Carolyn Anderson

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TRIBAL AFFILIATION: Maliseet

MEDIUM: Painting/Illustration

BIOGRAPHY
Carolyn is a visual artist living in Houlton, Maine. Carolyn is a 2013 graduate from the University of Maine at Presque Isle where she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts with painting and photography concentrations, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Art Education.

Carolyn started out with a desire for photography and fell into a love for painting. Her medium of choice is acrylics but at times using other mediums as well. Inspiration for her work comes from her hometown, nature and her tribe The Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians.

While working at the Houlton Band of Maliseets, Carolyn was busy photographing events as well as creating artwork for fundraisers. Currently she has work on display at The Shire Ale House, Houlton, The Pine Grill in Monticello, and Wintergreen Art Center in Presque Isle.. She will also be participating in multiple art and craft shows throughout Maine beginning with Houlton’s eclipse celebration.

 

Connect with Carolyn

 
 
 

Eric Otter Bacon

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TRIBAL AFFILIATION: Passamaquoddy

MEDIUM: Basketry, Woodwork

ARTIST STATEMENT
As a young child, my mother mentioned that I constantly created hand-drawn copies of sneakers and boots, particularly focusing on the tread patterns.

Woodworking and basket making soon followed at around age five or so, influenced by several family members, including my maternal grandfather, a Grand Lake wood strip canoe builder, my father, a wood and bone/antler carver, and my uncle who steam bent wood into dog sleds. I also was inspired by many basket makers on the reservation. 

At the age of 16, I started working with Loyd Owle, a renowned Cherokee artist at the Unity Youth Treatment Center in North Carolina. I learned leatherwork, stone carving, and other Native arts. While receiving treatment there, I discovered the value of life, and it was where my first pieces of Native art were sold.

For many years, I pursued a tattoo apprenticeship, focusing my artwork on the industry. I also conducted extensive research on indigenous patterns and designs from around the world.

In 2004, I started making baskets professionally. And during my first decade, I began participating in and winning art competitions at various Native art markets. My work was also featured in the collections of major museums across the country. 

During this period, I collaborated closely with birch bark canoe builders David Moses Bridges and Steve Cayard, constructing five different bark canoes with various Native communities to acquire and exchange knowledge of traditional canoe construction and material gathering/preparation.

In the future, I want to keep sharing and teaching the traditional arts knowledge I've gained. My goal is to inspire others to find value and hope within themselves so they have the tools to lead a positive and meaningful life.  

 
 

UPCOMING DAWNLAND FESTIVAL OF ARTS & IDEAS

Organized by the Abbe Museum, the Dawnland Festival of Arts & Ideas is a unique multi-day event is an evolution of our popular Abbe Museum Indian Market (AMIM) and Native American Festival that featured invitation-only Native arts markets and performances. The Dawnland Festival of Arts & Ideas includes those elements but will also spotlight conversations by Wabanaki and other Indigenous leaders on some of the biggest questions of our time, including climate, democracy, and food systems.

The Dawnland Festival of Arts & Ideas is FREE and open to the public.

This event is supported in part by grants from the Henry Luce Foundation and Maine Office of Tourism, along with a partnership from the College of the Atlantic.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

Date: July 12-14, 2024

Location: College of the Atlantic in beautiful Bar Harbor, Maine

Contact: Dawn Spears, Festival Producer (dawn@abbemuseum.org | 207.288.3519

For event updates, please visit: https://www.dawnlandfestival.org

 

Kateri Aubin Dubois / Nisnipawset

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IMG_20210205_091649_518.jpg

TRIBAL AFFILIATION: Maliseet of Viger

MEDIUM: Beadwork

BIOGRAPHY
Nisnipawset is Kateri’s indigenous name. Because her contemporary creations are made with traditional bead weaving techniques, Kateri uses her indigenous name to represent her brand. Her jewelry is handmade yet affordable, hypoallergenic and high quality. Kateri is a 35-year-old, now mother of two, indigenous woman living in the Greater Montreal region. She started beading traditional friendship bracelets as a child and rediscovered the joy of beading while studying translation at Concordia University, from which she is now an Alumni. Kateri started creating beautiful pieces. She is always exploring to find new techniques to learn, new patterns to bead and learning to design her own pieces. She hopes one day to own her gallery-shop and share her beading knowledge with whoever wants to learn.

 

Connect with Kateri

 
 
 
 
 

Firefly the Hybrid

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TRIBAL AFFILIATION: Penobscot Nation

BIOGRAPHY
Firefly seeks to illuminate the beauty and healing power of indigenous culture through music, visuals and creativity. As a member of the Penobscot Nation he grew up in his people’s ancient village at Indian island, Maine. With live performance Firefly is helping to place Indigenous people in a modern context.  He believes that through creative frequencies, we can begin to heal humanity and evolve to new levels of love, compassion and wellness. 

As a traditional music keeper of the Wabanaki, Firefly has performed for many years throughout Maine. In 2020, Firefly took his creative performances to another level through cutting edge technology such as projection mapping and videography. This new evolution in his performances culminated in a national virtual performance with the Kennedy Center’s Arts Across America series and the release of his first album, “Sacred Fire.” 

In February, 2023 Firefly debuted his futuristic combination of traditional vocals and electronic music to 6000 attendees at the historic Merril Auditorium in Portland Maine.  In April, 2023 Firefly had the honor of being this first Wabanaki to  perform at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio. That same month Firefly’s World Premiere of “Militakwat” was performed at the University of Maine. A collaboration with the 127 year old Bangor Symphony Orchestra, Firefly created a 3 part movement rooted in Wabanaki songs. He is the first Wabanaki to collaborate with this orchestra in it’s 127 year history.

 

Connect with Firefly

 

UPCOMING DAWNLAND FESTIVAL OF ARTS & IDEAS

Organized by the Abbe Museum, the Dawnland Festival of Arts & Ideas is a unique multi-day event is an evolution of our popular Abbe Museum Indian Market (AMIM) and Native American Festival that featured invitation-only Native arts markets and performances. The Dawnland Festival of Arts & Ideas includes those elements but will also spotlight conversations by Wabanaki and other Indigenous leaders on some of the biggest questions of our time, including climate, democracy, and food systems.

The Dawnland Festival of Arts & Ideas is FREE and open to the public.

This event is supported in part by grants from the Henry Luce Foundation and Maine Office of Tourism, along with a partnership from the College of the Atlantic.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

Date: July 12-14, 2024

Location: College of the Atlantic in beautiful Bar Harbor, Maine

Contact: Dawn Spears, Festival Producer (dawn@abbemuseum.org | 207.288.3519

For event updates, please visit: https://www.dawnlandfestival.org

Gabriel Frey

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TRIBAL AFFILIATION: Passamaquoddy

MEDIUM: Basketry - Ash

ARTIST STATEMENT
Gabriel Frey is a Passamaquoddy artist whose family has been making traditional black ash baskets for generations. He specializes in utility baskets, such as pack baskets, market baskets, and purses. Frey weaves each basket solely with black ash and handcrafted leather features such as straps, lids, and liners for each basket. Gabriel’s artistic process includes locating and harvesting basket-quality black ash trees from the woods, processing black ash logs, and weaving black ash materials into basket forms. Each piece has an element of carving. Frey carves the hoops, handle, and wooden pins to fasten leather straps. Many of his tools, such as basket molds, gauges, and shave horse adaptations of traditional designs. 

Maintaining the traditional knowledge of Wabanaki basket makers is an important aspect of his artistic process. 

Gabriel’s art expresses an indigenous worldview. He is inspired by the natural world and the transformation of a living tree into a functional vessel. His baskets connect the interwoven past, present, and future to create functional art pieces. Culture, family traditions, personal experiences, and hopes for the future are embodied within each basket. 

Gabriel learned traditional black ash basketmaking from his grandfather. “When I hold my grandfather’s baskets, I hear my grandfather’s voice giving subtle suggestions on technique and style. I hear my grandfather’s stories. My family connection is maintained through basket making. I work towards perfecting the function and form of the traditional baskets while evolving each basket to reflect my personal style. My basket-making goal is to produce useable, functional baskets for daily use. I want someone who buys my work to use, feel, and experience Wabanaki culture daily.” Using these baskets, that person creates a connection and finds added value within the basket. Creating functional Wabanaki baskets is a platform to connect people to places. This reflects interconnectedness and reciprocity between people, their natural world, family, and our nonhuman relatives.  

 

Connect with Gabriel

 
 

UPCOMING DAWNLAND FESTIVAL OF ARTS & IDEAS

Organized by the Abbe Museum, the Dawnland Festival of Arts & Ideas is a unique multi-day event is an evolution of our popular Abbe Museum Indian Market (AMIM) and Native American Festival that featured invitation-only Native arts markets and performances. The Dawnland Festival of Arts & Ideas includes those elements but will also spotlight conversations by Wabanaki and other Indigenous leaders on some of the biggest questions of our time, including climate, democracy, and food systems.

The Dawnland Festival of Arts & Ideas is FREE and open to the public.

This event is supported in part by grants from the Henry Luce Foundation and Maine Office of Tourism, along with a partnership from the College of the Atlantic.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

Date: July 12-14, 2024

Location: College of the Atlantic in beautiful Bar Harbor, Maine

Contact: Dawn Spears, Festival Producer (dawn@abbemuseum.org | 207.288.3519

For event updates, please visit: https://www.dawnlandfestival.org

 

Gal Frey

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TRIBAL AFFILIATION: Passamaquoddy

MEDIUM: Basketry - Ash

ARTIST STATEMENT
Gal Frey is a traditional Passamaquoddy basketmaker, beadworker, jewelry worker and quillworker well known nationally for her expertise in the ash and sweetgrass basket traditions. She also makes earrings with porcupine quills and glass beads, and designs beaded stone pendants on necklaces. Gal learned the art of quillworking from Joan Dana and the art of weaving baskets from Sylvia Gabriel and other family members. Her beadwork is self-taught, and she gathers the ash and sweetgrass herself and finds the quills on the roadside. Each piece is designed individually. Gal, who was raised at Pleasant Point,  is an intergenerational teacher (basketry, regalia), committed to the continuity of Passamaquoddy culture. Her mother, father and grandmother also made baskets, as do her sons, Jeremy and Gabriel. Gal is a licensed Massage Therapist employed with Indian Health Services, Pleasant Point and Indian Township, as well as through her art Gallery and Spa. Her role as an elder and grandmother furthers her understanding of intergenerational processes in cultural learning. She is a member of the “Sipayik Cultural Committee”, a team of individuals who are committed to volunteering their time and energy at the Waponahki Museum to keep cultural activities alive in their community.

 
 
 

Dr. Suzanne Greenlaw

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TRIBAL AFFILIATION: Houlton Band of Maliseet

PANEL TITLE: Weaving a Sustainable Environment

BIOGRAPHY
Dr. Greenlaw, a citizen of the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, is an Indigenous ecologist, writer, and a traditional harvester focused on supporting Wabanaki land access and re-energizing cultural practices throughout Waponahkik. Her doctoral research at the University of Maine concentrated on creating Wabanaki black ash geospatial tools for emerald ash borer preparedness, and a gatherer-led sweetgrass harvest and stewardship study to address policy requirements for plant gathering. This work is supporting an emergent shared governance approach for monitoring and management of a culturally important species within Acadia National Park.

 

Eldon Hanning

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TRIBAL AFFILIATION: Mi’kmaq Nation

MEDIUM: Basketry - Ash

ARTIST BIOGRAPHY
Eldon Hanning of Mi’kmaq Nation is well known for his utility baskets. A master of ash preparation, Eldon will demonstrate the traditional Micmac method of pounding and splitting ash, which differs greatly from the techniques of the Penobscot and Passamaquoddy ash-pounders. A board member of the Maine Indian Basketmakers Alliance, Eldon has taught hundreds of members of each of the Wabanaki Tribes how to weave potato baskets—a basket which the Wabanaki are well known for.

 
 
 

Corey F. Hinton

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TRIBAL AFFILIATION: Passamaquoddy Nation

PANEL TITLE: Recognizing Sovereignty as a Stepping Stone to an Enduring Democracy

BIOGRAPHY
Corey Hinton, Leader of the firm’s Tribal Nations Practice Group, advises Tribal Nations, Tribe-owned entities, and entities that interface with Tribes on federal Indian law and policy, the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, employment matters, economic development, environmental and natural resource issues, and the fee-to-trust process. A citizen of the Passamaquoddy Tribe (Sipayik), Corey draws from a uniquely deep well of experience to deliver significant value to his clients.

Corey has substantial experience with the commercial, transactional, and resource management issues related to natural resources – including Tribal and non-Tribal owned Improved Forest Management (IFM) carbon offset projects. In 2016, he assisted the Passamaquoddy Tribe to establish an IFM that was recognized in California for removing 3.8 million tons of greenhouse gases in furtherance of California’s “cap-and trade” program.

Corey has represented clients before a variety of federal administrative agencies including Indian Health Service, Environmental Protection Agency, and Department of the Interior (including National Indian Gaming Commission, Office of Indian Gaming, Bureau of Indian Education, Fish and Wildlife Service, and Bureau of Reclamation). Corey also regularly represents clients in government-building, ethics and employment policies, negotiation and administration of Public Law 93-638 programs, and real estate transactions.

A separate focus of Corey’s work is with non-profit entities that serve indigenous, socially-disadvantaged, and under privileged communities. Corey advises non-profit clients on a wide range of subjects including strategic planning, internal governance issues, employment matters, fundraising, programmatic development, and transactional issues.

Prior to joining Drummond Woodsum, Corey spent time at the National Indian Gaming Commission and the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. He is the former president of the Native American Bar Association of Washington, D.C. He’s also a former Iroquois Nationals Lacrosse team member.

In his free time, Corey enjoys spending time with his family, their dog, and two cats. He takes Passamaquoddy language classes, organizes sports/life skills camps for Tribal Nations youth, and volunteers for the Maine Justice Foundation and the Abbe Museum. Corey also serves on the Executive Committee for the Thompson Brothers’ 4 the Future Foundation, which inspires youth by creating community-based opportunities at the intersection of culture and healthy lifestyles.

 

Connect with Corey

 

Courtesy of Sunlight Media Collective. Corey Hinton, Passamquoddy, Sipayik, speaking at the legislative Judiciary Committee's public hearing on LD 2094: "An Act To Implement the Recommendations of the Task Force on Changes to the Maine Indian Claims Settlement Implementing Act". February 14, 2020.

UPCOMING DAWNLAND FESTIVAL OF ARTS & IDEAS

Organized by the Abbe Museum, the Dawnland Festival of Arts & Ideas is a unique multi-day event is an evolution of our popular Abbe Museum Indian Market (AMIM) and Native American Festival that featured invitation-only Native arts markets and performances. The Dawnland Festival of Arts & Ideas includes those elements but will also spotlight conversations by Wabanaki and other Indigenous leaders on some of the biggest questions of our time, including climate, democracy, and food systems.

The Dawnland Festival of Arts & Ideas is FREE and open to the public.

This event is supported in part by grants from the Henry Luce Foundation and Maine Office of Tourism, along with a partnership from the College of the Atlantic.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

Date: July 12-14, 2024

Location: College of the Atlantic in beautiful Bar Harbor, Maine

Contact: Dawn Spears, Festival Producer (dawn@abbemuseum.org | 207.288.3519

For event updates, please visit: https://www.dawnlandfestival.org

Jo-Ellen Loring Jamieson

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TRIBAL AFFILIATION: Penobscot

MEDIUM: Beadwork

ARTIST STATEMENT
I am a tribal citizen of the Penobscot Nation. I learned to bead on Indian Island as a teenager. As an Indigenous woman born on Earth Day, I have a deep connection with nature and an inherent responsibility to do my part to help protect the planet. I sometimes use recycled and upcycled materials in my work which helps to reduce my footprint.

 
 
 

Jared Lank

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TRIBAL AFFILIATION: Mi’kmaq, Acadia First Nation

PANEL TITLE: Arts Transforming Our Futures

BIOGRAPHY
Jared Lank (Mi'kmaq) is an interdisciplinary filmmaker from Maine. He holds advanced degrees in anthropology and human geography. His work explores identity and belonging, focusing on the nuanced, intergenerational experience of forced cultural loss, erasure, and assimilation under settler colonialism. His films expose the vicious and indoctrinating colonial underpinnings of society through metaphor, lived experience, and an Indigenous lens.

 

Connect with Jared

 

UPCOMING DAWNLAND FESTIVAL OF ARTS & IDEAS

Organized by the Abbe Museum, the Dawnland Festival of Arts & Ideas is a unique multi-day event is an evolution of our popular Abbe Museum Indian Market (AMIM) and Native American Festival that featured invitation-only Native arts markets and performances. The Dawnland Festival of Arts & Ideas includes those elements but will also spotlight conversations by Wabanaki and other Indigenous leaders on some of the biggest questions of our time, including climate, democracy, and food systems.

The Dawnland Festival of Arts & Ideas is FREE and open to the public.

This event is supported in part by grants from the Henry Luce Foundation and Maine Office of Tourism, along with a partnership from the College of the Atlantic.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

Date: July 12-14, 2024

Location: College of the Atlantic in beautiful Bar Harbor, Maine

Contact: Dawn Spears, Festival Producer (dawn@abbemuseum.org | 207.288.3519

For event updates, please visit: https://www.dawnlandfestival.org

Donna Loring

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TRIBAL AFFILIATION: Penobscot Nation

PANEL TITLE: Recognizing Sovereignty as a Stepping Stone to an Enduring Democracy

BIOGRAPHY
Donna is an elder and former council member of the Penobscot Indian Nation, she held the position of the Nation’s Representative to the Maine State Legislature for over a decade. Her legislative service ended on October 1st, 2008. She is a former Senior Advisor on Tribal Affaires to Governor Janet Mills. She hosts her own radio show, Wabanaki Windows at WERU Community Radio in Orland. She is a graduate of the University of Maine at Orono and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the University of Maine Orono. She received a second Honorary Doctorate from Thomas College in Waterville, Maine, in May 2022.

Her professional background is in law enforcement. Donna served as the Police Chief for the Penobscot Nation from 1984-1990. She was the first woman police academy graduate to become police chief in the State of Maine. In 1992, she became the first woman Director of Security at Bowdoin College, a position she held until March 1997. Donna is a Vietnam Veteran. She served in the Women’s Army Corp in Vietnam from November of 1967 to November of 1968. She served during the TET Offensive. Donna authored and sponsored LD 291, “An Act to Require Teaching Maine Native American History and Culture in Maine’s Schools.” Governor Angus King signed the Act into law on June 14th, 2001. 

The law is changing the way Maine views its history. Donna conceptualized and advocated for the first “State of the Tribes Address” in Maine History. Tribal Chiefs addressed a Joint Session of the Legislature on March 11, 2002. The event was carried live on Maine Public Television and Radio.  In May of 2008 Donna’s book titled “In The Shadow of the Eagle A Tribal Representative in Maine” was published. The book is a journal of her experiences in the Maine State Legislature as a Non-voting Tribal Representative. Donna Co-Authored a documented History of Tribal State relations published by the  Maine Permanent Commission titled 'One Nation Under Fraud A Remonstrance: A Historical Reference. A version of this article was published by the Maine Law Review 75.2 issue in 2023.

In March of 2009, Donna donated her legislative and personal papers to the Maine Women Writers Collection at the University of New England where they have been categorized and made available to the public and to scholars for research. On October 1, 2009, the University of New England Women Writers Collection established an annual lecture series in the name of Donna M Loring. The Donna M Loring lecture series is held annually featuring a keynote speaker on Native, Civil Rights, Environmental, or equal justice issues. On September 20th, 2011, Donna was inducted into the University of New England’s prestigious Deborah Morton Society on its fiftieth Anniversary when she joined the ranks of such women as Senators Olympia Snowe, Susan Collins, author Mary Sarton, internationally known artist Dahlov Ipcar, federal attorney Paula Silsby, Chief Justice of the Maine Supreme Court Leigh Saufley and former first lady Mary Hermon to name a few. Donna was recently appointed to the Abbe Museum’s Board of Trustees. She was Awarded the ‘Courage is Contagious Award’ by the University of Maine School of Law 2021 Appointed to the University of Maine System Board of Trustees to fill the first Wabanaki Permanent Seat by Governor Janet Mills.

 

Learn More about Donna

 

UPCOMING DAWNLAND FESTIVAL OF ARTS & IDEAS

Organized by the Abbe Museum, the Dawnland Festival of Arts & Ideas is a unique multi-day event is an evolution of our popular Abbe Museum Indian Market (AMIM) and Native American Festival that featured invitation-only Native arts markets and performances. The Dawnland Festival of Arts & Ideas includes those elements but will also spotlight conversations by Wabanaki and other Indigenous leaders on some of the biggest questions of our time, including climate, democracy, and food systems.

The Dawnland Festival of Arts & Ideas is FREE and open to the public.

This event is supported in part by grants from the Henry Luce Foundation and Maine Office of Tourism, along with a partnership from the College of the Atlantic.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

Date: July 12-14, 2024

Location: College of the Atlantic in beautiful Bar Harbor, Maine

Contact: Dawn Spears, Festival Producer (dawn@abbemuseum.org | 207.288.3519

For event updates, please visit: https://www.dawnlandfestival.org

Sherri Mitchell

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TRIBAL AFFILIATION: Penobscot Nation

PANEL TITLE: Weaving a Sustainable Environment

WHAT IS YOUR PANEL ABOUT?
"The keepers of Indigenous knowledge carry thousands of years of data on things such as medicinal plant properties, biodiversity, migration patterns, climate changes, astronomical events, and quantum physics. They carry the stories of countless epochs of human history, going all the way back to the beginning of human life on Mother Earth. And, they provide insights that help fill the gap between our physical and subjective experiences, helping us understand how our internal consciousness impacts the ways that we view and experience the external world around us." Sherri Mitchell Weh'na Ha'mu Kwasset, excerpt from 'All We Can Save; Truth Courage and Solutions for the Climate Crisis.'

BIOGRAPHY
Sherri Mitchell -Weh’na Ha’mu Kwasset, is an Indigenous attorney, activist, and author from the Penobscot Nation. She received her Juris Doctorate from the University of Arizona’s Roger’s College of Law, specializing in Indigenous Peoples Law and Policy. She is an alumna of the American Indian Ambassador Program, and the Udall Native American Congressional Internship Program. Sherri is the author of the award-winning book, Sacred Instructions; Indigenous Wisdom for Living Spirit-Based Change, which has been published in four languages. She is also a contributor to more than a dozen anthologies, including the best seller, All We Can Save: Truth, Courage, and Solutions for the Climate Crisis, along with Resetting Our Future: Empowering Climate Action in the United States, and Growing Up Native in America.

Sherri is the founding Director of the Land Peace Foundation, an Indigenous educational organization with three core program areas – Preserving the Indigenous way of life, the cultivation of competent cultural leadership, and the advancement of ecological equity and justice. The Land Peace Foundation has provided training for the 5 largest environmental NGO’s on the planet, helping them develop better policies and procedures for engaging with Indigenous Peoples living on the front lines of climate change. They also curated an eight-part series with the Global Council on Science and the Environment that provided training for thousands of scientists and scientific scholars from more than 40 countries, highlighting Indigenous scholarship and traditional knowledge. Sherri was also a key member of the development team for the ACE Mandate of the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), under Article 6 of the UNFCCC and Article 12 of the Paris Agreement. This framework was adopted by the Biden Administration and is currently being used to provide education, engagement, training, and workforce development for climate action in the United States. 

Sherri serves as a Trustee for the American Indian Institute and has been a part of their youth and elders circle for more than thirty years, she sits on both the Global Indigenous Advisory Council and the North American Advisory Council for Nia Tero’s Indigenous Land Guardianship Program, and is a board member for the Post Carbon Institute.

She is also the recipient of several human rights awards, including the Mahoney Dunn International Human Rights and Humanitarian Award and the University of Maine Alumni International Human Rights Award, and her portrait is featured in the esteemed portrait series - American’s Who Tell the Truth. Sherri is the convener of the global healing ceremony, Healing the Wounds of Turtle Island, a gathering that has brought more than fifty-thousand people together from six continents, with elders from 40 Indigenous nations, to focus on healing our relationships with one another and with our relatives the natural world. She teaches across the globe on issues of Indigenous rights, Earth rights, and transformational socio-spiritual change.

 

Connect with Sherri

 

Erica Nelson Menard

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TRIBAL AFFILIATION: Penobscot

MEDIUM: Basketry

ARTIST STATEMENT
I am a traditional Penobscot basket maker. As a young child, I observed my grandmother, Philomene Saulis Nelson, preparing materials for her ash and sweetgrass baskets. I loved the vibrant colors she dyed her ash; her color combinations were stunning! When I was in college I asked her to teach me how to make baskets, but it was not meant to be at that time. 

It wasn’t until my late 40s that I had the unique and unexpected opportunity to apprentice with my mentor and cousin, Theresa Secord. As part of my apprenticeship I had the opportunity to use my grandmother's molds and could feel her guiding presence. My inspiration and ancestral designs come from Penobscot-style baskets produced by my grandmother, Philomene, and my cousin, Theresa. I like to weave ash and sweetgrass boxes, sweetgrass flats, and other baskets with braided sweetgrass in the family style. Continuing my family's traditional art form is an honor and privilege. I am also mentoring my daughter and granddaughter so other generations of basket weavers will continue the ancestral tradition. Plus, we are learning Wabanaki language terms associated with traditional basketry.


 
 
 

Norma Randi Marshall

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TRIBAL AFFILIATION: Passamaquoddy/Hidatsa and Mandan

MEDIUM: Painting/Illustration

BIOGRAPHY
Norma Randi is a Wabanaki artist and homesteader from Maine. She is a member of the Passamaquoddy Tribe and was raised in her Passamaquoddy mother’s ancestral lands at Sipayik, Maine. She has roots from her father’s clan of the Hidatsa and Mandan people of North Dakota. Norma is a painter and digital art creator; she uses acrylic, oils, and watercolors as her mediums. 

Norma draws inspiration from her ancestral heritage and life lived with her husband. She has love for the various landscapes and palettes of Maine skies, earth, and waters; experiencing the beautiful Maine environment that her maternal ancestors called home and traversed for 12000 plus years. The focus on her heritage is also a teaching tool for herself to be aware of the history of her ancestors, how their lives were lived prior to colonization and after, their culture, their environments and ecology, and the people within the communities who continue carrying on traditions despite the initial setback of assimilation. It is a form of self healing and expression.

Norma Randi is a graduate of the University of Maine at Machias with a Bachelor of Arts Degree. She is a member of the Abbe Museum in Bar Harbor. Norma has an art show at least once a year. In 2023 she won a People’s Choice Award in June for her Language preservation piece at the Abbe Museum Indian Market weekend. She will be featured at the Eastport Arts Center in June 2024 for a solo show and at the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens from mid-July through mid-October. 

You can now purchase her small works at the Abbe Museum in Bar Harbor, Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay, and the Acadia National Park Stores.  You can see her in person at various craft fairs in Maine selling her art and wares.

 

Connect with Norma

 
 
 
 
 

Butch Phillips

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TRIBAL AFFILIATION: Penobscot Nation

MEDIUM: Basketry - Other

BIOGRAPHY
Butch Phillips, a tribal elder of the Penobscot Nation, grew up on Indian Island. He is a tradition bearer within his community.

Phillips is a birchbark artist known for etching winter bark with traditional Penobscot double curve motifs and designs. He is also recognized for his moose calls (article here), log carriers, and model canoes.

In 2002, Butch assisted in the construction of an 18-foot birchbark canoe that was finished and paddled in shifts during the annual Katahdin Spiritual Run, a 100-mile trek by canoe, bike and foot to Mount Katahdin. Later, Butch went on to build a 14-foot canoe on his own, and an 18-foot canoe with two of his sons. Since then, he has participated in events that showcase birchbark canoes while paddling the Penobscot River.

Butch has been instrumental in the restoration of the Penobscot River, advocating for the removal of dams to allow for the return of migratory fish species such as salmon and sturgeon. The restoration of the river was a collaborative effort by the tribe, seven conservation groups, the local power company, the State of Maine, and the Federal government. Butch is one of twenty-four Penobscot individuals featured in the documentary “The River is Our Relative.” In this film, Butch shares his spiritual connection and celebrates his cultural ties to the Penobscot River.

 
 
 

Jennifer Pictou

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TRIBAL AFFILIATION: Mi’kmaq Nation

MEDIUM: Diverse Arts

ARTIST STATEMENT
As an artist deeply connected to my Mi’kmaq heritage, I draw inspiration from the rich cultural tapestry of my ancestors’ resistance and survival, infusing my work with elements of tradition and history. Through the ancient techniques of glass beads, lampwork, and stained glass, I reclaim indigenous space and weave a contemporary narrative that honors the resilience and beauty of Mi’kmaq people in my homeland.

In the fiery torch, I mold molten glass into statements of today’s enduring issues and passions. Each bead and sculpture tell a story of strength and perseverance, reflecting the enduring legacy of my ancestors.

Within the delicacy of stained glass, I draw from the vibrant hues of ancestral objects and the natural world, using the Colonizer’s own medium of religious oppression to tell our story of survival and world views.

In my beadwork I delve into the cultural resistance of my ancestors to create one-of-a-kind statement pieces of intricate form and function. These represent a claiming of modernity and space within fashion.

Through all of my work I explore the themes of identity and belonging, using the interplay of light and color to reclaim and redefine Mi’kmaq narratives in a contemporary context. Each piece is a rebuttal of the prevalent ideas that we are no longer here, reminding viewers of the importance of preserving and honoring indigenous heritage in an ever-changing world.

 

Connect with Jennifer

 
 
 
 

UPCOMING DAWNLAND FESTIVAL OF ARTS & IDEAS

Organized by the Abbe Museum, the Dawnland Festival of Arts & Ideas is a unique multi-day event is an evolution of our popular Abbe Museum Indian Market (AMIM) and Native American Festival that featured invitation-only Native arts markets and performances. The Dawnland Festival of Arts & Ideas includes those elements but will also spotlight conversations by Wabanaki and other Indigenous leaders on some of the biggest questions of our time, including climate, democracy, and food systems.

The Dawnland Festival of Arts & Ideas is FREE and open to the public.

This event is supported in part by grants from the Henry Luce Foundation and Maine Office of Tourism, along with a partnership from the College of the Atlantic.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

Date: July 12-14, 2024

Location: College of the Atlantic in beautiful Bar Harbor, Maine

Contact: Dawn Spears, Festival Producer (dawn@abbemuseum.org | 207.288.3519

For event updates, please visit: https://www.dawnlandfestival.org