedar. You may even find animal tracks along the muddy trails or
hear the howls from the majestic wolves. No matter if you are on land or water, you know you are home when you hear… the “Calls of the Wild”.
These gauntlets are 100% hand stitched with moose hide in the colour of cedarwood, and trimmed with dark brown otter fur. Inside is combination lined with thick sheared wool lining in the hands and medium weight pile lining along the tops. Completed with dark brown fringe, your hands will be kept warm while exploring the wilderness during our bitterly cold winters.
As an artist of mixed ancestry, I am deeply inspired by traditional bead and leatherwork. The love and attention that went into creating beautiful historical masterpieces is evident in every item, and it is this level of craftsmanship that I strive to emulate in my own work. Using only traditional methods and working entirely by hand, I aim to honour the knowledge passed down through generations before me. Although I was never taught directly, my connection to my Cree heritage and my paternal grandmother, in particular, is a driving force behind my art. She tells me that my style reminds her of her own mother’s (my great grandmother’s) beadwork and this fills me with a sense of pride. I find inspiration in the natural world, and take great care in crafting each piece with love and attention, honouring the beauty that surrounds me in Northern Manitoba. Through my art, I hope to share my connection to the land and the traditional ways from the past with others. It is my wish that my art will serve as a reminder of the beauty and importance of preserving these traditional techniques.
This beadwork is inspired by the natural beauty that surrounds us in Northern Manitoba. The loon brings the spirit of the North, and its distinct call can be heard while out on the glistening lake. As you explore inland, you are surrounded by the smells of greenery and medicines represented here by cedar. You may even find animal tracks along the muddy trails or
hear the howls from the majestic wolves. No matter if you are on land or water, you know you are home when you hear… the “Calls of the Wild”.
These gauntlets are 100% hand stitched with moose hide in the colour of cedarwood, and trimmed with dark brown otter fur. Inside is combination lined with thick sheared wool lining in the hands and medium weight pile lining along the tops. Completed with dark brown fringe, your hands will be kept warm while exploring the wilderness during our bitterly cold winters.
This project was made possible with funding from the Province of Manitoba and the Winnipeg Foundation.
Seven Oaks House Museum & Ross House Museum sit on Treaty One land: The traditional territory of the Anishinaabeg and Ininíwak, the land of the Dakota and the homeland of the Red River Métis.
Contact us:
Tracey Turner - Curator / Manager
[email protected]
[email protected]
Seven Oaks House Museum204-339-7429
[email protected] 50 Mac Street, Winnipeg, MB
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Ross House Museum204-942-5396
[email protected] 140 Meade Street North, Winnipeg, MB
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Operated with support from
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