Naomi Smith (artist) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Naomi Smith
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| Known for | beadwork artist |
Naomi Smith is an amazing First Nations artist, curator, and educator. She is well-known for creating beautiful Indigenous beadwork. She also teaches people about the long and important history of this art form.
Contents
Early Life and Discovering Art
Naomi Smith was born in Kitchener, Ontario. She is a member of the Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation. When she was a baby, she was part of a time in Canada when many Indigenous children were taken from their families. This was known as the Sixties Scoop. She was adopted by a non-Indigenous family.
Her adoptive family encouraged her to learn about her Indigenous background. She started doing beadwork when she was just seven years old. As an adult, Naomi reconnected with her birth mother. She found out that her birth mother was also an artist and shared her love for beadwork.
Naomi Smith's Beadwork
Naomi Smith was drawn to beadwork as a child. She mostly taught herself how to create her art. Her work follows traditional methods and uses natural materials. These include sweet grass, birch bark, and porcupine quills. Her beautiful art was even featured at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.
Sharing Traditional Beadwork
Naomi Smith is like a guardian of traditional beadwork. She collects and shows pieces in museums. This helps teach people about this special art. In 2014, she organized her first art show called Spirit Seeds: A Celebration of First Nations Beadwork. It was held at the Peel Art Gallery, Museum and Archives.
This show featured beadwork from her own collection. It included old beaded bags and Iroquois smoking caps from the mid-1800s. The exhibit also showed new pieces by Naomi and other Indigenous artists. Besides making art and organizing shows, Naomi also teaches workshops. These workshops focus on the traditional culture of the Woodlands people.
Artist in Residence
In 2018, Naomi Smith became the Folk Artist-in-Residence. This was at the Schneider Haus National Historic Site in Kitchener. During this time, she put together another exhibit. It was called Baggage - Carrying On Between Two Worlds.
