Adele Maskwa-iskwew Arseneau
Artist Statement
My work is all about stories. We are our stories we hear and tell each other, this is our world. My culture put emphasis on stories, now I’m trying to tell them to you in a bright, colourful and contemporary way. This is my language; these are my stories.
Biography
A Nehiyaw/Metis visual artist, Adele creates work that is evocative of story telling by engaging the audience to consider cultural appropriation, along with social and environmental issues. Her intent is to educate from an indigenous perspective and counteract current stereotypes.
Adele grew up with the Dakelh (Carrier) people of British Columbia in Prince George, and Fraser Lake. Incorporating traditional ovoids, split u’s and trigons of her adopted family into the flowing form lines of her Cree style to create her designs. She hand carves cedar, paints in acrylic on canvas, along with plains style traditional beadwork and earrings. She completed the Reconciliation Carving program at Langara, and holds a Fine Art Diploma along with a Graphic Design Diploma.
Currently, she is a member of the North Vancouver Arts Council, Seymour Art Gallery, CARFAC and the Federation of Canadian Artists. In the past two years, she has come from a complete unknown in the local shows to now having shown in galleries from the North Vancouver to White Rock. She looks forward to where her artistic journey is going to take her. Her work has been exhibited in numerous group shows in recent years.
![]() |
aarsenau.com |
![]() |
@metiscaron |
![]() |
@metiscaron |