Traditional Artistry

Joan LaVoy is an artist from the White Earth Nation. She first learned the basics of beading and loomwork from Babe LaFriniere while attending Naytahwaush Elementary School. She picked up beading again later in life when she took classes with her son, Sam LaVoy-Brunette, at the White Earth Tribal and Community College. Because Joan enjoys experimenting with her beadwork, she will ruminate on her ideas for a while, meaning that most of her artistic process happens before any beads are threaded. For Joan, beading is about connecting with not only her children and community, but also with artists from across Turtle Island via social media.

Heath Estey, Wasamowin Inini, Ajiijaak Indoodem (Crane Clan), son of the late Brad Estey, great grandson of Josephine Warren-Robinson, and cousin to Jacob “Redhawk” Redbird explains that “The hand drum is sacred, it isn’t for us to keep but to share and to use to help others who need healing through ceremony; every Dewe'igan is different which makes it special, like us, some have holes or imperfections but it is still beautiful, it is a living spirit through and through.” 

Sarah is a multimedia artist from the White Earth Nation who centers land connections in both her art and scholarly research.

At a young age her grandmother, Ann LaVoy, taught her the art of sewing and crocheting. For Sarah, creating through textile work has always been about connecting with her grandmother, great aunties, and home community.

During her undergraduate education at the University of Minnesota Morris, Sarah took a ceramics course and fell in love with working with clay. This excitement and curiosity for learning more about this material was another way to connect with who she is and where she is from: the Anishinaabemowin for the White Earth Nation is “Gaawaabaabiganikaag,” which which roughly translates into English as “where there is an abundance of white clay.” She spent time with late elder Judy Toppings, who generously taught her methods of harvesting, shaping, and wood firing White Earth clay.

Through the multimedia nature of beadwork, Sarah is able to weave together her love for working with textiles and clay.