Indigenous and Ingenious brings out the talented
By Christine Smith (McFarlane)
TORONTO – Unique works by contemporary Canadian Aboriginal artists were the feature of the most recent Indigenous & Ingenious Show and Sale that was held over the course of two days on Nov. 21-22. Some artwork included stained glass, recycled woollens and beadwork, quillwork, leatherwork, visual artistry and soapstone carving.
Barb Nahwegahbow, an Anishnaabe from Whitefish River First Nation says the most recent Indigenous & Ingenious Art Show in Toronto was a great success. Nahwegahbow was very happy with the turnout. “We had a steady stream of customers throughout the two days which made our participating artists happy. People enjoyed the performances, the art work and enjoyed meeting the artists.”
Indigenous & Ingenious is an event that carries unique works by contemporary Canadian Aboriginal artists, artisans and designers. Nahwegahbow became a co-founder of Indigenous & Ingenious a few years ago.
“We held shows on a much smaller scale with four artists working in different disciplines,” says Nahwegahbow. “I decided this year to have a larger event with 15 artists working in both traditional and contemporary mediums. I wanted an event where our artists and our culture would shine, to create an event where we could celebrate who we are and to celebrate that we have not only survived, but we have thrived because look at what we’re creating! I wanted our drum there and dance not just for the public to enjoy, but for the artists to enjoy too. As Indigenous people, it makes us feel good to have the drum wherever we are and to dance if we want to. I wanted an event that said, welcome to our world. Kim Wheatley and her daughter Alex did a wonderful job creating a celebratory atmosphere at Indigenous & Ingenious.”
Nahwegahbow, says that she has been designing jewellery for about 12 years.
“Our people have always been adorned with beautiful jewellery – even before the arrival of the European settlers/colonizers – whether it was made with shells, porcupine quills,” says Nahwegahbow. “I love looking at old photos because I appreciate that adornment and it inspires me that our people were always so beautifully accessorized. I don’t seek to replicate that type of jewellery, but continue the tradition of making what I consider to be beautiful jewellery with earth’s bounty – gemstones, metals, wood, nuts, fossils, petrified wood – and combine them to make unique, one of a kind jewellery. I am a contemporary Indigenous artist. People often say, your jewellery doesn’t look Aboriginal because they have a stereotypical image of what our jewellery should look like. They want to see little tiny seed beads and porcupine quills, not huge chunks of emerald stones, or rubies, or a large piece of quartz combined with vintage silver chain. I’m creating a new definition, a new image of what Indigenous jewellery looks like. My work has always been guided by the strong belief that for our people and our communities to move forward, we need to look to our culture and our traditions. That is our birthright – to know who we are in order to resume our rightful place in this country.”
The Indigenous & Ingenious Art Show had a lot of community support-the business associations and the businesses in the area helped promote the event, and two community media partners-Muskrat Magazine and Metroland Media. The staff at the Ralph Thornton Centre, where the event was held were gracious and from the outset, were excited about having the event in their Centre.
“Organizing an event like this is a huge task and I did it on a volunteer basis because I believe in our artists and I believe in their work and the important place they have in our community to tell our story,” says Nahwegahbow. “As far as organizing future events, because of the time involved and my own need to work on my own art, well, I’ll just have to see.”
To see some of Barb Nahgahwebow’s jewellery, please visit http://www.bluedawnjewellery.com