Portraits by Hand
Once each year or so, my Medicine stirs forth a deeply personal portrait. These large-scale pieces are curious explorations, primarily comprised of ink and pencil. Most include the stippling technique passed to me by my mother, a truly wonderful artist and teacher. As a child, I would gaze admiringly at her artwork, entranced with the way she patiently bloomed portraits of etherial women, flowers, and birds.
The hours and days required for such shading and formation are beautifully meditative and forgiving. Tiny dots of ink pushed into paper and canvas, reminiscent of the Ancestral tattooing techniques of global Indigenous women and Two-Spirit peoples across time and space. Through this art practice, I am deeply connected.
Kčay ~ Elder, 2024
Ink, Graphite, & Charcoal on Canvas Board, 18”x24”
Awαssísi-Kínαpe ~ Young Warrior, 2025
Ink, Graphite, & Charcoal on Paper, 18”x24”
Mahčawi-áwαssis ~ Extraordinary Child, 2020
Ink, Watercolor, & Acrylic on Paper, 18”x24”
Awáhtahte ~ Casts a Shadow, 2017
Ink on Canvas Board, 18”x26”
Kéhtαkʷəso ~ Spirit, 2019
Ink & Graphite on Canvas Board, 18”x24”
With love and gratitude, I dedicate “Kéhtαkʷəso” to my Mother, Julie.
The final portrait “Kpahkiwínoskʷe”, seen below, is very dear to me. And, it’s important to note that it depicts Sacred Owl Medicine.
Throughout Indigenous and Native cultures, Owls are interpreted differently and associated with various meanings such as wisdom, death, protection, warning, etc. For my Elders, our Indigenous culture and practices, and my personal Medicine, Sacred Owl is deeply meaningful. I share this portrait with great respect to all my Indigenous relatives across the globe.
~ To view the next page of my portfolio without viewing this portrait, please click the link below.
Kpahkiwínoskʷe ~ Woman of the Deep Woods, 2023
Ink, Graphite, & Charcoal on Canvas Board, 18”x24”