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Alanah Astehtsi Otsistohkwa Jewell (Morningstar Designs)

Illustrator, painter and muralist

Alanah Astehtsi Otsistohkwa (Morningstar) Jewell is a mixed French-First Nations artist, and is Bear Clan from Oneida Nation of the Thames. She is an illustrator, painter and muralist, and organizes local Indigenous Art Markets through @iamkitchener (Instagram). Her passion is promoting Indigenous art and culture in urban areas.

Outside of creating, she is also the Parks Engagement Associate for the City of Kitchener, where she works to Indigenize urban parks and open spaces.

Find Alanah on Instagram or visit her online store. 

Cody Houle (Stalking Heron Art)

Artist

Cody Houle is an Anishinaabe artist from Southwestern Ontario, Canada. A self-taught painter, Houle did not realize he enjoyed this art form until he had already created multiple pieces at the age of 31. Though drawn to abstract visuals, it is the woodland paintings that resonate most for Houle and his sense of his culture. His art allows him to show pride and strength in being an Indigenous man. Houle believes it is important to share art to inspire hope and encourage anyone to create.

Find Stalking Heron Art on Instagram or purchase his work on Redbubble. 

Elizabeth Best

Artist

Elizabeth Best is a local beadwork artist. She is responsible to the urban Indigenous community in the Kitchener-Waterloo region and is mixed Métis and Vietnamese. Elizabeth was raised in Saskatchewan's child welfare system and adopted out to non-Indigenous guardians from Ontario. Her art is an expression of her reclamation process in conjunction with her PhD studies.

Discover more about Elizabeth through her website. 

Emma Rain Smith

Artist

Emma Rain Smith is an Aniishnaabe artist from Bkejwanong (Walpole Island) First Nation. She creates wearable art and installations in the beadwork tradition and also incorporates modern materials and techniques. Her work is influenced by Indigenous storytelling and language, and explores the relationships between oral traditions and their physical and visual representations. Emma graduated in Fine Arts from the University of Waterloo in 2018 and is still a current student at the university.

Find Emma on Instagram. 

Jesse Thistle

Author

Jesse Thistle is a Métis-Cree-Scot Candidate in the History program at York University and is a University of Waterloo alumnus (MA ‘16). He also teaches at York University as an assistant professor where he is working on theories of intergenerational and historic trauma of the Métis people. After surviving more than a decade cycling through stages of homelessness, abuse, addiction and incarceration, Thistle, now a distinguished scholar and celebrated writer, is at the center of an important conversation about Indigenous homelessness in Canada. His remarkable 2019 memoir From the Ashes has been topping best-seller lists for months. 

Discover more about Jesse Thistle through his website.

Keewatin Dreams

Artist

Veronica makes handmade traditional Ojibwe dreamcatchers as well as handmade beaded earrings. They are First Nations on their maternal side and Italian on their paternal side. Majority of their work is custom dreamcatcher commissions, in which they create people’s visions in ring sizes ranging from 2 to 20 inches; suedes from ivory to bright pink to black and brown; and beads in every colour and style you can dream up.

Find Keewatin Dreams on Instagram or purchase their work on Etsy. 

Kultrún Market

Business

Located in St. Jacobs, Kultrún Market is founded on the principles and values of being a place of commerce that is family run and community oriented. Their vision and mandate are to source equitable and ethical goods, both local and global. They take pride in supporting co-ops that provide empowerment, artisans, producers, and clothing designers. Kultrún Market cares about transparency as to where everything is made: Every gift has a story!

Discover more about Kultrún Market by visiting their website. 

Maddie Resmer (Little Wolf and the Willow)

Artist

Maddie Resmer is a two-spirit, mixed-Algonquin artist from the Algonquins of Pikwàkanagàn First Nation and Kitigan Zibi Anishinaabeg First Nation. Maddie creates wearable acts of Indigenous resilience; made by hand, with love for the land. Maddie is also an undergraduate student at the University of Waterloo and a proud community activist. Maddie’s online store Little Wolf and the Willow is based in Kitchener, Ontario.

Find Little Wolf and the Willow on Instagram or visit their online store. 

Renee Jewell (Trippie Hippie Co.)

Artist

Renee Jewell is an Anishinaabe/Haudenosaunee stained glass artist. Her father is from Oneida of the Thames while her mother came from Walpole where she grew up. In 2011, Renee was involved in an automobile accident which left her with chronic pain. This led to negative implications on her mental health. After Renee’s therapist suggested that she find a “positive distraction,” she chose to learn the art of stained glass. Creating stained glass almost daily helped Renee conquer the negative mental health symptoms she was experiencing.

Find Trippie Hippie Co. on Instagram. 

Shawn Johnston (Nations and Voices Photography)

Photographer

Shawn Johnston (They/Them) is a Two Spirit Anishinaabe originally from Couchiching First Nation located on Treaty #3 territory. They currently reside on Deshkan Ziibi territory. For Shawn, photography began as a hobby five years ago before they decided to take it a step further. They packed up their apartment, left their job, and travelled for a year to work on a photo project. Shawn’s journey took them to twelve beautiful countries and they made some new friends along the way.

Shawn’s goal with every photo they take is to create space, amplify voices, and share people’s stories. Their work is queer, inclusive, and diverse.

Find Shawn on Instagram or visit their website. 

Susan Hill (Hills Creations)

Artisan

Susan Hill is a Haudenosaunee artisan and member of the Cayuga Nation living in Ohsweken on Six Nations of the Grand River Territory. She is self-taught in making moccasins and was mentored by her mother, Millie throughout her years of beading. Susan is the sole proprietor of Hill’s Creations with over 25 years of experience in beading and leatherwork crafts. Hills Creations also offers Moccasin Workshops that demonstrate and teach individuals to craft their own pair of handmade moccasins.

Find Hills Creations on Instagram or discover more through their website.