Workshops

Ravens Vision
Programs and Workshops
Jillian Currie

This is a brief description of the programs and workshops that I facilitate through Ravens Vision. A quote for each workshop will be provided upon request.

Smudge Feathers: 2 to 3 hours depending on age/ability of participants
A brief presentation and discussion about smudge feathers and the significance to Indigenous people. Participants will create their own smudge feather with hide and beads.

Beaded Bracelets: 2-hour session. Participants will create a traditional beaded and leather bracelet.

Spirit Animals: 2 to 3 hours depending on age/ability of participants
A brief presentation and discussion about the significance of spirit animals and the four sacred medicines to Indigenous people. Participants will choose their spirit animal and create an individual medicine pouch from authentic hide, the four traditional medicines and beads.
Inuit Dolls: 4 to 6 – 3 hour sessions depending on age/ability of the participants
A brief presentation and discussion about Inuit people and their culture. Participants will sew and bead their own Inuit doll.

Lanyards: 2 hours
A brief presentation and discussion about the medicine wheel and what the four directions represent to Indigenous peoples. Participants create a lanyard with the traditional colors of the four directions.
Ledger Art: 3 hours
A brief presentation and discussion about ledger art and how it pertains to Indigenous peoples. Participants create their own works of art on music sheets that speak to their journey.
Metis Dot Art: 1 to 3 hours depending on the medium chosen
A brief presentation and discussion about Metis people and their beadwork. Participants will be guided to create their own works of art. This could be through cards, canvases, wooden paddles or feathers.
Masks: 2 sessions for 3 hours each
A brief presentation and discussion about masks and how they pertain to Indigenous people. Participants will gain inspiration to the design and colors they choose through a handout highlighting some of the popular Canadian Indigenous artists. Participants create their own masks by cutting out the templates, putting them together and painting their individual designs. The session will end by sharing the traditional story of “How the Raven Stole the Sun.”

Beaded Timeline: 2 sessions for 2 hours each
A brief presentation and discussion about the significance and impact of colonization. Participants will choose a topic in Indigenous history, research the topic, prepare to present and create a bead out of clay that represent their topic chosen. On the second day, the participants will present their topic on the beaded timeline.

Teepees: 1.5-hour session
A brief presentation and discussion about the significance of teepees and how they were utilized with Indigenous people. Participants will then have the opportunity to create and paint their own mini teepee.

Beaded Medicine Pouches: 3-4 2-hour sessions depending on age/ability of the participants
A brief presentation and discussion about beading and the significance to Indigenous people. Participants will have the opportunity to create their own design or choose a design presented and learn how to bead their own traditional medicine pouches. At the end of the sessions, an oral story is shared and a healing stone is gifted for their pouches.

Rattles: 2 1.5-2 hour sessions depending on age/ability of the participants
A brief presentation and discussion about the significance of rattles to Indigenous people.
Participants will create their own rattles out of hide and finish them with leather, fur and painting. The session will commence with sharing and teaching a traditional song.

Medallions: 3-4 2-hour sessions depending on the age/ability of the participants
A brief presentation and discussion about beading and the significance to Indigenous people. Participants will have the opportunity to create their own design or choose a design presented and learn how to bead their own traditional medallion.
Bannock: one 2-hour session
A brief presentation and discussion about Bannock and the significance to Indigenous people. Participants will have the opportunity to make and create their own fry bread. The “fry bread” is accompanied by smoked salmon, jam, butter and fresh fruit

Hemp bracelets: one 2-hour session
A brief presentation and discussion about fiber art and the significance to Indigenous people. Participants will have the opportunity to create their own hemp bracelets.

Button blankets: 2 sessions or more depending on the project and age/ability of the participants
A brief presentation and discussion about button blankets and the significance to Indigenous people. Participants will create their own individual mini button blanket or a large group button blanket.

Smudging: one 1.5-hour session. Suggestion: combine this workshop with the Smudge feather workshop.
A brief presentation and discussion around smudging and the significance to Indigenous people. Participants will build their own smudge kit with a shell, feather and the four traditional medicines. Then the participants will share in a smudge together.
Indigenous Earrings: one/two 3-hour session depending on the age/ability of the participants.
Participants will create their own traditional beaded earrings.
Metis Jigging: 1.5 to 2 hours depending on the size/age of the group
Join me for a chance to experience the lost art of Metis Jigging. Come learn more about Metis people and move your feet to traditional fiddle music. An introduction to the basic Jigging steps will lead us into a choreographed number that combines five of the traditional dances. Classes can be curtailed around small to large groups.

Welcome Poles: length of workshop to be discussed according to the group and design that will be chosen. A one 3-hour session workshop if offered to participants that wish to have the teachings around spirit animals and create a canvas.
Create a work of art that depicts your clan. Participants will explore various spirit animals and what they mean in our Indigenous culture. They will then have a chance to choose which animals they would like to see on their Welcoming Pole. A custom pole will be designed and drawn with the spirit animals chosen. Participants will then have a chance to dip their paint brushes and create their Participants will then have a chance to dip their paint brushes and create their vision.