tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63168082848827008932012-02-06T07:54:53.345-08:00Métis Ramblings: A blog about Native arts, Aboriginal issues and life in generalG Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.comBlogger781100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-39869463903873994912012-02-05T19:54:00.000-08:002012-02-05T19:54:24.820-08:00

video: courtesy of The Teddy Award,  Berlin Film Fest, http://news.teddyaward.tv/en/video/?a-z=1&select=G&id_film=129 Tom Thomson and the Group of Seven Inches: Kent Monkman’s use of humour to subvert the sacredness of McMichael Canadian Art Collection  Artists have being using humour to subvert dominant institutions of learning, theology and art for many centuries. Kent Monkman, an

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-74594212929007823002012-01-30T09:34:00.000-08:002012-01-30T09:34:20.818-08:00

The deadline for the Ontario Arts Council Aboriginal arts grants is fast approaching!The deadline is February 15th. If you have an interesting artistic (fine arts, dance, literary arts) project that you need monetary support for, then you should apply. Here's the link. Good luck to everyone!

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-85500335586388589102012-01-18T08:18:00.000-08:002012-01-18T08:18:21.482-08:00

Apply to be an artist in the Georgian Bay Islands National Park of Canada for this summer. Application information is here.  (Image courtesy of the Parks Canada website).

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-14997726681498428382012-01-16T11:30:00.000-08:002012-01-16T11:31:22.505-08:00

Listen to Tara Beagan on the importance of storytelling for indigenous communities here on CBC and the project 8th fire, a multicultural documentary project.

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-41723372104879811662012-01-11T13:55:00.000-08:002012-01-11T13:56:07.636-08:00

Are you passionate about running and supporting team efforts? Please check out this sporty trailer for Racing the Rez, a documentary film that chronicles the struggles, challenges, and adventures of Hopi and Navajo teen cross country runners that will be competing for state championships. Please support this project!  You can check it out via youtube or kickstart.My friend on Anishnaabekwe

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-89530711706524205132012-01-05T18:38:00.000-08:002012-01-05T18:38:36.626-08:00

Doing a search for "tangible heritage theory" i came across IPINCH - Intellectual Property Issues In Cultural Heritage, a research project made up of scholars and activists from across the globe.  Here's the link to visual culture scholar Solen Roth's thought-provoking blog post about how  to talk about Canada's history of colonization and the term "genocide."  Here's an excerpt "This

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-17626914683498586692011-12-31T12:12:00.000-08:002011-12-31T12:12:00.914-08:00

Although it has been over 100 years since the Red River Rebellion or Resistance, depending on whose side you support, the Métis continue to battle for their rights. The Supreme Court of Canada recently heard both the Manitoba Métis Federation (MMF) and the federal government present their perspectives on the Red River Settlement Land redistribution. During the 19th century, many Métis settled at

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-9000962679416125842011-12-31T07:00:00.000-08:002011-12-31T07:00:49.158-08:00

This time last year, I was researching Frances Anne Hopkins at the Royal Ontario Museum, viewing her sketchbook. Its hard to believe another year has gone by! I'm thankful for all the great opportunities i had to travel to Santa Fe and the Southwest, New York, California, Italy,  and now I'm back again in Canada. I have led a very privileged life and I am thankful everyday for the time and

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-88728075471261524452011-12-25T10:32:00.000-08:002011-12-25T10:32:56.675-08:00

Merry Christmas Everyone! Enjoy this Huron carol sung by Tom Jackson, a talented Cree Canadian actor and activist. 

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-41968896856220922392011-12-22T09:36:00.000-08:002011-12-22T09:36:18.937-08:00

To lighten our hearts by Martin Carriere   Though the earth be fraught with illand danger lurks behind every hillthe mushrooms grow to repair the landand make a soft place for us to standThough our minds still turn to thoughts of hateand visions are slow to come of latethe flowers still push their heads through the soilreminding us to take some time from all of the toilFor here in creation we

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-2585231551975330262011-12-21T12:28:00.000-08:002011-12-21T12:28:11.102-08:00

If anyone out there is struggling with managing their blood sugar, take heart. I'm always on the lookout for treatments to lower blood sugar naturally and I found this great vegetable called okra which substantially lowers blood sugar. Here's an article on it. You can find okra at your grocery store. Its a small green vegetable used in Caribbean dishes.  Buy the okra, cut it in half and them

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-39626847994202838882011-12-19T12:27:00.000-08:002011-12-19T12:27:19.958-08:00

Hey Everyone, I've created a new look and new price for my novel. Check out Red Moon at smashwords! What do you think of the new look? Stay tuned - i will be featuring a poem from Metis poet Martin Carriere on my blog this week.

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-73469791771635574592011-12-18T11:27:00.000-08:002011-12-18T11:27:00.174-08:00

I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season. It finally snowed here so my mom, sister and I went out cross country skiing today! There is about 10 cm of snow so my skiis were scraping over some brown stony ground and getting caught in the lumpy snow, but it was nice just to be outside and see the blue grey skies. The Our Story Aboriginal Writing Challenge for 2012 is coming up again except

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-68071074868172894102011-11-13T07:52:00.000-08:002011-11-13T07:54:04.496-08:00

Hey friends - check out this education proposal that i've been working on. The aim of this idea is to encourage Aboriginal youth to stay in high school by inspiring them to  take their history into their own hands by creating historical narratives about people, places,  and events that are community specific. By expanding the History and English curriculum to  include stories produced by

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-61819044250138500232011-11-09T11:15:00.000-08:002011-11-09T11:15:12.440-08:00

Check out the snippet of my book on indiesnippets... http://indiesnippets.blogspot.com/

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-13700492864330743382011-11-01T10:07:00.000-07:002011-11-01T10:07:33.066-07:00

Starting my new novel today and hope to complete the Nanowrimo challenge this year! 

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-85501313397575193382011-11-01T09:27:00.001-07:002011-11-01T09:27:44.089-07:00

The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga My rating: 2 of 5 stars I liked the main character's verve and wit but i didn't like his amoral stance - he killed people in order to better his own place in society. Adiga does a good job juxtaposing the ritzy glamour of the nouveau riche in India with the gritty determination of one man. View all my reviews

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-64103860469274097612011-10-20T15:37:00.000-07:002011-10-20T15:41:27.013-07:00

Dear Friends, I will be participating in the coffinhop blog tour featuring lots of spooky reading, halloween treats, e-reads and more! Starting October 24 - 31rst, readers can rove around the blogs and be spooked! Check out the gory details here and come back starting October 24! whooo!  

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-22751551476990378042011-10-20T14:45:00.000-07:002011-10-20T14:45:20.859-07:00

Hey friends and family Great news! I won first prize for my photo of White Sands, New Mexico with the US Embassy Photo Contest. Click the link to see more about the US Embassy in Canada. I took this photo on the sunset tour of White Sands National Park in Southern New Mexico. The grey/blue shadows at that time were unbelievable on the gypsum sands. A whole unique ecosystem thrives in these

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-53199886079865053952011-10-19T10:29:00.000-07:002011-10-19T10:31:50.564-07:00

Hey friends and family! If you want to read a mystery set in the Southwest, check out my newly published book Akila's Labyrinth. I now also have a page on this blog for my book where you can read more about what i've been up to. I'm currently planning book 2 in the series, when Akila travels to Venice, Italy to help Ms. White on another art theft.

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-76428946217398643042011-09-28T15:46:00.000-07:002011-09-28T15:46:44.079-07:00

Ojibwe Bandolier bag, late 19th century  Yesterday the Glenbow museum auctioned off over a hundred and sixty of its First Nations beadwork, basketry, bandolier bags and other artifacts through Hodgins Art Auctions in Calgary.  The items were originally collected by oil magnate Eric L Harvie who had a passion for acquiring Aboriginal art and artifacts in Alberta. He donated this collection

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-58360474295379057342011-09-18T15:13:00.000-07:002011-09-18T15:13:25.197-07:00

The Native American Art Studies Assocation will be hosted in Ottawa this year. Don't forget to register and hope to see you there! http://nativearts.org/conferences/

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-75113494570942036782011-09-15T13:54:00.000-07:002011-09-15T13:54:05.780-07:00

The following are photos from the AGA this year. Enjoy! 

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-1601340030131902062011-09-13T14:46:00.000-07:002011-09-13T14:46:26.171-07:00

Hey folks! I have been MIA for the past few weeks, editing my book and working on various native art research projects. Here is a picture of my prospective book cover for Akila's Labyrinth. I'm hoping to have it finished by the end of the year! The cover is based on a photograph i took when i was travelling through southern New Mexico and stopped in the town of Mountainair. We went for a tour of

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-60697814070266120252011-08-18T15:23:00.000-07:002011-08-18T15:23:46.092-07:00

I'm currently attending the Annual General Assembly for the Métis Nation of Ontario in beautiful Parry Sound. Its great to come back and learn what's happening  - i attended the AGA in 2009 and learned a lot. A large group of youth reps are attending which is encouraging for the development and strength of the MNO. We are currently learning more about TK or traditional knowledge - the collecting

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-3129396780194578882011-07-30T12:10:00.000-07:002011-07-30T12:10:58.533-07:00

My last Friday evening in Santa Fe, i was wandering off the plaza, when I met Will Wilson, a teacher and artist who works at IAIA. His work is currently being shown at the Centennial Project Space, which showcases pieces bought by the New Mexico Arts board. The space currently has "eye dazzler", a collaborative textile created by Wilson (Navajo) and several other Navajo weavers. The textile is

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-91391291575386997472011-07-19T15:31:00.000-07:002011-07-19T15:31:39.816-07:00

What was challenging about the conference? It was a great opportunity for me to learn more about American modernism, and to think about the ways that older approaches to art history (the connoisseur  model largely taught in traditional art history courses, the aura of an artwork developed by Walter Benjamin and later by Alfred Gell) inform and largely differ from today's approaches, methodologies

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com1Santa Fe, NM, USA35.6869752 -105.9377989999999835.6154597 -106.02664899999998 35.758490699999996 -105.84894899999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-57867663951474148702011-07-10T18:56:00.000-07:002011-07-10T18:56:19.473-07:00

 Linda Aguilar, a Chumash basketweaver, was recently a resident artist at the School for Advanced Research. I had the great privilege of visiting Linda's studio on a regular basis, seeing her work on this installation she titled "Going Vegas." Here are some photos from the grand opening of her studio at SAR in May.  Here Teresa Montoya, my fellow colleague and intern at SAR, models the piece "

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-25036625205009243642011-06-30T15:47:00.000-07:002011-06-30T15:47:28.206-07:00

 USA Pavillion - Organ / Bank ATM  USA Pavillion - Statue of Liberty in a Tanning bed  Wax burning man  Australian Party - note carved piano  San Marco at Sunrise, Venice  Canada Party, Diamond Ring singer, Venice  Poster i saw in Dorsoduro, "a popess why not"  France Pavilion, Giardini, Venice  France Pavilion, Giardini, Venice  German Pavilion, Giardini  Arsenale  Centaur, Arsenale  Gallery in

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-1546583662855204992011-06-27T20:43:00.000-07:002011-06-27T20:43:35.516-07:00

David Treuer, an Ojibwe writer, weaves together two love stories, in a fairly elegant way, making for interesting fictional reading and contemplation. Dr. Apelles lives for his Fridays when he works as a translator of older languages. He draws meaning and love from his relationships with these texts. Apelles seems to be translating this beautiful story about young Native lovers, who go through a

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-15346742550518537292011-06-22T09:11:00.000-07:002011-06-22T09:11:31.777-07:00

Ciao Tutti!Recently, I had the great opportunity of heading to the Venice Biennale in Italy as a member of Canada's Aboriginal Curators Delegation. I was in Venice for about a week surrounded by great Aboriginal curators, artists, writers and many other interesting folks. I had a wonderful time and then traveled to Florence, Assisi and Rome. I will post some pictures shortly. It was a great

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-63647883357323434782011-05-24T13:45:00.000-07:002011-05-24T13:45:03.887-07:00

NAISA was an inspiring mix of papers, panels, people and pool that provided much food for thought (not to mention the delicious snacks that were covered by our conference fee). I attended the fourth annual meeting, and I am excited to see how the conference will build in scope over the next few years. I really enjoyed the variety of panels everything from Native science, to history, poetry and

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-57945631774472468692011-05-14T20:27:00.000-07:002011-05-14T20:27:18.418-07:00

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-50521155268915559072011-05-08T17:09:00.000-07:002011-05-08T17:09:44.759-07:00

This weekend (May 14) a friend and I will be giving a Jane Jacob's style walk in Santa Fe, talking about art and community ! Come check it out if you are in town! http://www.janeswalkusa.org/?page_id=3236

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-13130102630382709302011-05-03T13:03:00.000-07:002011-05-03T13:03:45.513-07:00

After an interesting discussion with a colleague here at SAR about reenactment and Reel Indians (usually Non-natives playing Indians) i looked up this commercial on youtube. Iron Eyes Cody an Italian-American, plays the sensitive and in-tune-with-nature Indian in this commercial that encourages people to recycle. Cody paddles his canoe through pristine wilderness, and then a few moments later

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-30684086610380795242011-05-01T15:12:00.000-07:002011-05-01T15:12:01.596-07:00

This coming Wednesday im leaving the southwest and heading to NYC for a few days. I have the great privilege of presenting a paper at the National Museum of the American Indian's seminar "Essentially Indigenous? Contemporary Native Arts Symposium." I will be talking about how art practice is a form of medicine for Métis peoples across North America. The artists i discuss include painter Christi

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-32621234590427200022011-04-17T12:05:00.000-07:002011-04-17T12:08:48.964-07:00

Merelda Fiddler created "Fiddler's Map" an exploration of the places and history that Métis people hold dearly to their hearts. Fiddler combines personal history with visual imagery (photographs, paintings by Frances Anne Hopkins, maps) and film clips to explore her own struggles with her identity as a Métis, half-breed and Indian. She explores her sense of loss of her Métis identity when her

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-43111054412355647812011-04-06T20:40:00.000-07:002011-04-06T20:40:14.811-07:00

How can a canoe be erotic? How can it not be erotic? Reading this poem by Irish Canadian poet Isabella Valancy Crawford adds another rich layer of meaning to the notion of "romanticization" situating paintings like Frances Anne Hopkin's Shooting the Rapids (1879) in the literary context of the late nineteenth century. Hopkins paintings depict  voyageurs at rest, by firelight and also traversing

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-26118687099535652092011-03-27T11:49:00.000-07:002011-03-27T11:49:46.058-07:00

Perhaps its the modern condition to be continually thinking of the future. Recently i've been considering what i will do in the next few years, but what about in a few hundred years? What will the future look like for First Nations, Metis and other indigenous peoples? For many people, it is important to know the past to understand the present and have insight into the future, First Nations artist

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-37529919121563579342011-03-21T13:46:00.000-07:002011-03-21T13:46:40.672-07:00

In my effort to locate videos about Métis voyageurs on youtube for my upcoming presentation at the School for Advanced Research, I came across this video entitled “Canada Vignettes –Métis Coat.” Fiddle music is juxtaposed with drumming, and up close shots of the fine quillwork are interspersed in time to the music. The coat has fine petals and rosettes done in geometric designs, it appears to be

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-14047740705241322912011-03-05T09:45:00.000-08:002011-03-05T09:52:48.210-08:00

This week i've been doing a lot of reading, Mohawk Trail by Beth Brant, Me Sexy, a compilation of essays about Native sex and sexuality, Indigenous Experience Today and the list goes on. Im currently working on a paper tentatively called "Meditations on Place - Virtual Homelands for Métis." In other art news, check out the globe and mail's review of "Close Encounters" an art exhibition featuring

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-88609923278678877252011-03-01T15:33:00.000-08:002011-03-01T15:40:42.823-08:00

"Headdress Photo Frame" under "Cowboy, Indian and Southwest Decor" (image courtesy of Hobby Lobby) Recently, i was in the infamous Hobby Lobby and came across a whole bunch of "native" kitsch stuff. Its so cheezy and demeaning and yet people buy it. Manufactured nostalgia for the misinformed imagination.. Check out how awful this "native" inspired art is on this great blog... Awful "Native

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-33437500489505622592011-02-15T20:37:00.000-08:002011-02-15T20:49:06.276-08:00

A friend and I did a trip up to Taos to go to the earthships and on the way, we stopped at this great thrift shop. I found a couple cross-stitch motifs - this one is of coyote. Check out the multicolored cross stitching. Last week i was in NYC for the College of Art Conference. My camera was moody as usual so i only got a few random photos which i will post here. I had a great time - learned lots

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-39688896837970771032011-01-31T20:55:00.000-08:002011-01-31T22:11:32.231-08:00

Above are my sketches that I did before the talk began. In red ink.What does Visual Sovereignty look like? What does indigeneity mean? These were some of the many questions that Jolene Rickard (JR) and Lucy Lippard (LL) discussed at the Santa Fe Art Institute. I think there are many answers to these questions and I continue to think about them often. The following are just a few notes that I made

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-61978786939283930592011-01-16T18:23:00.000-08:002011-01-17T16:15:59.290-08:00

Kateri Tekakwitha was back from the dead at the Museum of Contemporary Native Arts, Santa Fe, on Friday night. Not really. But seriously, i felt like she was there with me as i went through the new exhibition Soul Sister: Kateri Tekakwitha. The nineteen varied interpretations of Kateri Tekakwitha (Mohawk), who was a sixteenth century saint, were layered and rich, drawing the viewer to contemplate

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-58277392562664078222011-01-09T18:53:00.000-08:002011-01-09T19:23:32.457-08:00

The new year is in full swing and i've been doing a lot of crafting to celebrate. Check out my new page which displays the crafty items in my etsy shop.I've also been reading a lot of poetry by Native word warriors recently and find myself drawn to the freedom of verse. In particular Louise Erdrich's Books and Islands in Ojibwe Country and Linda Hogan's The Book of Medicines. Erdrich's work,

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-4481970409853362092011-01-03T14:43:00.000-08:002011-01-03T14:55:53.765-08:00

Over the holiday break, i flew back to Toronto and visited with my family. I did a lot of knitting and reading books such as Celluloid Indians, and i also had the great privelege of seeing Frances Anne Hopkins Lachine Sketchbook at the Royal Ontario Museum, in Toronto. Frances Anne Hopkins was a British self-trained artist who came to Canada to accompany her husband Edward Hopkins while he

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-79656672457331801962010-12-02T16:55:00.001-08:002010-12-03T14:25:43.148-08:00

I recently went to the Center for Contemporary Arts (CCA) in Santa Fe to watch the film Reel Injun. It was a whirlwind, portraying chronologically the depictions of Native peoples in North American film, primarily looking at how Native men were presented. Cree filmmaker Neil Diamond travels across the USA, stopping at historical sites of significance and looking at the tropes that Hollywood has

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-19701396431419215152010-11-28T16:25:00.001-08:002010-11-28T16:45:30.047-08:00

Hey all friends and followers. After a month of literary abandon, i finally finished my novel - which is now sitting at just over 50 000 words. It was a crazy experience and i hope to edit it in december. I think i will take a bit of break for a few days now though. The tentative title is: Aquila's Feast. This novel details the adventures of Vlad, who has a PhD in Native American Art and lives in

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-17776677654650380962010-11-13T07:45:00.000-08:002010-11-13T08:07:18.177-08:00

Last Friday in Phoenix at the contemporary art space Bragg's Pie Facotory, I had the privilege of experiencing the improvisational dance performance of Dancing Earth, an indigenous dance troupe. Their performance was moving, passionate and evocative. The dance was partly inspired by the recycled art within the space, and the dancers meditated on this concept of recycling and renewable energy

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-45839479392200354582010-11-03T19:12:00.000-07:002010-11-03T19:13:52.738-07:00

I'm heading to the Valley of the Sun (phoenix) this weekend and am looking forward to some live music, viewing lots of Art and just rambling around. I also hope to head to the desert botanical garden. Ciao for now!

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-33044347793650293422010-10-27T19:21:00.000-07:002010-10-27T19:27:09.123-07:00

The word agency has been used by various scholars from anthropologist Alfred Gell to sociologist Bruno Latour and now is used in art, anthropology and historical discourse to describe the complex relationships between objects, collectors, indigenous makers and museums. What exactly does it mean for an indigenous artist (maker) to have agency? Can an object have agency? How might we perceive

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-50735820709378494562010-10-27T18:13:00.000-07:002010-10-28T21:57:13.749-07:00

Hello AllAs some of you know, nanowrimo is upon us once again, starting November 1. The goal of this challenge is to write 50 000 words by the end of the month (about 175 pages)You can write fiction, non-fiction - you name it - I figured out today that to meet this goal you have to write about 1666 words a day. You may think its crazy - but its actually a great challenge and gets you writing and

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-64388651408346858912010-10-13T19:08:00.001-07:002010-10-13T19:16:00.213-07:00

Literary news! My story was selected as a finalist for the 2010 "Our Story" Aboriginal Youth writing challenge. This is an annual challenge for all Aboriginal youth who would like to express a story about their heritage. To read my author's statement and story you can click here..I will also post this story below. Please feel free to leave a comment or message!Author's statement..Cultural

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-39329909245066202402010-09-25T09:23:00.000-07:002010-09-25T09:56:04.300-07:00

This past weekend i went to Silver City (southern New Mexico) and stumbled upon an inspiring artist space - called aspAcestudioart gallery. Filled with mosaics and multi-media collage works primarily by resident artist Jean-Robert Beffort, the place was filled with creative, kitschy works that bring new meaning to recycling old materials to produce new art. The space was all parts art gallery,

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-17599712602767026632010-09-15T19:59:00.000-07:002010-09-15T20:16:02.583-07:00

I am settling in at SAR (school for advanced research) in Santa Fe and have been reading up on the history of the institution. So many artists, writers, scholars and many others have come to this place to learn, study, write and create. While reading about SAR in A Peculiar Alchemy, i came across Choctaw artist Marcus Amerman who was a fellow here. His artwork encompasses a variety of mediums

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-38854674307454041012010-09-03T14:07:00.000-07:002010-09-03T14:11:23.299-07:00

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-75487481483752571772010-08-31T12:44:00.000-07:002010-08-31T13:03:39.902-07:00

Indian Market was a great place to see all kinds of art from Native artists from across the southwestern USA. I really enjoyed seeing the raised beadwork of Susan Peebles (Chippewa). Her works were like beaded landscapes done in a floral style. It is interesting to note how so many native artists were drawing inspiration from historical sources such as the military bandolier bags and epaulet

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-30523962328153019442010-08-16T14:12:00.000-07:002010-08-16T14:14:34.862-07:00

In a few short days I will be heading to the Indian Art Market in Santa Fe! I am looking forward to seeing all the beautiful and inspiring work and discovering Santa Fe in the process. I will try and post photos when I get there. Any tips on what to visit in Santa Fe?

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-42655735943112778112010-08-10T19:40:00.001-07:002010-08-10T19:51:13.291-07:00

Please follow this link to read my article "Acting Metis" in the summer 2010 Voyageur issue, a publication of the Metis Nation of Ontario. (page 10)My article explores how Metis identities are performed at Fort William Historical Park, Thunder Bay, Ontario by reenactors. I am always interested in hearing your thoughts on this topic!

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-31239103875017566062010-08-08T17:09:00.000-07:002010-08-10T19:25:53.773-07:00

Well the summer has been rushing by so quickly, but i have been busy reading and canning. I am currently reading Prison of Grass by Howard Adams, a metis author who argues for alternative understanding of the Metis in the west. I hope to post a more indepth review of this shortly. I also finished reading The Oregon Trail by Francis Parkman, who explored the southern USA in 1847 and wrote of his

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-60633668817201860312010-06-22T15:52:00.000-07:002010-08-11T08:13:43.594-07:00

This past fall, I attended a workshop to make cornhusk dolls. The workshop was held over a week of lunch hours at the Kumik, an place at the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs (DIAND) building in Gatineau, Quebec where elders are invited to give teachings and counsel for both interested INAC employees and the broader Ottawa/Gatineau community.The workshop was led by Yvonne Thomas, a

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-70214664876625431032010-06-08T11:56:00.000-07:002010-06-08T12:14:27.488-07:00

After the Otsego Institute held at the Fenimore Art Museum, I was fortunate enough to stay and attend the unveiling ceremony of the new Haida totem pole. There were about 300 people who came out to partake in the celebration of this new acquisition for the museum - families with young children, scholars and Eugene and Claire Thaw were in attendance and of course the Haida carver who created the

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-78637690597226722532010-05-26T19:21:00.000-07:002010-05-27T22:02:03.310-07:00

(Eastern Ojibwa (Anishinaabe) canoe model with figure - image courtesy of Fenimore art museum - http://www.fenimoreartmuseum.org/files/fenimore/collections/thaw/exhibit1/e10024b.htm) Today was the third day of The Otsego Institute for Native American Art History, and I had the privelege of listening to Euguene Thaw talk about the dedication and passion that he has brought to his collection of

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-66090358838473397212010-05-17T18:31:00.000-07:002010-05-17T18:41:13.338-07:00

Like an adept dance partner, Barry Ace’s series Meditations on Memory - A Metaphysical Dance leads the viewer through time, space and memory, shifting the steps that we have taken in our lives, both physical and spiritual. Ace’s art references both his life as an Odawa person and also the collective experiences of Aboriginal people throughout the last several centuries. For Ace, photographs and

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-35410222474212179772010-05-17T15:41:00.000-07:002010-05-17T16:02:28.564-07:00

Hello All, I have been very busy these past few weeks with school work. Today I defended my thesis and passed so that is a relief!I'm heading to the Otsego institute, Cooperstown next week for a week long conference on Aboriginal art, curatorship, theories of the object, collecting and connoisseurship held at the Fenimore Art Museum. I'm looking forward to presenting my thoughts on Metis identity

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-37208951665402915482010-05-07T11:48:00.000-07:002010-05-07T14:01:48.139-07:00

Based on my poll survey and on research I am currently undertaking, there are a wide variety of definitions and also there are many ambivalencies surrounding the term Métis . I have found that when I say "Métis" to people they generally think of Louis Riel and the Métis as existing solely in Western Canada. However, there is a large population of Métis in Ontario, who are recognized by the

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-62742915123772026802010-04-21T15:13:00.000-07:002010-04-21T15:28:08.039-07:00

The Literary Voyager is a must read for anyone interested in Metis relationships in the 19th century in the Great Lakes Area! The Schoolcrafts, Mr. Henry Schoolcraft and Mrs. Jane Johnston Schoolcraft published this magazine during the long winter months of the mid 1820s in Sault Ste Marie. It was circulated widely in Detroit amongst their elite friends, such as Govenor Lewis Cass and his wife.

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-30293137139408726882010-03-28T15:46:00.000-07:002010-03-28T16:01:09.350-07:00

(Alert Bay with Welcome Figure, 1912).Eric Brown, the director of the National Gallery in the early twentieth century, described Emily Carr’s works as “having some merit” but hesitated to buy any of her works. Today, in 2010, I went to the premiere screening of Winds of Heaven, at the same institution. We should remember, however, that women artists such as Carr are still struggling for

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-45751964339482958812010-03-27T13:55:00.000-07:002010-03-27T14:09:45.759-07:00

After a long winter, it is nice to start experimenting with colour again. I made these watercolour paintings of pears and also took some photos of tulips with my webcam camera. I can't wait to get a new camera to take real photos!

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-34752466082046109862009-09-13T19:03:00.001-07:002010-03-27T13:24:25.495-07:00

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-17373822476337854832009-09-13T18:55:00.001-07:002010-03-27T13:24:25.497-07:00

So after watching the film Freedom Writers, the perpetual question of making a difference is popping up again. If you haven't seen the movie you should! It makes one want to teach or at least help those who have dire circumstances.. Anyways, im trying to figure out how my thesis will and if it will make a difference in someone's life. In a way, a thesis can be a call for action or activism. Im

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-35164962068288338422009-02-28T19:44:00.001-08:002010-03-27T13:24:25.500-07:00

Women make up half the population, yet our issues are continually put on the backburner of society. Throughout academia, we argue for equality amongst women and men and while many think that we have come a long way, the reality is we need to take leaps and bounds! Many people are unaware that the Conservative government in January 2009 rejected Bill C-10, legislation that would address equal pay

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-52314994659824450842009-02-01T10:34:00.001-08:002010-03-27T13:24:25.502-07:00

So recently, I purchased a coloring book - a really cool one called "poster masterpieces" by Marty Noble. It is mostly Art Nouveau era posters etc. I am so excited to start coloring! Yet, everyone I have told about either laughs or tries to suppress one, or gives me a weird look. My question is: When did coloring become uncool? Is there a certain age that adults have to give up fun things like

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-72478243499361323762009-01-29T17:05:00.001-08:002010-03-27T13:24:25.508-07:00

Do you find yourself daydreaming wishing you were somewhere else? Well, why not wander over to the Carleton University Art Gallery and let your mind be refreshed by the prints of Canadian Artists David Milne and John Hartman, whose color drypoints are on display until February 8. David B. Milne was a prominent Canadian artist who rejuvenated the technique of drypoint, and depicted many landscapes

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-3410080477425277292009-01-25T16:45:00.001-08:002010-03-27T13:24:25.512-07:00

"Has the pen or pencil dipped so deep in the blood of the human race as the needle?" - Olive SchreinerCan needlework, a domain mainly occupied by women, be also a subversive domain? Was needlework only a way for women to occupy their time, or was it something more? Needlework, embroidery, and beadwork all require patience, dexterity and skill. How were notions of the feminine portrayed through

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-72486934691850240562009-01-19T17:58:00.001-08:002010-03-27T13:24:25.522-07:00

Check out this link to see more about this awesome art installation in Hamilton...http://www.canadianart.ca/online/video/2009/01/15/allyson-mitchell/

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6316808284882700893.post-16010598578381512742009-01-19T17:47:00.001-08:002010-03-27T13:24:25.527-07:00

"I'd take a bullet for a painting!""Writing is like making love. Don't worry about the orgasm, just concentrate on the process." - Isabelle Allende"Has the pen or pencil dipped so deep in the blood of the human races as the needle?...To know the history of embroidery is to know the history of women." - foreword to Rozsika Parker's The Subversive Stitch: Embroidery and the Making of the Feminine.

G Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18246297818781976212noreply@blogger.com1