About

I am a self-taught fine art painter. I am a nehiyaw iskwew (Cree woman) from Treaty # 8 territory. I am a member of Whitefish Lake First Nation #459. I grew up in Slave Lake, Alberta, surrounded by trees, hills, and bodies of water. I’ve lived in Treaty # 6 territory, amiskwaciwâskahikan (Edmonton, AB), since 2015. I enjoy spending time by the water, playing guitar and singing in my spare time, and traveling with my partner.

When I first moved to Edmonton, I was young, dirt poor, and wanted to decorate my apartment, but I had no resources to buy non-essential items, so I made my own décor instead. I dusted off my old art supplies and began creating minimalist paintings to hang in my bathroom, kitchen, and living room. My living room gallery wall was a mixture of my high school art class art pieces, landscapes I made of places I had traveled to, and plants I wished I could keep alive. The only green thumb I have is from finger painting as a kid.

In my early 20s, I became very depressed and anxious, and still am to some degree, but painting soon became a form of therapy for me and still is. Slowly, I could feel a part of me begin to heal, my relationship with myself, the land, and the culture that was taken from me due to colonization.

My goal is to help others heal with art, heal their relationship with the land and with creation all around us. I hope the art I create speaks to people in that way. I make art that includes the luminaries, the sun, and the moon. Usually, I include a plant that has significance to me or indigenous culture, like plant medicine. I also like to paint pet portraits and landscapes for the people I love. I would love to turn people's favorite photographs into art. The name “Sunflower Scout Studios” comes from my favorite flower and the name of my cat, Scout. Right now I am focusing on creating paintings and prints, but I would eventually like to expand into other textiles and materials. I hope Sunflower Scout Studios will grow into a collection of mixed-media creations, ceramics, wall hangings, etc.

I hope you come along on this journey with me to see how Sunflower Scout Studios evolves over time. You can check out my online profiles on instagram and TikTok to stay updated on what I am working on currently, and where you can find my artwork.

Follow @sun.flower.scout.studios on instagram, TikTok, and Facebook