Collective Spirit Podcast

What happens when an Indigenous artist finds solace and healing in a traditional form of art? That's the fascinating story of our guest 2022 Cultural Capital Fellow, Thomas Stillday (Red Lake Nation - Obaashing Community) from the Red Lake Nation of Minnesota. Thomas shares his journey of learning beadwork, a tradition that has been in his family for generations. His story sheds light on his struggle with depression and how beading has been a therapeutic tool in his healing process.

Join us for an artistic journey as we take flight alongside 2022 Artist in Business Leadership Fellow Josephine Hoffman (Anishinaabe), an accomplished aerial dancer who's fearlessly painting the sky with her Indigenous roots. As she vividly narrates, Josephine’s innovative spirit led her to creatively merge her fancy shawl dancing heritage with aerial acrobatics, thanks to a well-utilized grant from First Peoples Fund.

Have you ever pondered what Indigenous pop art might look like, or how personal heritage can ignite a unique artistic flame? Thread that curiosity into your headphones as we engage in a heart-to-heart with 2022 Artist in Business Leadership Fellow, Kaylene Big Knife(Chippewa Cree), a gifted graphic designer and digital illustrator from the Chippewa Kree tribe. Kailene walks us through her artistic voyage which started on her small rural reservation in Montana, and dives into the profound influence of her Indigenous lineage on her pop art style.

Have you ever gazed upon a piece of art and felt a deep connection that it's like traveling through time and space? That's the experience our guest, 2022 Artist in Business Leadership Fellow, Laura Youngbird - a gifted printmaker and educator, aims to create with her artwork. Rooted in her Native heritage and love for printmaking, she takes us on an artistic journey, from her early fascination with deconstruction and reconstruction to her exploration into the experimental side of printmaking.

Experience a journey of resilience, creativity, and healing with our special guest, 2022 Artist in Business Leadership Fellow, Tash Terry. As an artist of Navajo, French, and Irish ancestry, Tosh generously shares her tale of survival and resurgence following a severe accident at 16. With her heart firmly rooted in her indigenous heritage, she paints a vivid picture of her life through her extraordinary music, writing, and ASL interpretation.

Imagine being part of a project that seeks to bridge the gap between different cultures, form connections, share traditions, and give a voice to the underrepresented. That's the world our guest, 2022 Artist in Business Leadership fellow, Tara Gumapac, lives in daily. As an indigenous artist and teacher, she is pushing boundaries, building traditional hale on educational campuses, and advocating for her culture with the help of First People's Fund. Listen as Tara discloses her journey, inspiration, and the obstacles she’s had to overcome - including the enlightening path she walks with her two premature children and their unique needs.

Shauna Elk (Lakota, Dakota), learned to do beadwork at an early age thanks to the guidance of her family and close relatives. As a bead worker, her practice has helped her better understand herself and the world around her and has become a creative outlet for healing and self-care. Having expanded her practice to include quillwork, Shauna shares a bit about her experience as an artist and how her practice continues to grow with the support of First Peoples Fund.

2022 Cultural Capital fellow, Ronald Paquin (Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa), an elder of the Sault St. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, is a self-taught artist. He has built 21 full-sized traditional birch bark canoes and over 15 models throughout the last 20 years. In this episode, Ron shares his belief that passing on his skills and traditional art forms is important as he is one of the last canoe makers of his tribe. As a result of his teaching others, members of his community believe they as well as the tribe and public will continue to heal and grow in understanding one another.

2022 Cultural Capital fellow, Kanoelani Davis (Kanaka Maoli), owns PoMahina Designs, a wearable art company embued in essence and culture. Aside from being a business owner whose products uplift Kanaka Maoli (Native Hawaiian) culture and designs, Kanoe's business has expanded to create a platform that invites conversation and timely perspectives on issues of our day. Kanoe derives her motivation from her ancestors and is committed to creating a better path forward for her community today and in the future.

Jodi Webster (Ho-Chunk Nation, Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation), is a jeweler based in Arizona who is pushing the creative envelope through her use of materials and technology which has disrupted mainstream assumptions of Native American people, art and culture. She is currently exploring the making and revitalization of Woodland jewelry indicative of the designs used by tribal nations of the Great Lakes region with the use of CAD software and 3D printing.