Panelists | Performers | Market Artists
Find market artists and participants another way:
Jennifer Pictou - Storyteller
TRIBAL AFFILIATION: Mi’kmaq Nation
MEDIUM: Diverse Arts
PERFORMANCE: Featured Performer - Sunday 1-1:45 p.m. on the Main Stage
ARTIST STATEMENT
Jennifer began her storytelling journey when she was eight years old at an indigenous summer camp for Wabanaki children in Northern Maine. There she was exposed to traditional stories in skit format, which ignited a deep desire to know more. As she paid more attention to them, she began to realize differences between stories told at home, those told in professional storytelling spaces, and those told casually among tribal members in everyday settings. These observations were key to providing her with a lifelong love of oral history and an understanding of nuances, structure, and cultural context.
As an adult, Jennifer has enjoyed many opportunities to share her tribe’s traditional stories with broad audiences, from school groups to stage work to international tour groups. Jennifer states, “There is a value in storytelling that goes beyond merely listening to a good tale, as I have used stories as a form of currency, been gifted with stories in return, and debated the veracity of story translations written down hundreds of years ago with other storytellers. I am not a folklorist in the academic sense but a culture keeper in a broader context, sharing oral traditions that have been passed through thousands of generations.”
In addition to live storytelling, Jennifer is an award-winning glass artist and co-author of Haunted Bar Harbor. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from the University of Maine at Presque Isle, later getting a B.S. in Anthropology, and her Master’s in American and New England Studies from the University of Southern Maine.
Connect with Jennifer
Penobscot NDN Beadwerks
TRIBAL AFFILIATION: Penobscot Indian Nation
MEDIUM: Beadwork
ARTIST STATEMENT
Penobscot NDN Beadwerks is an art collective from the Penobscot Nation, consisting of siblings Mary Lee Stewart, Patty McMurphy, and Marvin McMurphy. They create unique pieces such as beaded jewelry, dreamcatchers, and turtle rattles, reflecting their creativity and cultural heritage
Viola Francis
TRIBAL AFFILIATION: Passamaquoddy Tribe
MEDIUM: Basketry, Beadwork, Painting
ARTIST STATEMENT
A talented and dedicated Wabanaki Artist from the Passamaquoddy Tribe in Sipayik, Viola Francis excels in an array of artistic pursuits, including basket making, regalia design, drum making, crafting, beadwork, painting, and dreamcatcher artistry. Viola's aesthetic is traditional with a contemporary modern mix. With a lifelong commitment to her craft, having started beading at the age of 12, Viola now mentors the next generation of artists and participates in charitable initiatives, utilizing her talents to benefit her community.
Sherry Soctomah
TRIBAL AFFILIATION: Tobique
MEDIUM: Beadwork
ARTIST STATEMENT
Sherry is descended from Maliseet and Passamaquoddy grandparents and is a member of the Tobique First Nations living in Argyle, Maine.
She grew up in the United States away from her culture and community in Canada. As an adult, Sherry went home to Tobique territory to reclaim what was lost to her. She learned how to make her first dreamcatcher from her cousin’s wife, Terri-Ann Sappier, and with this she found her Medicine. She describes the process of making each dreamcatcher as feeling like remembering.
Sherry’s dreamcatchers are one-of-a-kind heirlooms; none are exactly the same. She incorporates healing stones and crystals in her signature web.
Navaquoddy Crafts - Sanora Isaac and Wilfred Neptune Sr.
TRIBAL AFFILIATION: Navajo Nation and Passamaquoddy Tribe
MEDIUM: Beadwork, Jewelry
ARTIST STATEMENT
Wilfred J. Neptune Sr., Passamaquoddy from Pleasant Point, Maine, a descendant of the hereditary Chief Neptunes. Sanora Isaac, Navajo from Arizona, comes from a line of artist/educator.
Our crafts originate from our cultural upbringing of Navajo and Passamaquoddy backgrounds. Together, we create a combination of unique, genuine handmade jewelry of beaded earrings, necklaces, bracelets, rings with semi-precious/shell/stones using our natural materials from local nature byproduct and resources. Antler necklaces with seed beads, peyote stitched on leather and War Clubs from Maine rocks & wood handles. Dreamcatchers made from Maine red willow with sinew & feather.
The greatest form of crafting is remembering the tool given to us to express and create by our parents, our ancestors.
Sage Phillips
TRIBAL AFFILIATION: Penobscot Indian Nation
MEDIUM: Beadwork
ARTIST STATEMENT
Sage Phillips (she/her) is a proud citizen of the Penobscot Nation. Her inspiration for her beadwork comes from her Grandmother, the late Linda Phillips and her Aunt, the late Lorraine Dana. Both were very talented Penobscot artists who were always incorporating double curves and florals into their work—oftentimes in their family’s regalia pieces. As such, Sage has decided to carry their legacy forward through beading earrings, medallions, and belts that represent her Wabanaki culture. She is sure to include double curves whenever she can, pulling inspiration from birch bark baskets created by her grandfather Butch Phillips who passed away in July.
Nancy LaCoote
TRIBAL AFFILIATION: Passmaquoddy Tribe
MEDIUM: Beadwork
BIOGRAPHY
I am a traditional Wabanaki artist, from the Passamaquoddy Tribe at Indian Township. I come from a family of basketmakers and have been beading for 9 years.
The main focus of my artwork is centered around beadwork. Made to be worn as traditional regalia and indigenous jewelry, with some pieces made and preserved as wall art.
Other focuses of my work surround painting, mural pieces, and digital art. All areas of my work are inspired by our traditional medicines and plants, double curves, our stories, and eastern woodland floral designs.
I started beading as a way to connect to culture, and have since made it my profession to connect others, mainly indigenous youth, to their culture. Whether that be through art classes, teaching/mentoring, educational opportunities, or through connection to traditional arts and ceremonies.
Kci Woliwon
Connect with Frances
Leigh Neptune
TRIBAL AFFILIATION: Penobscot Indian Nation
MEDIUM: Beadwork
BIOGRAPHY
Leigh Neptune is a self-taught Wabanaki beadwork artist from the Penobscot Nation. She has been beading for three years and enjoys curating themed collections of beaded earrings. In addition to her beadwork, Leigh is also a Registered Dietitian and PhD candidate in the Food and Nutrition Sciences program at the University of Maine.
Connect with Leigh
Kateri Aubin Dubois / Nisnipawset
TRIBAL AFFILIATION: Malécite de Viger
MEDIUM: Beadwork
BIOGRAPHY
Kateri Aubin Dubois is of Wolastoqey (Maliseet) origin and a member of Quebec's Wolastoqiyik Wahsipekuk First Nation. Kateri uses her native name, Nisnipawset, as her artist name. A name she received in a traditional ceremony when she became a woman. Since that day, she has cherished her name Nisnipawset (Two Moons) for all her creations. Her curiosity for the arts developed at an early age as she watched her mother paint her Maliseet story. Nisnipawset discovered her own artistic path in 2015, when she was studying at Concordia University. She enrolled in a workshop on glass bead weaving, where she discovered a passion.
To perfect her technical skills, Nisnipawset became a self-taught artisan. Kateri attended several training courses and accumulated thousands of hours of training on various web platforms. Her talent stands out for its technical quality and sense of meticulousness, which are widely recognized in the industry. She received a grant from the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec (CALQ) to exhibit her work/jewelry in Phoenix, Arizona, USA. She was also part of the group exhibit Kmawqepiyapon in 2022 along with 14 other Wabanaki artists.
Today, Nisnipawset has become an accomplished craftswoman, selling her glass bead jewelry throughout Quebec, Canada, and the United States in various markets, boutiques, and museums. Her work can be described as professional, for she has a fabulous gift. Nisnipawset interweaves her ancestral motifs with contemporary techniques to bring out and enhance her Wolastoqey traditions.
Nisnipawset strives for perfection, her original creations pushing her to constantly experiment to reach the goal of a contemporary craftswoman/artist using only noble materials for her creations.
Kateri Aubin Dubois dreams that one day Nisnipawset will open her own boutique-gallery.
Connect with Kateri
Kat Nelson
TRIBAL AFFILIATION: Penobscot Indian Nation
MEDIUM: Jewelry, Beadwork
BIOGRAPHY
Kat studied in several dimensions at the Institute of American Indian arts (IAIA) in Santa Fe, New Mexico and upon graduating focused on silversmithing, she continued to work in silver until a serious accident made it too difficult to tolerate the strenuousness of the application. Now faced with a life-changing decision, she decided to move back to Maine and eventually settled on Indian Island, where she now resides. During her recuperation Kat considered various mediums to express herself and decided on working with sweetgrass and beadwork.
Being on Indian island brought Kat into contact with Elder artisans who were instrumental in her development of these new mediums. She studied the traditional methods of sweetgrass artistry under Charlene Francis and benefited from the mentorship of Barbara D. Francis. Having survived a near death experience Kat is once again able to create artwork in appreciation of life. She now works daily on various applications creating jewelry, adorning clothing articles with beadwork, and creating miniature articles of sweetgrass.
Jo-Ellen Loring Jamieson
TRIBAL AFFILIATION: Penobscot Indian Nation
MEDIUM: Beadwork
ARTIST STATEMENT
I am a tribal citizen of the Penobscot Nation. I learned to bead on Indian Island as a teenager. As an Indigenous woman born on Earth Day, I have a deep connection with nature and an inherent responsibility to do my part to help protect the planet. I sometimes use recycled and upcycled materials in my work which helps to reduce my footprint.
Frances Soctomah
TRIBAL AFFILIATION: Passamaquoddy Tribe
MEDIUM: Basketry - Ash, Beadwork
BIOGRAPHY
Frances Soctomah (she/her) is a Peskotomuhkati (Passamaquoddy) artist from Motahkomikuk who engages video, audio, animation, graphic art, and traditional Wabanaki arts practices to explore and articulate relationships between people, Mother Earth, and our non-human relatives. Family, memory, responsibility, reciprocity, and interconnection are concepts often woven throughout her work. She grounds her practice in story, incorporating teachings from conversations with her family and community members.
Frances is one of eleven children who come from a long line of Passamaquoddy artistry. She began her journey as an artist at age seven when her late-grandmother Molly Neptune Parker – a renowned basketmaker and matriarch of four generations of weavers – began teaching her to make brown ash and sweetgrass baskets. While learning to weave fancy baskets in styles passed down to her family through generations, Molly shared stories of growing up in Motahkomikuk and the many places she lived. She passed down teachings from their ancestors, often reflecting on how our relationships with each other have shifted through time. The stories of community and connection that were woven during their time together inspired Frances to seek out other teachers in her community. She later apprenticed with Gabriel Frey, a Passamaquoddy cultural knowledge carrier, to expand her knowledge of basketmaking and harvesting practices as well as Jennifer Sapiel Neptune, a Penobscot cultural knowledge carrier, to learn traditional bead embroidery techniques.
Creating in community paved the way for Frances to expand her arts practice to include digital material, centering and amplifying voices from her community and through her work. In 2019 she enrolled in the Intermedia Master of Fine Arts program at the University of Maine. She is expected to complete her studies in December 2022.
In addition to her creative practice, Frances is committed to supporting spaces for Wabanaki artists to create, connect, thrive, and be seen. She is active in art, museum, and nonprofit circles where she advocates for cultivating sustaining relationships with Wabanaki artists.
Connect with Frances
Belinda Dawn Miliano
TRIBAL AFFILIATION: Passamaquoddy Tribe
MEDIUM: Beadwork
BIOGRAPHY
Belinda Dawn Miliano is a contemporary beadwork artist, and member of the Passamaquoddy Nation in Sipayik. Belinda has been intrigued with indigenous beadwork art since a young girl, self taught in creation of dream catchers, and mentored by an elder within the tribal community as a young adult for beadwork. Belinda transforms beading into captivating wearables, using traditional materials in combination of modern accents. She is passionate about creating unique pieces and pushing creative boundaries.
Ann Pollard-Ranco
TRIBAL AFFILIATION: Penobscot Indian Nation
MEDIUM: Photography, Beadwork, Textiles
ARTIST STATEMENT
Ann Pollard-Ranco is a mixed media artist and citizen of the Penobscot Nation and Bilijk First Nation. Her interdisciplinary work weaves together photography, beadwork, and textile arts to explore themes of cultural revitalization, memory, and relationship to place. As a person of the Dawnland, she is guided by light in her creative process. Her work reflects a deep sense of cultural responsibility, shaped by her relationship to Penobscot language, homeland, and community. She is also involved in community-based language revitalization, rooted in relationship to land and kinship.
Alexandra Francis
TRIBAL AFFILIATION: Penobscot Indian Nation
MEDIUM: Jewelry, Beadwork
BIOGRAPHY
Alexandra (Neptune) Francis is a Peskotomuhkat (fisher clan) naka Panawapskewi (eel clan) citizen, mother, and artist. Growing up at Sipayik, learning basic beadwork at an early age, the seeds of cultural expression were planted.
Alex ventured into 2D art while in high school and university and continues to use skills acquired as a basis for all creation. In 2019, she revisited beadwork and has continued to actively create contemporary and traditional art.
Presently residing in Panawapskek territory, as a Wabanaki Traditional Arts mentor, Alex actively shares knowledge with others with the aim of continuity for cultural art forms. The vitality of our culture lies in the passing on of all the aspects of what makes us who we are- passing on the gifts of our ancestors.
Connect with Alexandra
Kaya Lolar
TRIBAL AFFILIATION: Penobscot Indian Nation
MEDIUM: Basketry - Ash
ARTIST STATEMENT
Kaya Lolar (she/her) is a citizen of the Panawahpskek Nation and has been learning to bead alongside her mother from their mentor, Alexandra Francis, since the spring of 2024. Kaya has a passion for writing (especially creatively) and greatly values the power of storytelling as one of many tools to amplify Indigenous voices and inspire the youth of generations to come. She aims to expand her creativity through the traditional practice of beading as a reimagined vessel for sharing stories.
Jennifer Pictou
TRIBAL AFFILIATION: Mi’kmaq Nation
MEDIUM: Diverse Arts
PERFORMANCE: Featured Performer - Sunday 1-1:45 p.m. on the Main Stage
BIOGRAPHY
Jennifer Pictou (Mi’kmaq) is a member of the Mi’kmaq Nation (formerly the Aroostook Band of Micmac). She is a professional storyteller, artist, and historian as well as owner of a nationally renowned tour company, Bar Harbor Ghost Tours. She holds a Bachelors of Fine Arts, a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology, and A Masters Degree in American and New England Studies. Jennifer describes her art style as a mix of traditional Mi’kmaq forms with an Art Deco flair. Her original bead designs involve intricate traditional double curves and floral patterns beaded into exquisite limited edition handbags and wall art. Currently Jennifer is also studying and is a founding member of a group reviving traditional Mi’kmaq porcupine quill embroidery.
ARTIST STATEMENT
As an artist deeply connected to my Mi’kmaq heritage, I draw inspiration from the rich cultural tapestry of my ancestors’ resistance and survival, infusing my work with elements of tradition and history. Through the ancient techniques of glass beads, lampwork, and stained glass, I reclaim indigenous space and weave a contemporary narrative that honors the resilience and beauty of Mi’kmaq people in my homeland.
In the fiery torch, I mold molten glass into statements of today’s enduring issues and passions. Each bead and sculpture tell a story of strength and perseverance, reflecting the enduring legacy of my ancestors.
Within the delicacy of stained glass, I draw from the vibrant hues of ancestral objects and the natural world, using the Colonizer’s own medium of religious oppression to tell our story of survival and world views.
In my beadwork I delve into the cultural resistance of my ancestors to create one-of-a-kind statement pieces of intricate form and function. These represent a claiming of modernity and space within fashion.
Through all of my work I explore the themes of identity and belonging, using the interplay of light and color to reclaim and redefine Mi’kmaq narratives in a contemporary context. Each piece is a rebuttal of the prevalent ideas that we are no longer here, reminding viewers of the importance of preserving and honoring indigenous heritage in an ever-changing world.
