Kwai Kwai,

That's me and my dog Cedar. I am Abenaki and French Canadian, and the artist behind cedarlilie. (and she is an English Setter).

I've always been crafty but when I came across beads, I knew I had found my creative medium. However, I find them to be particularly invasive. I find beads everywhere... in my shoes, in my wallet, in my hair, even in my dogs poop (yuck!). That said, I love beads. When I'm not playing with beads I am a full time student studying Canadian and Indigenous Studies. My academic "career" as well as my beadwork have always been intimately connected. In fact, if it wasn't for school, I would have never learnt to do beadwork. I learnt from other Indigenous students when I was doing my undergraduate studies.

Having not had access to my Indigenous community, language or culture growing up, beadwork, alongside my academic work, has become a significant contributor to my efforts to reconnect with my community and culture. I am constantly learning, growing and connecting in ways that I would have never imagined possible.

Wliwni, Merci, Thank you - for allowing me to share my art with you and for supporting my small business,

Dominique