We were lucky to catch up with Michelle Defoe recently and have shared our conversation below.
Michelle , appreciate you joining us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?
A lot of my art is centered around sharing Indigenous and female perspectives and how we view the world. Historically these viewpoints have been invisible or not represented in most spaces. One of the most meaningful projects that I worked on was a 20+ wall mural project in the heart of Duluth, Minnesota located on the Lake Superior lakewalk. I was asked be fellow Indigenous artists and the Indigenous Commission in Duluth to join the project. There were 4 main artists that worked on this project along with many community members and volunteers. The focus of the project was to create a mural as a memorial of “Cheif Buffalo” and his legacy. Chief Buffalo was an Ojibwe leader from the Great Lakes region who signed treaties to stop the removal of his people. The Sandy Lake Tragedy was a factor that pushed him to travel from the Great Lakes to Washington DC by canoe, steam boat and train at the age of 90 years old. He brought with him a handful of other leaders to sign the treaties. The mural walls are located in Duluth, Minnesota, which was part of the land that was included in those treaties. The city now stands on what should be reservation land. A lot of people to travel to Duluth as tourists to enjoy the beautiful scenery but they don’t know the history of the Indigenous people there. Indigenous people face a lot of racism, homelessness and poverty because of colonization and land loss. Our project is meaningful because it will bring visibility to the historical events that happened in the area and hopefully combat racism against Indigenous peoples. Aside from the the project has been embraced by the Indigenous community as place of representation and honor. Lastly, it is a space to share Indigenous view point of our connection to the lake and the land in the area. We believe in protecting the life that lives in the water and plants. These images are depicted on the walls so that we don’t forget about the animals, plants, fish and all life forms as we continue to coexist with them.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
I work with a handful of different art forms. I mostly create acrylic paintings on canvas, public art murals, Indigenous beadwork and moccasin making. I have had excessive creative energy since I was very young. I attended college for many years receiving both my Bachelors and Masters degrees in education. While working in education I found that my creative energy was often stifled and put on the back burner. This caused a lot of issues for me leading me back into the creative field eventually. I ended up working part time self employment jobs that revolved around creating and selling art. This was not the most stable income choice. And then coming back full circle, I now use both my teaching degree and self employment. I teach art classes on the college level part time. This allows me to split my time teaching and doing other art projects throughout the week. I learned how to create beadwork from my dad at age 12. This was a bonding experience from father to daughter as well as a bridge to my Anishinaabe cultural heritage. In my adult years I saught out other traditional art forms within my culture. I wanted to connect with my ancestors and understand how they experienced the world. Today I sell moccasins and beadwork on a commission basis. I teach community classes sharing with others how to revitalize these traditional arts. I sell fine art prints of my original canvas paintings. I contract to do mural projects for various organizations. Last of all I am learning how to create digital art to sell merchandise with my art on it. I sell most of my prints and merchandise at art markets. I recently started my own business called, Star Woman Designs LLC and I am working on expanded each year. I hope to have an official website up and going to reach more customers. Right now you can see what I am up to and contact me via Facebook and Instagram under my business name.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
As a mother I thought that I could not create art and make a living for myself and my family. I took the route of going to college and seeking a more stable employment option. I ended up not happy with my choices and in a lot of debt from student loans. I had to unlearn the idea that creating art is impossible for mothers to support their family with. It has definitely been a difficult journey but it’s not impossible. Being self employed allows you to shift your schedule around more and be creative with how you spend your time and make money. An added benefit to living this lifestyle is that you can incorporate your children more into your work life. This allows me to spend more time with my children instead of away from them at a 9-5 job.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
The most rewarding part of being an artist is connecting with the world and my community on a spiritual level. Art can create a healing space and we can experience that together. It can shine light on topics that are difficult to talk about or focus on. It allows for a deeper level of understanding that words can’t always express. Having so much excess creative energy, it is a outlet for me to share my gifts with the world and live a life of fulfillment.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: StarWoman_Designs
- Facebook: Star Woman Designs