Niwapahkwanin//I See Flowers When I Close My Eyes by Sharon Rose Kootenay
SITE #1:
Sir Winston Churchill Square
Sharon Rose Kootenay
Niwapahkwanin//I See Flowers When I Close My Eyes
Seeking to re-contextualize and decolonize stories of Indigenous womanhood, Niwapahkwanin//I See Flowers When I Close My Eyes visually and lyrically explores intimate and loving relationships—the passages of discovery and awakening, fleeting connections and soulmates, the spiritual aspects of moon-time, conception and motherhood, and the powerful feminine wisdom that carries us through the seasons of our years.
ARTIST STATEMENT
“As a Metis bead worker, my artistic practice is influenced by my family, my foundational years, my relationship with the natural world, and my marriage to a Cree/Nakoda man.”
My former husband was able to effortlessly blend the traditional spiritual practices of his father with the Catholic beliefs of his mother’s family. My Metis matrilineal line also has very deep Roman Catholic roots, and I became interested in exploring this combination of feminine spiritual energies in my artwork. Through artwork, I express this synthesis of beliefs in liturgical and symbolic fine craft within the domestic, maternal, and divine feminine. With Niwapahkwanin, I move my artistic practice towards a more authentic reflection of what I believe, to encompass a fuller representation of the lived experiences and beauty of Indigenous womanhood, in body, mind, heart and spirit.
The Niwapahkwanin stories are all about love—coming into womanhood, compassionate recollections, childbirth and parenting a daughter, romance and marriage, intuitive spirituality, flower gardening, joy and grief, and stories from my grandmother and mother. It is the reconciling of all those emotions and experiences, told with openness, honesty, gratitude, and happiness.
I come from a matriarchal worldview and often relate as a mother, daughter, or sister. These identities have come through strongly in my work. At this later stage in my life, I feel that it is important to also acknowledge the romantic relationships that have sustained me and helped me to grow, as an empowered woman. Niwapahkwanin is about our collective capacity to give and receive love, and how memories can take your emotions right back to pivotal moments. It is the experiences and recollections of intimacy that are beautiful, and that sustain the spirit.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
As an emerging writer, and life-long maker of traditional art forms, Metis-Cree artist Sharon Rose Kootenay finds her inspiration in the urban parklands, forests, and prairie landscapes she calls home.
Through honoring tradition and expressing a deep connection to the land and sky, Sharon’s descriptive and colorful artworks tell stories of cultural identity, relationships, heritage and place. Utilizing paper and ink, and beads and thread, she creates companionate art works that illustrate regional history, significant family events, and personal perspectives.
Sharon Rose was the Alberta Artist in Residence/Arts Ambassador for 2023-24, and the recipient of the 2022-23 Alberta Craft Excellence Award. She was born in Edmonton, where she currently resides.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sharonrosekootenay/
Website: https://sharonrosekootenay.com/