Special Event
The Artist in Conversation: Heather Shillinglaw
Saturday June 10, 1-2pm 2023 in the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia’s Windsor Foundation Lecture Theatre (1728 Bedford Row entrance)
Free admission
In conjunction with the exhibition, ᒫᒥᑐᓀᔨᐦᒋᑲᐣ ᑯᑖᐄᐧᐤ mâmitonêyihcikankotâwîw my mind digs in the soil like the turtle, on display at the Mary E. Black Gallery from May 11- July 2, 2023, Craft Nova Scotia presents The Artist in Conversation: Heather Shillinglaw. We take a deep dive into the multi-layered narratives and techniques Heather uses to create her beautiful, mixed media art quilts. Join us for an insightful conversation with Heather herself as she shares about her work and studio practice.
Craft Nova Scotia is honoured to present the exhibition, ᒫᒥᑐᓀᔨᐦᒋᑲᐣ ᑯᑖᐄᐧᐤ mâmitonêyihcikan kotâwîw, – my mind digs in the soil like a turtle by Métis artist Heather Shillinglaw as one of 7 exhibits in our 2023 calendar year. Steeped in culture and multi-layered narratives, this exhibition is comprised of 10 mixed media textile panels, representing the Indigenous philosophies, the land of Heather’s ancestors and oral teachings passed down from her mother. This exhibition is a radical stimulus for the interconnectivity of community, craft, and culture.
A painter turned textile artist, she stitches into deer hide, applies paint, ribbons, fabrics, while blending hand beading, yarn tufting, and thread painting. Shillinglaw explains “I assemble [these panels] to encourage us to remember, remember, remember… the land as it once was and my ancestors and how they lived within the landscape.” This work emphasizes the interconnectedness of the people with the land (water, earth, air and sky), whilst valuing the Anishinaabe connection to the ‘four-legged’, ‘two-legged’ and ‘the winged and water relatives’. Ultimately, it is Shillinglaw’s desire that her work “creates and shares art in a ‘good way’ (a sacred endeavor that illuminates the connections between the spiritual and physical world)”.
Have fun finding the charms hidden in each art quilt! Heather hand-sewed small animal charms into each panel. Use the provided legend to guide you through the works and discover all of the hidden details.
