Marlana Thompson facts for kids

Marlana Thompson (born 1978) is a talented artist from the Akwesasne Mohawk community. She is a member of the Wolf clan. Marlana is known for her beautiful beadwork, making special clothing called regalia, and designing fashion.

She currently lives in Akwesasne, New York. Her amazing artworks are displayed in museums and private collections across North America and Europe. These include the Smithsonian American Art Museum and a museum in Bonn, Germany. Her art helps connect her tribal community's traditions with the wider art world.

About Marlana Thompson

Marlana Thompson was born in Cornwall, Ontario, Canada, in 1978. Her family has many artists, including people who make baskets and quilts. This artistic background helped her develop her own skills.

She lives in Akwesasne, New York, with her husband, Wayne Baker, and their children. Wayne Baker is an actor from the Squamish Nation. Marlana even had a small role in a TV show called Beyond.

Marlana's Artwork

Marlana Thompson creates a special type of beadwork called Haudenosaunee raised beadwork. This technique makes the beads stand out, creating cool 3D designs on soft fabrics like velvet. She also makes traditional clothing called regalia and moccasins.

Since the 1990s, she has made custom powwow dance regalia for dancers. Eventually, she became a full-time artist. She now also creates beautiful beaded jewelry.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, she made unique face masks using her raised beadwork. She also added designs inspired by cultural medicinal plants, such as sweetgrass and sage.

Her Career as an Artist

Marlana Thompson has been beading and sewing since she was seven years old. Her work has been shown in fashion shows in places like Toronto, Akwesasne, and Long Island, New York.

Marlana runs her own business called Okwaho Creations, based in Akwesasne. She made moccasins for the Manitobah Mukluks Storyboot School. This program allows Indigenous artists to share and teach their moccasin-making skills to young Indigenous people. She also teaches her own beadwork classes, including workshops at the Akwesasne Cultural Center.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Marlana created face masks that showed her Mohawk Haudenosaunee culture. She shared that the pandemic made her think about her family's future. She had to change how she ran her business and sold her art. This helped her plan for the future, including things like food and gathering medicines.

One of her beaded facial masks, Ononkwashon:a / Medicinal Plants, won an award in the Masked Heroes exhibition in 2020. Another mask from the same series was featured in a major exhibition at the Smithsonian American Art Museum's Renwick Gallery in Washington, DC, from 2022 to 2023.

Where to See Her Art

Marlana Thompson's artwork is part of these important collections:

• Smithsonian American Art Museum
• Adirondack Experience

See also

• Victoria Kakuktinniq