Our Ojibwe florals come from the world we are surrounded by. They are a reminder of the foods, medicines, and beauty meant for our good life. When I first started beading I did what a lot of beaders do which is look at beadwork for ideas. But as I began to dig deeper and spend more time outside I could see the whole world is a beader's Pinterest board. Drawing and art can be intimidating because like so many other people, I thought I had to be able to draw European portraiture to be an artist. But when we look at our cultural art as representative, as inheritance, and as the beautiful messaging it us we know we can all...
On a steamy 98 degree day, over 24 volunteers, 4 youth hired artists, and Heart Berry’s Giizh Agaton Howes created the Mazini-Miikana (Painted Trail) a large scale mural on the Spingboard for the Arts building in St Paul. Colorfully painted with trillium, berries, our beloved wild rice, oak leaves, and the vine that connects all covers the entrance to this dynamic artist hub. “Celebrating our beautiful foods and art with this outpouring of support really shows how powerful our art is. Community, art, and entrepreneurship, is the heart of what Heart Berry is about” Giizh, Heart Berry Following the collaboration with Holly Young (Standing Rock) wrapping the whole building with a stunning art installation of Dakota and Ojibwe women sharing...
Working from the Heart, Binding together Ojibwe Art with Community Organizing, a new pathway for Entrepeneurship Reporting to you live from Native land today. As a small Native owned business, Heart Berry is also one of the fastest growing in the Midwest. But as a Native artist and CEO, I want to grow down and out, not only up. Alongside our collaborative partner Eighth Generation we have been able to build our reach and grow from pencil drawing and custom regalia to teaching, creating art installations, and donating thousands of dollars a year to local organizations. As Native people we often get told we are in two worlds. As an Anishinaabekwe I reject this idea. It pulls me in two...
The narrative about Dakota and Ojibwe relations has always been told as singlularly one of conflict. When St Cloud State proposed an art installation in their new American Indian Center, Heart Berry's artist Howes knew right away what she hoped for. "This area is so important as this place between our nations as Dakota and Ojibwe people. I really wanted to work with a Dakota artist on this project. Holly Young and I both loved the idea of sharing the story of the gift of the big drum from the Dakota. The Big drum to me is such an Incredible gift of grace." This pencil to digital collaboration pulls together the old stories with a modern installatin by Turtle Mountain sign...
The Good Seed- Wild Rice and other ways of Reclaiming As Anishinaabe Ojibwe people, we believe in utilizing our art as a way to bring together our value system with business, our communities, and our stories. What we see and carry on us influences what we think is important. We all want to be that nike ad right? Full of life, vitality, epicNess. Our Good Seed Collection represents a driving force in artist Howes' life and in her work. "I started going wild rice harvesting just about five years ago. There is something so magical about being out on the lake with the Manoomin stalks curved over the boat. Ricing reminds me alot of doing beadwork. It's alot of work and we...
