| Flowers at the Petroglyphs
Alice Olsen Williams
Anishinabe, Curve Lake Nation Reservation, Ontario
1990
Cotton with polyester filling
40" x 40”
MSUM 7593.2
Photo by Doug Elbinger, all rights reseved by the
Michigan State University Museum
| Artist statement: |
| |
A wall hanging based on the floral designs that
Anishinaabe women have been using with quills, beads, threads
and paints to decorate moccasins, mitts, gloves, jackets, vests
and various other items. For the background of this piece, I
chose to use bright yellow fabric with black markings because
it reminds me of the life-giver, the Sun, shining down the Earth,
especially down on the Petroglyphs. These Petroglyphs, a place
sacred to our peoples, are not far from our home at Curve Lake
First Nation. Several generations ago Anishinaabeg came to this
area and left sacred drawings on the soft rocks. These sacred
sketches continue to inspire us and fill us with awe and respect
for the Creation, our Elders, and our ancestors who left these
drawings for us - their grand-children. |
| Alice's work has been shown in 2 issues of Canadian
Woman Studies, Fall, 1987 and Fall, 1989. Herstory
1989 - The Canadian Women's calendar; Canada Quilts,
magazine, February 1992 and many more. Her work is in private
collections and in the public collections of Ontario Public
Service Employees Credit Union, Toronto; Anishnawbe Health Toronto;
Confederation College, Thunder Bay and more. |
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