A self-portrait wearing my mother’s ribbon dress. Red seed beads stem from my fingers,resembling veins coming from the heart and touching the ground. The five branches along the bottom of the canvas represent roots. The canvas is in the shape of a ribbon skirt. Traditionally the ribbon skirt would reach down to the ground, connecting the wearer to the land. This piece represents my current journey of learning my culture from my ancestor, my maternal bloodline, and continuing this knowledge to future generations.

ehema nintehi mikowinduhwihkow nitankoopabanak ekes meena kitakiiminan
From Heart to ancestors and the land
Oil on canvas with branches, beads, and animal hide, 2018
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Tikinagan
Cradleboard
Oil on canvas with branches, sinew, beads and animal hide
A self portrait of myself when I was younger in a tikinigan (cradleboard).
My mother put my sisters and me into a tikinigan when we were babies to help us sleep.
The bottom of the cradleboard is typically curved to help rock the baby back and forth,
to sway the baby to sleep. Some cradleboards were decorated with painted wood designs; our family used a lot of floral patterns.
Decorated moss bags swaddled the baby and were then laced into the cradleboard.
An animal hide band near the top, embellished with beadwork or sewing,
would sling around the mother’s shoulders, allowing her to carry the baby on her back.
2018
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Naapesis Ootapikan
Boy with braids
Oil on canvas with beads, sinew and branch
A portrait of my nephew, Aidan Dooley,
wearing his grass dancer regalia, his father is Anishinaabe
and from the Bear Clan. Aidan wears a bear paw medallion
and headpiece to represent his clan.
Since there is no longer a government ban on dancing,
I’ve noticed a resurgence of pow wow dancing throughout the communities.
My sister is introducing her children to pow wow dancing to carry on the tradition.
2018
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Wizawiskiminum paskisigun
Blueberries and a gun
Oil on canvas with animal hide, beads, and branches
A portrait of my mother, Yvette Dooley (née Monias)
based on a photo from the late seventies.
I’ve painted my mother holding a bouquet of wild blueberries.
A gun is nestled in her pocket.
2017
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Bulloony paskisigun
Bologna and a gun
Oil on canvas with beads, animal hide, and branches
A portrait of my auntie Margaret Knott (née Monias),
based on a photo of her taken in the late seventies.
She has a bologna sandwich on her lap and is pointing a gun at the viewer.
This work is part of a series of three ribbon dress paintings depicting three women
in my life who I’m inspired by, capturing their strength and power. My grandfather
had a primarily female household and taught my mother and aunties to hunt and
set traps on the reserve to help feed the family. I wanted to have the power and
strength to represent Indigenous women, showing their resilience.
2017
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Pukwesikan paskisigun
Bannock and a gun
Oil on canvas with beads, animal hide, metal embellishments, and branches.
A portrait of my auntie Annie Harper (née Monias)
based on a photo from the late seventies. She has bannock clenched
in one hand and her other hand placed on a gun on her hip.
2017
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Jacket
Sara Jane Monias (Niamh Dooley’s Kookim/ Grandmother)
Animal hide and beadwork
From Niamh Dooley’s family collection
1985
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Kookim
Grandmother
Found wood sculpture, oil on canvas with beads and animal hide
A portrait of my late kookim, Sarah Jane Monias,
with a recreation of beadwork from a jacket she made
for my father over 35 years ago. She is centred in a white wood frame,
reminiscent of portraits of loved ones in a home. This work references
the importance of matriarchal relationships in several Indigenous communities.
2018
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Muskike
Medicines
Found wood sculpture, oil on canvas with sinew, beads and sweetgrass
Found wood sculpture, oil on canvas with sinew, beads and sweetgrass
Attached to a found wood ladder sculpture are two canvas paintings. This first is of a smudge bowl with traditional medicine,
and above it, a painting of a drum. Learning traditional drumming
and using these medicines for healing has become part of my family’s
traditions again.
2018
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Wunukwish Wabiwan
Star Blanket
Letterpress on watercolour paper, pinecone water, sinew, pinecones, animal hide, and a branch
Twenty letterpress cards printed with #1-10 in Anishihinimowin
(Oji-Cree language, Island Lake region) were sewn together with sinew,
and feature a hand-painted star blanket design created using pinecone water.
The pinecones are from my community and are native to Treaty 5 territory.
Traditionally the pinecones were boiled in water which was drunk as a
treatment for sore throats. Star blankets are often used in ceremonies
or during special events, as a means of honouring someone and showing
them respect. I am honouring my mother’s first language and endeavouring
to learn the language.
2020
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Kookim waabikwun beszhik
Kookim’s flowers one
Oil on canvas with beads
A recreation of my grandmother, Sarah Jane Monias’
beadwork from a gauntlet that she made, which has now been repurposed
into a necklace. My sisters and I all bead. We often look back to our
familial designs for inspiration to carry on their legacy.
2016
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Sara Jane Monias (Niamh Dooley’s Kookim/ Grandmother)
Beadwork
Animal hide and beadwork
Treaty 5 territory
Niamh Dooley’s family collection
circa 1990
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Kookim waabikwun niiszhin
Kookim’s flowers two
Oil on canvas with beads
A recreation of my great aunt (grandfather’s sister)
Laura Harper’s beadwork, found on a pair of moccasins. Honouring
the familial designs, in a much larger scale.
2016
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Laura Harper (Great aunt to Niamh Dooley)
Moccasins
Animal hide and beadwork
Treaty 5 territory
Niamh Dooley’s family collection
circa 1990
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Oomamajizan month wiiyash
Cutting moose meat
Oil on canvas with branch, sinew, and moose hair
Found wood sculpture, oil on canvas with sinew, beads and sweetgrass
This is a portrait of my oldest sister’s sister-in-law, Lilliana Chisel
cutting moose meat in the back of her truck. My sister’s in-law went moose
hunting and divided the moose meat amongst the all the families, including
ours. In my family, it was often the women who would cut up the moose,
rabbit, goose, or fish for the entire family.
2018
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Objects from Treaty 6

Moccasins, handsewn and beaded
Smoked hide with beadwork
Treaty 6 territory
Shillinglaw Family collection
Child’s vest, beaded
Smoked hide with beadwork
Tanned hide with beadwork
Treaty 6 territory (Gifted by Harry Norris to his grandchildren,
Shillinglaw family Collection)
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Beading supplies
Seed beads, needles, felt, ribbons and thread
Treaty 6 territory
Shillinglaw Family collection
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Moccasins with beaded rose design/em>
Smoked hide with beads
Treaty 6 territory
Shillinglaw Family collection
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Smudge kits
Treaty 6 territory
Art Gallery of St. Albert smudge kit, available for use in the Gallery
for Elders, artists, staff and community members.
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