Around the website you will notice colourful illustrations exploring various themes. The series of seven illustrations is titled "Together with Grandmother Moon" and was commissioned by artist Portia "Po" Chapman (BEd'20, Artist in Community Education).
Artist Bio
Portia “Po” Chapman (Queen’s BFAH Visual Art / Indigenous Studies 2019, BEd ConEd Visual Arts / FNMI Studies 2020), recipient of the Queen’s Medal in Visual Art and ACE graduate, is an interdisciplinary, local, award winning, published, emerging Indigenous artist and Arts Educator. She is well known in the Queen’s community due to her illustrations for the Office of Indigenous Initiatives Website and Truth and Reconciliation Task Force Implementation Reports (years 3 and 4), the “Truth” image featured during the 2021 National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, the “My Creation” mural mounted above the fireplace in the Kingston Hall Reflection Room, the cover art for the inaugural edition of the ASUS Journal of Indigenous Studies, the “Rolling on Campus” performance art video featured by the Union Gallery, and the residential school inspired installation “Desk” featured in The Studio in Duncan McArthur Hall. Po’s signature story telling artistic style is an evolution of her artist family’s style that celebrates creation, togetherness, and hope. Her simplistic blocks of colour are organically framed by deep tones that make visual stories come alive. For the Faculty of Education, in her style, Po created 7 circular digital images and a painted hand drum. As a painted hand drum maker, Po was honoured to create the hand drum entitled: “Elder in Residence.” The face of the drum illustrates the Elder in Residence guiding students around a sacred fire beneath Grandmother moon. This new, vibrant, inclusive collection is joyously inspirational. For more information, please visit Po’s website.
