Title: Heart of a Medicine Bison
Artist: Andrew Holloway
Medium: stainless steel, wood, acrylic and anodized aluminum

This piece contains the five most used elements from back in the day. The bison was the most valuable animal that was used. The hide was used for warmth and shelter. The meat was also used as nourishment, and the bones for tools. Nothing from a bison ever went to waste. The four medicines are also included, tobacco, sweet grass, sage and cedar. Those were gifts from the great spirit which were used for protection and healing. Overall this piece brings to light the good and medicines that were commonly used with the intention to bring forth creativity and innovation.

About the artist
My name is Andrew Holloway and I am a member of the Stoney Nakada First Nations in Morley, Alberta. I graduated from the University of Arts in Calgary, Alberta with a Bachelor's in Fine arts and metalsmithing. My education has been much longer than just a few years at university, as I started learning traditional crafts from my grandparents at a very young age. Since graduating, I have opened my own business called Yethka Metal Works. I predominantly work with metal along with various other mediums.

I love creating unique and time-lasting pieces, incorporating some of my culture into each piece. I create wearable metal art as well as large-scale sculptures. A few of my most recent pieces have been for the new BMO Centre in Calgary, this piece represents the history that not only my family has with the Calgary Stampede, but also the history of Indigenous people and the Stampede. I also have a sculpture in Arts Commons in Calgary, representing a cultural homage to the Irish and Chippewa peoples. Along with many other works throughout Alberta.

All pieces I create tell a story, a story from then and a story from now. More importantly, it shares a tale of being indigenous in Canada. My journey can be followed through social media accounts under Yethka Metal Works.

Title: Home
Artist: Andrew Holloway
Medium: bronze

This piece represents the commissioners teachings that have been passed down from his grandfather. It signifies that his grandfather, where the teachings have originated from, is still with him, guiding him throughout his life. The clouds represent his Stoney name, Rainbow Dancing, because when the clouds clear the beautiful rainbow appears. These designs are rooted in Stoney Nakoda culture, with the intention of being passed down for many generations to come.  

About the artist
My name is Andrew Holloway and I am a member of the Stoney Nakada First Nations in Morley, Alberta. I graduated from the University of Arts in Calgary, Alberta with a Bachelor's in Fine arts and metalsmithing. My education has been much longer than just a few years at university, as I started learning traditional crafts from my grandparents at a very young age. Since graduating, I have opened my own business called Yethka Metal Works. I predominantly work with metal along with various other mediums.

I love creating unique and time-lasting pieces, incorporating some of my culture into each piece. I create wearable metal art as well as large-scale sculptures. A few of my most recent pieces have been for the new BMO Centre in Calgary, this piece represents the history that not only my family has with the Calgary Stampede, but also the history of Indigenous people and the Stampede. I also have a sculpture in Arts Commons in Calgary, representing a cultural homage to the Irish and Chippewa peoples. Along with many other works throughout Alberta.

All pieces I create tell a story, a story from then and a story from now. More importantly, it shares a tale of being indigenous in Canada. My journey can be followed through social media accounts under Yethka Metal Works.

Title: skícza7 te Sát̓atqwa7
Artist: Morgan Black 
Medium: acrylic paint on birch panel 

skícza7 te Sát ̓atqwa7 represents the land and water as mother and as our provider. Without the delicate, yet powerful balance of our waterways, our forests, and our animal relatives, we would not survive. The pine needles are not only medicine, but are woven into our practices as St’át’imc people. The river, Sát ̓atqwa7, is the source of life for not only the salmon whose life cycle completes here, but also for our people who depend on the salmon for food. The shape of the water resembles a pregnant body, carrying the forms of the lively salmon swimming by. and At the centre is the k ̓úna7, the egg, and the origin of life

About the artist
Morgan Black (she/her/they/them) is a St’át’imc and Secwépemc artist and curator living on Treaty 7 territory. Having recently graduated from the Alberta University of the Arts (BFA - Painting Major/Print Media Minor), she spends her time connecting to diverse creative processes that deepen her relationship to her ancestral cultures, the Land, and all relations. Morgan is a co-founder of Crawlspace Gallery and currently works as the archivist and co-director.

Title: Untitled 7 (Phase1) and Untitled 7 (Phase 2)
Artist: Onikamow Tapwew
Medium: berry and plant pigment on rawhide with turkey and goose feathers, rabbit fur strips, horse hair, and copper wire

I made this piece called Untitled 7 (Phase 1) and Untitled 7 (Phase 2) for my thesis paper and graduation exhibition at Emily Carr University. I did extensive research into berry and plant pigments that were native to my Ancestral land in Saskatchewan. I made paint out of cranberry, strawberry, chokeberry, saskatoon berry, echinacea and wheatgrass powders. Before using different blending techniques for the painting, I used my experience from teaching drum making workshops to soak the rawhide and drape it over a chair, as well as other objects, to dry it and shape it into the sculpture. I also attempted to start my own art movement I called Indigi Fringe, which explores the different materials and uses of fringe within Indigenous culture and art. For this piece I experimented heavily for Indigi Fringe by making fringe out of turkey and goose feathers, rabbit fur strips, and horse hair. The lighting aspect of Unititled (Phase 2) cast interesting shadows with the fringe on the walls and shone through the rawhide and berry and plant pigments better than I could have imagined. I learned so much through making this piece, and I am now making other rawhide sculptures with different Indigenous aesthetics, from my research on Parfleche, to illuminate with backlighting as well.

About the artist
I am a Two-Spirit Woodland Cree (reserve in Lac La Ronge, Saskatchewan), Osage (reserve in Pawhuska, Oklahoma), and mixed European artist working in sculpture, painting, drawing, ceramics, beading, sewing, and regalia making. I have both my Bachelors and Masters in Fine Arts from Emily Carr University of Art and Design. I have been doing various art exhibitions across Canada, and I am working towards becoming an art teacher. I also make music under the same artist name, Onikamow Tapwew, and I will be releasing my first hip hop album sometime soon in 2025. I love creating both visual art and music, and it has always been my passion since I was a young child. My parents fostered my creativity, as they were both models; my Dad was also an actor, and my mother taught me how to sew when I was three or four.

Title: Inner Light 
Artist: Stephanie One Spot
Medium: photography – digital art
Model: Brianna Meguinis Rowan 

Inner light celebrates the ceremony of self. She surrounds herself with the natural beauty of the landscape and carefully dresses her body with her chosen regalia full of her designs and passed down knowledge of sewing. This reflection happens before the songs are sung and the steps that are danced through the songs passed down from our ancestors. Every Thread has a Meaning. Every Step has a Purpose. Every Song has a Story.~~Siyisgaas~~

About the artist
Dadanasta da. I am Stephanie One Spot born and raised from the Tsuut’ina First Nation. I have always enjoyed land-based learning and being creative. My parents always encouraged me to venture out on the land, play, create, build. They showed me and my siblings the importance of not just traditional stories of our land and culture but learning the coyote trails, geology, geography, archaeology, and natural medicines in our territory. Being an entrepreneur at heart, I have always found ways to connect work to play to learning and producing something from that process. Even if it’s just taking care of the land, houses, childcare and art projects, there is always something to have been gained, learned and taught from everyday life.

My art practice over the years has changed, shifted, or narrowed down to more research based. I feel that if you can outgrow something and it doesn’t fit your vision any more than you must have learned all you can from it and its ok to let it go and move on. I first started out doing silhouettes, figures and painting them onto spray painted backgrounds. I also really like photography, so I would take pictures of everyday things, animals, events, culture events and powwow. Then when Covid hit, I started moving towards more digital art and refining my photographs and selling the prints. After researching traditional stories and my Dene routes, I started delving into more experimental processes and ways to document my findings.

It means a lot to me to be recognized through my art and storytelling. To get opportunities like this for the exposure alone helps my voice and art reach different audiences who might be interested in learning about myself, my art, my story, and my roots.

Title: Listen to Me
Artist: Hali Heavy Shield
Medium: mixed media

The digital painting "Listen to Me" by Hali Heavy Shield is an exploration of communication, interconnectedness, and the urgent need for attentiveness in a world increasingly divided by social and environmental challenges. In this piece, four wolves stand together, each in a distinct posture—one covers its eyes, another its ears, the third its mouth, and the fourth stands, listening. These gestures—echoing the proverbial "See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil"—are layered with deep cultural significance, suggesting a silent yet powerful dialogue between beings, both human and more-than human.  

The wolves, dressed in red dresses adorned with elk teeth, represent a fusion of the traditional and the spiritual, grounding the piece in Blackfoot teachings of animal communication. In the Blackfoot culture, animals are seen as wise beings capable of teaching important lessons, and here, the wolves embody the role of messengers, inviting the viewer to reflect on the messages of the land, the animals, and the elders who have carried these teachings through generations. The wolves’ protective poses imply a need to shield oneself from the noise of the world while also making space to listen, hear, and speak with intention. 

The inclusion of both Blackfoot and English text in the background, stating “Listen to Me,” serves as a dual call to action: one grounded in the artist's cultural heritage and the other an invitation to the broader audience. The phrase resonates across languages, emphasizing that listening is a universal necessity, particularly in times of crisis.  

Hali Heavy Shield, through this work, encourages us to remember the power of listening: to the stories of our elders, to the cries of the earth and its creatures, and to one another. In an era where climate change, pollution, and social fragmentation demand urgent action, listening becomes not just an act of empathy but a vital practice for survival. This artwork invites us to pause, reflect, and respond to the world with the care and reverence it deserves.

About the artist
Hali Heavy Shield is a multidisciplinary artist and educator and a member of the Blood Tribe of southern Alberta. Her practice encompasses murals, digital art, and traditional Blackfoot craft making. With a deep connection to her culture, Hali uses her work to reflect on the stories, experiences, and wisdom of her community, while also celebrating the strength of women who have inspired her over the years. Her public art is a powerful testament to her identity and culture, with large-scale murals and installations that often transform urban spaces into sites of reflection, dialogue, and connection. Hali’s artwork draws heavily from Blackfoot traditions, incorporating designs, colors, and narratives that bridge past and present. Hali's work has been exhibited throughout southern Alberta, including in Calgary and the Art Gallery of Alberta, where she continues to foster cultural understanding and appreciation through her distinctive visual language.