Thea
ARTIST STATEMENT
Thea is a Haudenosaunee artist from Kahnawake Mohawk Territory. Her work is primarily fibre based wearables and strongly influenced by traditional Haudenosaunee art and craft culture. Her work focuses on fusing elements of her culture with contemporary formats as a means of maintaining visibility within contemporary spaces. In her studio practice she utilizes techniques such as sewing, beading, and screen printing. Her processes are influenced by touch and hands on ways of working as an outlet to connect to her ancestors and their hands on way of life. Thea works with the intention of creating pieces that become a dialogue for the longevity of culture and adaptation of identity.
BIOGRAPHY
Thea grew up in Kahnawake, located on the St. Lawrence Seaway near Montreal. Prior to moving to Calgary she studied Creative Arts and Literature at Lasalle College with an interest in painting and sculpture. In 2017 Thea travelled to New York City to attend a series of workshops given for Indigenous youth at the Smithsonian. This is where she was introduced to weaving and quickly found a love for fibre. In 2018 Thea made a big move to attend Alberta University of the Arts with the intention of becoming a weaver; however, being introduced to so many varying techniques and processes within Fibre her practice grew beyond what she could have expected. Currently, Thea is in the final stretch for a BFA in Fibre and will be graduating Spring 2023.
