Why does art even matter anyway? Shouldn't we be doing more? The power of an image can hit you in the stomach and lodge itself in our heart. We are all carrying parts of the MMIW epidemic in our stomach and our hearts as well. Art makes us VISIBLE. When we as Indigenous people are SEEN, we cannot be denied. The Movement to address the MMIW epidemic is gaining ground. We need powerful imaging of ourselves as strong, fierce, and resilient. We need to be reminded that we are not only survivors but victors. The art of the MMIW movement is an incredible example of how we as Indigenous people wrap ourselves around a concept and make it beautiful. Any search of...
Well 2020 Here we are! Rebranded and ready to roll. We became Heart Berry this fall. And the transition has felt really natural for all. We have always identified ourselves as a cultural arts business rooted in our teachings and the strawberry really being at the heart of that work. We absolutely LOVE our new name. We released new wool this year and slew of other fun gear. Working with photographer Nedahness Greene has been a dream. 2019 brought incredible change and growth to our small company here in northern Minnesota. We want to thank Louie Gong and the amazing Eighth Generation team for their consistent mentorship, product development and support and congratulate them on being purchased by the Snoqualmie...
The Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission hosts an annual Healing Run along the great lakes. Our Kwepack has participated in the run for over 5 years. We consider it a huge honor to bring a part of our story of running for our Life to this year's T shirt design. This year has brought focus onto our Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women in incredible and beautiful ways. This year has also brought incredible focus onto Native wellness and onto our Indigenous Running Group the KwePack and the power of taking control of our own narratives. As the trump era and treaty rights tension builds our communities face threats we had hoped and worked to extinguish. The Healing Run runners...
To celebrate the return of the Omashkooz, the elk, the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission asked Howes to create a piece of art to celebrate. Howes took the woodland style and combined it with her Ojibwe floral aesthetic to create Omashkooz and Return of the Medicines. Here the omashkooz and her descendant carry the medicines which also return as part of a healthy ecosystem, healthy people, and healthy living. These medicines feature prominently in Howes' contemporary floral designs. "Our florals are meant to tell a story. They tell about our medicines, our foods, and our way of life. This is why I utilize the beloved wild rice, ode'imin (strawberry), blueberry, raspberry, maple buds (maple syrup), dogwood flower (for traditional...
