Nancy E. Oakley, 2023 Indigenous Artist Recognition Award

Art Pays Me

Nancy E. Oakley is a Mi'kmaq/Wampanoag artist who was raised in Mashpee, Massachuttes but now lives and works on the Eskasoni First Nation Reserve in NS She is a graduate of the Institute of American Indian arts in Santa Fe, NM and studied for a year at NSCAD, taking courses in Photography, ceramics, weaving and jewellery making. Through softly curved pottery forms created by hand or by the wheel. Nancy creates culturally significant pieces that imbue her spiritual and traditional knowledge and honor her role as a mother. Her process is a collaboration with the land. Clay harvested from mother earth and shaped by hand Pieces are stone polished and smoke fired outdoors with fir tips, seaweed and sawdust imprinting beautiful smokey finishes. Her pots are adorned with traditional Mi'kmaq embellishments such as black ash, beadwork and/or braided sweetgrass. Nancy is a mother of 6 and grandmother of 5.

Presented by Arts Nova Scotia and the Creative Nova Scotia Leadership Council, the Creative Nova Scotia Awards celebrate excellence in artistic achievement.

Award categories are as follows:

• Creative Community Impact
• Prix Grand-Pré
• Established Artist
• Emerging Artist
• Black Artist
• Indigenous Artist
• And finally, The Portia White Prize that is given to a person who has made outstanding and significant contributions to Nova Scotia’s creative community over a sustained career – much like the incredible woman that the award is named after. The winner will also choose an emerging artist or cultural organization that they feel deserve recognition.
• Collectively, the awards are worth $75,000!
• Visit artsns.ca to nominate your favourite Nova Scotian artist or be a boss and nominate your self!

This series would not be possible without the fantastic production work of Heist and Keke Beatz.

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