A full final day at Hide Camp at Bii to bi gong (Anishinaabe for water between two rocks). We had a lovely time slowing down, listening, learning, and honouring the old ways with some contemporary adaptations. Miigwetch to everyone who came to visit, work, and share stories.
Day 2/3 of Hide Camp. We had fun beginning the softening process with brain paste on two hides.
Day 2/3 of Hide Camp. We were fortunate that the morning temperatures were ideal for frost scraping.
Day 1/3. Hide Camp with Jean Marshall and Charlotte Marten hosted by Biigtigong Nishnaabeg Guardian for Pukaskwa Park.
Transportation barriers are huge for the sight-loss community and the TWSI Twist project at CNIB Thunder Bay & Region Group is an act of advocacy.
“One in 30 Trillion”, a project with 2025 2nd & 3rd Year Capstone Nursing Students at Lakehead University. Inspired by the 30 trillion cells that work together to help each mammal survive, embroidering cells acted as a metaphor during a one evening stitching session.
At the CNIB Thunder Bay & Region Group, we started TWIS Twist, a large-scale soft sculpture. Tactile Walking Surface Indicators are ubiquitous and we want to increase awareness of the navigational challenges that impact how people live, work, and play independently.
“Look Inside Yourself” was inspired by mammalian cells in relation to Woodland Art elements to animate Christian Chapman’s painting. Miigwetch to Science North - Northwest and Science North & Dynamic Earth for encouraging and supporting fun interdisciplinary learning!
A winter visit to grade 9’s at Dennis Franklin Cromarty High School to make charcoal drawing sticks, talk about carbon and pyrolysis, and try some mark making techniques with handmade art materials .
Thxs VIBE Arts
Julie and I have had a blast rambling around McVicar Creek and making art inspired by its wild, built, and hybrid spaces. Our project, A Record of Time is at CoLab Gallery from January 16 - 23, 2026. Everyone welcome!
Thanks to the support of Ontario Arts Council.
#arecordoftimeproject
2 fun days drawing at Chapman’s Gas Bar Holiday Market.
Kikiskinow Âpahcikân …We are all here learning together, an exhibit of the process artwork from the Critical Land Studies & Relations course I taught at Lakehead University - Outdoor Recreation, Parks & Tourism during the winter. On display in the Community Room at the Thunder Bay Art Gallery.
Julie Cosgrove and my project, A Record of Time centres around McVicar Creek’s wild, hybrid, and built spaces. Our installation at CoLab Gallery is from January 16 - 23, 2026. Thanks to the Ontario Arts Council - Conseil des arts de l'Ontario for support.
#arecordoftimeproject
My “Look Inside Yourself” project at the 2025 Kenora Science Carnival. 30 trillion cells work together to help each mammal survive! Miigwetch to Christian Chapman for the painting, Science North - Northwest for supporting interdisciplinary learning, and everyone who celebrated cells!
The “Be a Good Ancestor” project at the Wake The Giant festival brought stringing beads into a bracelet as a wearable reminder to think about the Seven Grandfather Teachings. Miigwetch to our fun crew and everyone who stopped to bead, and chat.
My Plug In Institute of Contemporary Art Summer Institute in-progress, completed, and interactive work, Silent Witness. Remembering Colony Creek by making inks from what’s now visible with plants and water collected from wild, hybrid, and built environments.
Plug In IGA Summer Institute hanging out at the Gillies Quarry with 450 million year old Tyndall limestone.
Some highlights of Plug In IGA’s 10-day Summer Institute led by Louise Witthöft and Rodney LaTourelle. Through explorations, conversations, and collaborations we explored the poetic of Colony Creek, a lost waterway that ran into the Assiniboine River.
Good Alchemy at the Great Lakes Student Conference in Red Rock. We talked about being a good future ancestor, played with handmade inks, & learned about the Indigenous place names of Great Lakes communities, waterways, and landmarks.
Exploring unsmoked, home tanned, and factory processed moose leather at the 6th annual Fort William First Nation Spring Hide camp. Many hands and many ages are transforming reclaimed hide pieces into a collective artwork.
Congrats to the Explore Indigenous Studio Practice students in the Lakehead University Department of Visual Arts for receiving the LUSU award for their untitled collaborative fibre arts work in the 2025 Annual Juried Exhibition at the Thunder Bay Art Gallery.
How can we take the teaching of the Vernal Equinox forward? How can we authentically connect with our individual and collective responsibilities within the world? I hold hope that springtime will awaken some much needed renewal and rebirth in our stewardship for each other and for the planet.
Grade 7 students at Seventh Fire Junior High connecting with Indigenous knowledge and using STEAM approaches to make birch bark basket inspired containers. Thanks to @vibearts.
Shimmering catkins.
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More pics.
We call this “A Record of the Time”. It’s a transitional record using ephemeral inks from plants and water collected along a waterway flowing into Lake Superior. A project with Julie Cosgrove. Today’s ramblings.
Students at Seventh Fire Junior High get to experience making a simple container by repurposing old LP album covers and using a birch bark basket pattern taught to me by the Elder, Freda McDonald. Thanks to @vibearts for supporting ways for youth to make mindful discoveries through creativity.
A pile of dozen 16” x 24” white cloths prepared for colour dyeing using buttons, bells, and small elastics.
Learning to see and seeing to learn. I’m grateful for this Thunder Bay community through the Canadian National Institute for the Blind.
We really do have to look inside ourselves and show the kindness of good stewards and ancestors.
