Strawberries provide numerous teachings and hold a lot of meaning. They are a heart berry and grow in an interconnected way — similar to the way our bodies are connected and the ways our communities and families are connected. Strawberries remind us of the importance of relationships.
This artwork has connected bead workers in Treaty 7 together. Each beaded strawberry is created by a different Indigenous artist who calls Treaty 7 home.
The berries are mounted onto a representation of Nose Hill Park — one of the highest points in the Calgary area and an area of great cultural importance to the Treaty 7 Nations. The undulating form of the artwork is the same undulating form of Nose Hill Park. Each textile plant on the piece — sweetgrass, wild roses, blue flax, wild plantain, and wolf willow — are native plants and hold meaning or have useful purposes.