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Gallery 121 hosting First Nations Art Show

” Indigenous Flow ” Made out of dark beige marbled steatite stone and cedar driftwood. By David Maracle, Photo by Connor Robinson, QNet News


By Connor Robinson [1]

BELLEVILLE – A chance to see local First Nations artists is available starting Tuesday in Belleville at Gallery 121 [2].

It is the latest Indigenous art show, which will have its official grand opening on Saturday and will run until February 1.

Gallery Treasurer Dona Knudsen said the artists are incredibly talented members of the artistic community.

“They have a wealth of tradition to draw on as well as a personal message to communicate that, I believe, all of us need to hear, as any other artists they are working through a medium,” she said. “Their messages are personal and they’re also universal, the mediums they work with are sometimes very modern like acrylic or lino printing.”

Some of the artists are very traditional, using techniques like featherwork. This is a technique that uses feathers in art or in cultural artifacts. Other artists on display sculpt using antlers and bone as tools. There is beadwork done in traditional ways with a modern twist.

“I think it is a great way for people in our community to get to meet and connect with these amazing artists, ” she said.

Rebecca Maracle is a fourth-generation traditional Mohawk feather-smith, suggested her art is very important personally and something she wants to share.

” It’s part of who I am and brings that awareness forward,” she said, adding “It brings me joy and it truly is my medicine when I get to work with mediums and nature. ”

The show features 12 artists [3] and their respective art styles and artworks.

The Opening reception is from 2-4 pm on Saturday, January 11.