UnEarth Her

Unearth Her is a body of work that depicts important women in my Dakota/Nakoda (Assiniboine Sioux) maternal lineage through portraiture, exploring themes of personal agency, tradition and my experience with generational healing. Through familial portraits, I am recontextualizing matrilineal history by examining practices of personal agency while living in oppressive conditions. I use influences from my tribal background, combining historical photographs and Assiniboine beadwork designs with contemporary styles of painting. By centering women in art history, my body of work affirms art practices as a decolonial practice that grants self-reliance and free will to contemporary Native American women. I use Assiniboine Sioux beadwork designs to tell my family’s maternal history that asserts their influence as knowledge keepers. Each woman has a story that illustrates generational healing that connects directly through visual storytelling. The portraits follow an analogous color palette that reflects the eclectic styles seen in Assiniboine beadwork. By using vibrant hues and pattern designs, I am communicating with their strength and unique personalities.