Manitohkewin: Sacred Power Made Visible
to
Alberta Craft Gallery 10186 106 St, Edmonton, Alberta T5J 1H4
Sharon Rose Kootenay, "Rainbow Bag" (detail)
A series exploring the relationship between traditional spiritual beliefs and environmental concerns.
As a mid-career artist, I believe my best work reflects both an internal narrative and cultural statement...the work where the artist’s soul is made visible.
For this series, my work is dedicated to my husband Camille Joseph Kootenay, who introduced and taught me to bead in the style of his Stoney/Nakoda ancestors; to my daughter Bena; and to our Metis-Cree matrilineal line. With gratitude, I acknowledge the exquisite Northern beadwork created by my Grandmother Flora, her sisters, and women artists of her time. I consider my artistic contribution to be part of this cultural continuum of Native women artists and lifeways. -Sharon Rose Kootenay