Juliana Armstrong Author

Juliana Armstrong, a teacher of Anishnaabemowin language and culture, first became an artist after growing up watching her Mother and Gookmis crafting. The natural world around her as well as carrying her children during pregnancy have inspired most of her work. With great appreciation for the Ojibway Culture and Language, it is important for her to share her gifts such as art. Raised on Christian Island, she is a member of and resides in Nipissing First Nation, Ontario. Shelley Davies, who has both Coast Salish and European ancestry, is a self-taught artist who is constantly challenging her boundaries and comfort zone. She has come to love painting with acrylics using energetic colour palettes that capture the rich landscapes and majestic wildlife of the Pacific Northwest. Shelley’s art, including several large-scale murals, can be found across the Saanich, Esquimalt, and Sooke areas. On top of her artistic practice, Shelley has devoted 30 years to the long-term care and health of our elderly in BC. She now resides in Sooke on T'Sou-ke First Nation territory, and has shared a splendid 35 loving years with her husband raising two wonderful, successful children, all of whom share in her passion for art and nature. Blair Beaucage (Ojibway) and his ancestors are from Nipissing First Nation. Minwewe zhinkaazo nishnaabe noozwin. With over a dozen years of experience, Blair teaches Nbiising dialect Nishnaabemwin combining his academic education with ongoing learning from the fluent speakers in his community.