Michelle Sound

TSF 2017 & 2018 Visual Artist

Michelle Sound is Swan River First Nation Cree and Red River Métis born and raised in Coast Salish territory. She completed her Bachelor of Fine Arts at Simon Fraser University, School for the Contemporary Arts, and her Master of Applied Arts from Emily Carr University Art + Design. Michelle is currently the Aboriginal Program Assistant at Emily Carr. Michelle has exhibited her artwork in Pushing Boundaries; Contemporary Indigenous Art and the Talking Stick Festival: Kwèykw`áystway: Speaking With One Another.

Her artwork explores her identity from a personal experience rooted in Family and history. Her artwork aims to continue traditional techniques and materials with a contemporary approach utilizing dyes and paint. In a series of Elk hide drums she creates celestial images that include imagery inspired by Star blankets. Aboriginal women, to honour people and significant events in their lives, create star blanket quilts. Sound explains, “I am inspired by the many Aboriginal women throughout our communities who adapt, create and are the backbone of our families and communities. Along with starblanket designs I am interested in producing a series that explores the materials used in textile and cultural production.”

Her recent paintings include references to rick rack, ribbons, and seed beads as abstractions or super imposed in landscapes—specifically: “Rickrack and a lake” or “detail of a ribbon skirt”.

Twitter: @michellesound