Maddy.

This portrait is of my daughter Maddy and her family in the sugar bush collecting maple syrup from the trees. I have been asked why my work features my husband’s culture. Why my own culture is not the central focus of my exhibit instead. Insisting that I have a heritage too. As an American, I feel like an orphan. And as an outsider to an indigenous culture, I’ve become very aware of what I have lost. This is what the non-indigenous people, white Americans more specifically, who insist that I have a heritage too, often can’t see. 

My family extracts maple syrup following traditional practices and rituals. The Ojibwe people know why the syrup is there and how it came to be. They know what happened when people took the trees for granted. They know the medicinal value it holds. They know how to take care of the trees physically while extracting syrup, and how to take care of the trees spiritually as well. Gratitude, and an understanding and appreciation of the trees as living beings is built into every single part of the process of extraction, and with every single tree tapped. The ritual both recognizes and acknowledges their connection to the earth and to each other. That way of being, is so profoundly different from me simply knowing that my ancestors made Swedish meatballs, or any other recipes that may have been passed down through generations. It shows me, that I am completely disconnected from my tribe, from my heritage, and from the earth. 

I think it’s possible that this accounts for some of the underlying panic and tension around race and culture felt by white America. Yes we have rituals, Santa and reindeer at Christmas, a bunny at easter, dress up at halloween, wear green on St. Patrick’s Day so you don't get pinched, etc. Our rituals feel totally devoid of meaning because they are in a lot of ways devoid of meaning in today’s world. They are about commerce not enlightenment or connection.

I think that the exposure to cultures that appear to hold a tremendous amount of depth and meaning and connection shows us how much we have lost. I think people are desperate to cling to something, anything…even if it is whiteness itself on an incredibly superficial level. I think that the fear is not only of being erased, but feeling like anything meaningful about who we are and where we come from has already been lost. In addition I believe that it is our disconnection from the earth on a cultural level that is what has lead to the environmental crisis we now face. It is also my belief that it will be indigenous peoples of the world who lead us out of this and help us restore our understanding of our interconnectedness to each other as humans and to all of the other living beings that dwell here, on this planet …along side us. 

Awards: Art Room Gallery International “Seasons” Exhibition Finalist  Awarded March 2020

“All Woman” Art Exhibition 2020 Light Space Time Special Recognition. Awarded January 2020

Exhibitions:

“Identity” The Atrium at the Bloomington Art Center, Bloomington, MN U.S.A Sept 21- Nov 5, 2023

“Identity” The Edge Center, Big Fork, Minnesota U.S.A July 1 - July 31, 2023

“Identity” Hopkins Center for the Arts, Hopkins MN U.S.A. May 18 -June 17, 2023

“Identity” Great River Arts, Little Falls Minnesota U.S.A. Jan 1- March 1, 2023

“Identity” Northwest Art Center, Minot State University, Minot North Dakota U.S.A Nov 1-Dec. 1, 2022

“Identity” The Whit Gallery, St. Cloud, Minnesota U.S.A March 25 - April 16, 2022

“Figure it Out” National Juried Exhibition, TAG120Art, Taylor, Texas US.A. February 6th -April 3, 2021

“Identity” Duluth Art Institute, Duluth Minnesota, October 2020 - January 2021

“Borders 2020” Venice International Art Fair, Venice Italy (July 23 -Aug 21, 2020)

“Identity Portraits” Watermark Art Center, Bemidji Minnesota, January 10th -March 28th, 2020

“Season’s” Contemporary Art Room Gallery March 2020

“All Women 2020” Light Space and Time Online Gallery, January 2020

Publications:

The Raw Art Review: A Journal of Storm and Urge Winter 2020