Creativity in Community. Honouring Indigenous Peoples’ Day. 2025.
Sharing through photo snapshots our community mandala created on the weekend for Indigenous Peoples’ Day at Victoria Gardens.
My first mobile eco-art mini studio!! The cart and table on wheels travelled to three floors with 17 contributors in total, with many many more viewers (residents and staff) stopping to discuss the mandala art!!
As an Eco-Artist and Art Therapist, I was again excited to provide natural materials for community art making to honour Indigenous Peoples’ Day.
For many individuals there is something grounding and regulating about the process of eco-art… the sensory elements that elicit comfort and memories… and the meditative process that prompts ideas, feelings and stories…
My approach to facilitation continues to be informed by the modalities of art therapy, open studio and the art hive, where spaces are warm and inviting (even when mobile), materials are plentiful and free, and the art making encourages sensory engagement, imagination, reminiscence and supported creative play.
Creating art around societal awareness through honouring indigenous peoples, the original caretakers of this land, elevated the project for many residents, who were motivated and pleased to be contributing to something meaningful ( a sense of inclusion, importance and industriousness woven into an art making activity)
My Intentions: to provide a nature-based activity that was welcoming, meaningful, inclusive,,… and fun for those interested in participating.
Providing a cart filled with natural and decorative materials cultivated CHOICE, while having a low table on wheels as a creative work space (that easily travelled from floor to floor), supported ACCESSIBILITY.
To begin, a resident added 4 longer feathers with arrows to symbolize directions and seasons, important to the indigenous way of being and to create the foundation for future additions.
Working 1:1 or in a dyad with residents nurtured a natural flow of reflections, wonder, stories and discussions (emphasizing the vital role of companion, and witness). It made way for rich conversations around inclusion, honouring culture, non-permanent art making, the beauty of nature, decorative art, community creations, and appropriation considerations related to art to name a few..
Thanks to the 14 residents who contributed to our nature mandala on Saturday at Victoria Gardens!
Several of the residents inquired: “Where do you get these fabulous materials April?? My reply: “I colllect AND …. other thoughtful folks do too!
Thanks to ALL those who have contributed to the eco-art buffet over the years. For this nature project thanks to susan beniston for the wood shapes, kate moo-king curtis for the leaf coils and the sprickerhoffs for the fabulous shells. AND - cannot forgot to mention, the fabulous mandala cloth (that I repeatedly use) was a gift from heather johnston.
Celebrating National Indigenous People’s Day. June 21.
YouTube Information Video: Honouring National Indigenous People's Day • Len Pierre Consulting • retrieved from www.lenpierreconsulting.com
〰 The opportunity to learn, reflect and be more aware.
〰 The history related to colonization and restrictions and the testament to survival , resilience and grace.
〰 Recognizing the Summer Solstice and the ability to endure, and how June (and the summer season) signals a time of abundance, celebration and community.
〰 Indigenous, Inuit and Metis peoples asked for the date specifically to be June 21st.
LEN shared 4 points with viewers for ongoing ALLYSHIP and RECONCILIATION:
STAY INFORMED
BUY INDIGENOUS AND SUPPORT INDIGENOUS PEOPLES
PASS ON WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED - AND GENERATE CONVERSATION
START TO THINK INDIGENOUS - EMBRACE DECOLINIZATION IN HEALTH CARE,
✿ ARTICLE • Mandala History * it is incredibly important to honour and reference the cultural origins of the images and approaches we use
