River Woman 2021, 350th HBC blanket hand-stitched capote, needle felted wool, fox fur, and antler button
River Woman (2021)
River Woman is a hand-stitched, needle felted capote which was created as a project organized by Metis Nation Alberta (MNA) region 3, Parks Canada and Hudson Bay Canada (HBC). In the winter of 2021 fifteen artists/designers were selected to participate in a Metis Fashion Show – the instructions were to make ‘outerwear’ with the blankets that were given to us. Each designer was given a different blanket to work with. I was given a 350th HBC edition blue blanket. During the course of several weeks we met with the designers, cultural & knowledge keepers and folks from MNA to receive advice, teachings and share our stories. Our last meeting was a virtual celebration where each designer presented their outerwear inspired by the tradition of making capotes. I was honoured to receive the news that my capote, River Woman – which was dedicated to the Metis Woman, mother, daughter, sister and inspired by Katherena Vermette’s poem River Woman made the top five! My capote is now in the collection of Metis Nation Alberta.
“this river is your mother
she flows on and on
and unnoticed
slips in
slides out
as if she was never here
as if she was always here”
(Excerpt from River Woman by Katherena Vermette)