Artist Hali Heavy Shield/Photo credits: Hali Heavy Shield
This past week in Calgary, the Art Bus project launched seven artists/artist teams.
According to the Calgary Art Development, this is set to kick off summer by bringing art into different communities to make creativity a part of everyday life.
Among the seven, Blackfoot artist Nato’yi’kina’soyi (Holy Light that Shines Bright), Dr. Hali Heavy Shield showcases the importance of the Blackfoot language and art.
Heavy Shield hopes to connect with more Siksikaitsitapi within the city by sharing, “I was born and raised in Calgary, and then I moved back home to do my schooling and to work in the community of Standoff. That’s really what I was going for: living in the city and having that connection to home. That’s who I was doing my artwork for, for my Blackfoot brothers and sisters, and that’s the title of my artwork, Niksokowa, which means my relatives.”
There are two buses with Heavy Shield’s artwork throughout Mohkinstsis (MOH-kin-stiss), Calgary. With June is the month of National Indigenous History and Pride. Heavy Shield wanted to showcase everything that she loves, such as the Blackfoot language and symbolism of the geometric designs, the pride flag, and the Standoff water tower. All of these are symbolic of Blackfoot references and the love of her home community.
Heavy Shield’s artwork can be found at the Saddletowne Public Library in Calgary, various locations in Lethbridge, Walter Phillips Gallery in Banff at the end of June, and she is also currently working on a mural collaboration at the University of Calgary set for this summer.
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