Whiskey Script Series
Gravemarker Bison
Exhibition locations: Latitude 53 Edmonton AB 2017-2018, Waneskewin Heritage Art Gallery Saskatoon SK - 2018, Muse Douglas Family Art Centre – Kenora ON - 2019
Date of completion: 2017
Medium: artquilting: fabrics, thread-painting, yarn couching, machine embroidery sewn onto felt applique, handsewen glass beadwork, hand embroidery, all sewn onto elk hide, 5 machines to create piece.
Framing: Hung onto wall or with debarked pine that are bolted and hidden from the front, imitation sinew hand-stitched through grommeted holes and wrapped around the frame to create a ‘tanning framing effect’
Size: 8 x 7 ft (without frame)
Category: Indigenous Arts: Metis artwork
Photo credit: Blaine Campbell
This piece 'Gravemarker Bison' highlights the artists ancestors’ history with the making of Canada, bison and loss of culture is directly linked to the dirty part of history, and the survival of the indigenous plains people. The namesake the ‘gravemarker’ is the artist thought of a representation of any gravesite headstone with a portrait of a loved one and text below about the person life. The bison head is the portrait and the beaded and ornately stitched large applique collar around the bison head represents the bison’s life as a ‘land story’. Her ancestors ‘way of life’ and the bison. Colonization was well underway in 1890’s and as the land where the animal lived was sectioned and quartered to pioneers, the crown and or governmental roles payee hunters’ monies for bones. In some historic images in history highlights the ‘pile of bones’ and the charred land for the bone hunters to claim them. They burned the land to find more bones they eventually became bone meal fertilizers shipped to the US. The death of the bison results in the way and destruction of culture. Shillinglaw learns from her elders, that this is a sacred animal in that they used/consumed the entire animal. Without the animal her own people lead to starvation and ‘way of life changes their lives forever. Shillinglaw says ‘my heartfelt connection with the animal to represents where I came from. Looking to my ancestors interconnected to the land, in equivalent to where i grew up. Once had thousands of bison’s that roamed across the land, feasting on medicines and at peace with nature. This piece honours the knowledge I have learned from my elders, and ongoing teachings of the land to reconcile my own journey of reconciliation. In the complex stitchery had consoled my sole at the core of how to honor the many animals that where killed.’
The hanging of 6 large pieces in the series this piece titled ‘Bison Gravemarker’ is the largest one framed 8 x 9 ft. hung various heights on the wall the bison is stretched onto a ‘Brain Tan fashioned frame’. This piece can be purchase with or without the frame.
Whiskey Script Series
Carlton Trail
Exhibition Locations: Latitude 53 Edmonton AB 2017-2018, Waneskewin Heritage Art Gallery Saskatoon SK - 2018, Muse Douglas Family Art Centre – Kenora ON - 2019
Date of completion: 2017
Medium: artquilting: serged metis sashes, ribbons, fabrics, thread-painting, yarn couching, machine embroidery sewn onto 4 Bison Hides, 4 machines to create piece
Framing: hung onto wall with wrought iron screws (special bit required to be supplied with purchase)
Size: 14 x 22 : (see install instructions with purchase this may be adjusted depending on space being hung)
Category: Indigenous Arts: Metis artwork
Photo credit: Blaine Campbell
The artwork exhibited with exhibition ‘Whiskey Script’ is composed of multiple elements, wall hangings, sculpture, slide images on wall, performance and workshops and or artist talks. Shillinglaw completed multiple performance pieces Infront of art piece re-telling the story using audio works and audio artists - Adam Waldron-Blain mixing sounds and replica moving red river carts rubbing charded whiskey barrels simulated the sounds of moving cart also he also performed the violin and added his playing to the mix. Along with Sydney Lancaster recordings near Sandy Lake as a location on the Carlton Trail these layered sounded played as Shillinglaw layered them as she retold the story with 2 chairs and poured whiskey Infront of the art piece. This wall artwork is composed of sewing art pieces and sculptural elements. This artwork tells the story of her grandfather telling the story of movement of whiskey on the Carlton trail and her ancestral history involving the ‘dirty part of history’ and making of Canada. In this layered approach Shillinglaw uses sewn hides of maps based on oral histories and physical written and drawn history of the ‘Carlton trail’ she researched at various archives Library and Archives, Hudson Bay Archives and Glenbow and Alberta archives. The Carlton trail began as her ancestor John Norris also known as ‘Old Man Jack’ whom lead the first train of red river carts across the land based off the knowledge her Nohkom – grandmother from long ago his wife Mary Kawotte – Pelletier guiding through the ‘Old Indian trails’. The Old Indian trails is ancient knowledge from the first peoples of this land. This piece ‘The Carlton Trail’ attached to the wall and is 14 x 22 ft in length and has (painting prep required of 2 colors of paint as a organic painted desired effect this is only required when in exhibition). Install instructions will be prepared on acceptance of artwork.
Whiskey Script Series
Gravemarker Bear
Exhibition: Whiskey Scrip, ‘displacement’– London England, Girl Museum
Exhibition locations: Latitude 53 Edmonton AB 2017-2018, Waneskewin Heritage Art Gallery Saskatoon SK - 2018, Muse Douglas Family Art Centre – Kenora ON – 2019, ‘displacement’– London England, Girl Museum – 2021 (online see link in cv)
Date of completion: 2017
Medium: artquilting: fabrics, thread-painting, yarn couching, machine embroidery sewn onto felt applique, hand sewn glass beadwork, hand embroidery, all sewn onto saddle cow hide, 5 machines to create piece.
Framing: hung onto wall or with debarked pine that are bolted and hidden from the front, imitation sinew hand-stitched through grommeted holes and wrapped around the frame to create a ‘tanning framing effect’
Size: 8 x 3.5 ft (without frame)
Category: Indigenous Arts; Metis artwork
Photo credit: Blaine Campbell
This piece 'Gravemarker Bear' highlights the artists ancestors’ history with the making of Canada, bison and animals hunted for furs loss of culture is directly linked to the dirty part of history, and the survival of the indigenous plains people. The namesake the ‘gravemarker’ is the artist thought of a representation of any gravesite headstone with a portrait of a loved one and text below about the person life. The bear head the portrait and beaded and ornately stitched large applique below the bear head, represents the bear’s life as a ‘land story’. Colonization and Fur trade of many animals killed for furs where not consumed traditionally. In Shillinglaw’s elder teachings the bear is a animal relative to humans, meaning, we have the same digits on hands and feet as the bear does too. The bear is understood to be a sacred animal, Shillinglaw continues to learn about oral teachings of the bear in the sky. The animal is forever immortalized in the stars, as ‘the great bear’ also known as the ‘big dipper’ constellations. Shillinglaw also learns from her elders, that ‘this is a sacred animal was never used/consumed as a meal only in times of great distress or need we are taught to respect the animal. In the killing of many bears used in HBC for trade it is believed that ours lives where greatly affected in that we would not be in balance, and they saw the end of way of life and peace with the natural/spiritual world.’
This work is one of the hanging of 6 large pieces in the series, this piece titled ‘Gravemarker bear’ is the longest ones framed 8 x 3.5 ft. hung on the wall the bison is stretched onto a ‘Brain Tan fashioned frame’. This piece can be purchase with or without the frame.
Whiskey Script Series
Gravemarker Fox
Exhibition: Whiskey Scrip, ‘displacement’– London England, Girl Museum
Exhibition locations: Latitude 53 Edmonton AB 2017-2018, Waneskewin Heritage Art Gallery Saskatoon SK - 2018, Muse Douglas Family Art Centre – Kenora ON – 2019, ‘displacement’– London England, Girl Museum – 2021 (online see link in cv)
Date of completion: 2017
Medium: artquilting: fabrics, thread-painting, yarn couching, machine embroidery sewn onto felt applique, hand sewn glass beadwork, hand embroidery, all sewn onto elk hide, 5 machines to create piece.
Framing: hung onto wall or with debarked pine that are bolted and hidden from the front, imitation sinew hand-stitched through grommeted holes and wrapped around the frame to create a ‘tanning framing effect’
Size: 8 x 3.5 ft (without frame)
Category: Indigenous Arts: Metis artwork
Photo credit: Blaine Campbell
This piece 'Gravemarker fox' highlights the artists ancestors’ history with the making of Canada, bison and animals hunted for furs loss of culture is directly linked to the dirty part of history, and the survival of the indigenous plains people. The namesake the ‘gravemarker’ is the artist thought of a representation of any gravesite headstone with a portrait of a loved one and text below about the person life. The bear head the portrait and beaded and ornately stitched large applique below the bear head, represents the bear’s life as a ‘land story’. Colonization and Fur trade of many animals killed for furs where not consumed traditionally. In Shillinglaw’s elder teachings the fox as they where is a animal relative to humans, meaning, we look to them in the spirit world of sky. The fox is understood to be a sacred animal, Shillinglaw continues to learn about Nehyiaw oral teachings of the ‘atima atchakosuk’ , also known as the ‘dog stars’. This is a grouping of seven stars also know as Ursa Minor, or ‘little dipper’. The animal is one of these groups of stars that is forever immortalized in constellations. Shillinglaw also learns from her elders, that ‘this is a sacred animal is linked to the spirit world and should not be consumed. In the killing of the fox alike other animals used in HBC for trade, it is believed that ours lives where greatly affected, as how the animal harvested was for trade of monies and not for community. Ceremonies and reasons to hunt this sacred animal goes hand in hand with the affects and balance of the natural/spiritual world.’
This work is one of the hanging of 6 large pieces in the series, this piece titled ‘Gravemarker fox’ is the longest ones framed 8 x 3.5 ft. hung on the wall the bison is stretched onto a ‘Brain Tan fashioned frame’. This piece can be purchase with or without the frame.
