Creating new work involves exploring and connecting the narrative threads - relaying traditional teachings, the archetypes found in stories of creation and cosmology, researching historical events.
A quiet and meditative act, beadwork is a medium where I can incorporate emotion through colour, weave thoughts into motifs, and recognize patterns that eventually reveal the whole.
As a creative conduit, I channel ideas that enrich my experience. When finished, the beadwork always tells its own story.
WORKING WITHIN TRADITIONAL MATERIALS, SHARON ROSE IS ONE OF ALBERTA’S PRINCIPAL INTERPRETERS OF GEOMETRIC BEADWORK DESIGN. INFLUENCED BY HER INDIGENOUS FAMILY CONNECTIONS, AND LIVING AND MATERIAL HISTORY, KOOTENAY’S STUDIO PRACTICE REFLECTS BOTH PERSONAL AND COMMUNITY PERSPECTIVES, RENDERED WITH AN EXPERT USE OF COLOUR, SYMMETRY AND FORM.
AS BOTH AN ELEGY, AND A CALL TO ACTION, KOOTENAY AFFIRMS INDIGENOUS WORLDVIEWS, AND EXPRESSES A HEART-FELT DESIRE FOR A WORLD IN BALANCE, ENVIRONMENTAL RENEWAL, AND SOLIDARITY WITHIN OUR HUMAN FAMILY.
Through the Aboriginal Arts Council, Sharon and her colleagues have facilitated traditional arts instruction and cultural retreats to hundreds of Indigenous youth and women, throughout Alberta. In addition, the Aboriginal Arts Council has helped to nurture the careers of many women, through exhibition, fine craft collection acquisition, and advanced learning opportunities.
Instagram: @sharonrosekootenay
"As a Métis Cree Heritage artist, the beadwork articles I create have roots in Traditional Native women’s artistic practice.
My work is inspired by the exquisite crafts that were made by my Grandmother Flora, her sisters, and women artists of her time. I consider my artistic contribution to be part of a cultural continuum of Native women artists and lifeways.
From within the domestic realm, I use fine craft to articulate and celebrate family relationships. As an Indigenous artist, it is my deepest honour to create heirloom and ceremonial pieces.
I believe the transmission of authentic cultural perspective can be achieved through craft and exhibition, and fosters deeper appreciation and understanding between peoples."
A life-long maker of textile arts, Sharon Rose Kootenay finds her inspiration in the forests and prairie landscapes she calls home. Through honoring tradition and expressing a deep connection to the land, Sharon’s color-filled pieces tell a story of cultural identity and pride.
Utilizing beads, thread and needle, she creates fine craft that illustrates regional history, significant family events, and personal perspectives. A professional member of the Alberta Craft Council, Sharon has participated in numerous exhibitions and cultural projects throughout Alberta.
She maintains a residence in Edmonton, and a studio and gallery in the historic Village of Vilna, Alberta, where she lives with her husband Cam, and Ginger, the studio cat.
As a new series is always in process, we are happy to welcome visitors for a studio visit. Please contact us to book an appointment.
Please note, that currently, studio visits are limited to 2-4 guests. Be assured that all Covid-19 guidelines are strictly adhered to.
Copyright © 2022 Sharon Rose Kootenay - All Rights Reserved.
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