Kayla Bellerose a.k.a. bb iskwew has created works for Driftpile Cree Nation, Whitefish Atikameg First Nation, Loon River First Nation, and with an urban Indigenous youth group at Calgary John Howard Society.
“I am a Cree-Métis emerging artist originally from Slave Lake in Treaty 8 territory, with family ties to Bigstone Cree Nation and Sawridge Cree Nation. My artist name is bb iskwew symbolizing my traditional Cree name gifted to me by nokum (my grandmother) when I was born, which was Baby Woman. My art practice reflects my connection to the matriarch of my family, nokum, who gave me that name with the intention that I would become a healer and share medicine to help People. Today, my art practice is a way to share my healing journey with people, specifically with younger generations. The work I do is my own healing journey of building healthy communal relationships with the land, culture, nehiyawewin (cree language), younger generations, and to my matriarchal roots.”