Maggie Thompson (artist) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Maggie Thompson
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Thompson at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, 2024
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| Occupation | Textile artist  |
Maggie Thompson is a Native American textile artist and designer. She is a member of the Fond du Lac Ojibwe tribe. Maggie creates beautiful art using knitting and weaving. Her art often explores her family background and who she is. She also uses her art to talk about important topics like respecting Native cultures. Maggie is currently the director of the Two Rivers Gallery in Minneapolis.
Maggie uses many different materials in her art. She might add photos, bottle caps, or even 3-D printed shapes. She often includes traditional Ojibwe designs in her work. These designs help show her Native heritage. Maggie lives in Minneapolis and also runs her own small business called Makwa Studio. It sells knitwear that she designs.
About Maggie Thompson
Maggie Thompson was born in October 1989 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Her father was a graphic designer with Fond du Lac Ojibwe roots. Her mother is a painter and photographer with Irish and German heritage. Maggie has shared that having a mixed background sometimes made it hard to find her place. She enjoyed skateboarding and rollerskating when she was younger. These activities later influenced her art.
Maggie first studied architecture in college. But in her fourth year, she discovered the textile program. She quickly "fell in love with fibers." In 2013, she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Textiles. This was from the Rhode Island School of Design.
A year later, Maggie's father passed away after a serious illness. His passing inspired her to create art, like her Body Bag project. Maggie says her parents were her biggest inspirations. She also credits her close friend, Jacob Riley Wasserman. He taught her "the true meaning of what love can be in a friendship."
Maggie believes her artwork can tell a story. She wants people to understand the messages in her pieces. She uses symbols and phrases to share these stories. Maggie also challenges ideas about what "Native art" should be. In 2014, she started Makwa Studio. The name "Makwa" means "bear" in the Ojibwe language. This word represents her father's clan.
Maggie's Artworks
Maggie Thompson creates art that shares her personal story and heritage.
- Family Portrait
This artwork has three panels. It explores the idea of "blood quantum," which is a way of measuring Native American ancestry. The first panel shows her father's heritage. The panel for her mother, who is Irish and German, has no Native ancestry shown. The middle panel represents Maggie's own heritage. This piece was made in 2012 using rayon, wool, and dye. It was shown at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. Maggie was inspired to create this piece because she often questioned her own identity. Even though she has a mixed background, Maggie identifies as a Native American artist. This artwork helped her explore ideas about what it means to be truly "authentic."
- Body Bag Project
This project was inspired by the passing of Maggie's father. She saw coroners carrying him away in a simple bag. This made her want to create a bag that felt more hopeful. The artwork explores feelings of grief and loss. It also connects to her Native Ojibwe heritage. The piece was shown at the Freeborn County Arts Initiative. The "body bag" is made of black vinyl. It has colorful triangles in the center and around the bag. These colors are green, blue, red, orange, yellow, and white. This design is inspired by a star quilt her mother gave her father when they married. Maggie created this piece to honor her father and say goodbye. She uses textiles to hold memories and tell a difficult story.
- Assumptions
This artwork is part of Maggie's collection called Where I fit. In this piece, Maggie explores her Native heritage. She also addresses common ideas that people who are not Native American might have. This artwork uses different materials, including bottle caps. These caps are woven into an Ojibwe design. The piece aims to show how certain ideas have affected Native American culture.
Art Shows and Collections
Some of Maggie Thompson's artworks are kept permanently at the Minnesota Historical Society. Her art has also been shown in many exhibitions. These include shows at the Minnesota Museum of American Art and the Minneapolis Institute of Art (in 2015). She has also exhibited at the Plains Art Museum (in 2015).
Here are some other places where her work has been shown:
- Where I fit, All My Relations Gallery, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 2014
- On borrowed Time, Minnesota Textile Center, Minneapolis, MN
- For Love Alone, Freeborn County Arts Initiative, Albert Lea, MN
- Forgiving our Fathers, My Relations Arts, Minneapolis, MN, 2014
In 2023, her work was part of:
- "Sharing Honors and Burdens: Renwick Invitational 2023", at the Renwick Gallery Smithsonian Institution. This show ran from May 26, 2023, to March 31, 2024.
Awards and Recognition
Maggie Thompson has received several honors for her work. In 2015, she was given the NACF Regional Artist Fellowship. She also received the Minnesota State Arts Board Cultural Community Partnership Grant that same year.
