Naaahsa says art is a language everyone understands. Sometimes we make art together. We draw, we bead, we sing. Sometimes Naaahsa tells stories in Blackfoot. I even get to go with her to see her art show at the National Gallery. Naaahsa is famous for her art, but I love her hugs best!
Naaahsa is an Artist! is a celebration of art, artists, and Indigenous women artists in particular. Each page comes to life with bold patterns, shapes, and Naaahsa's encouraging words that may inspire young readers to want to make art themselves.
Winner of the Second Story Press Indigenous Writing Contest
Second Story Press Indigenous Writing Contest Jury Statement
“This book is sure to be a hit. As seen through the eyes of a grandchild, Naaahsa is an Artist! conveys the healing power of art and the importance of taking up space in institutions that have not welcomed Indigenous Peoples in the past.”
Second Story Press Indigenous Writing Contest Jury Statement
“I love the grandmother/granddaughter relationship here and I love how proud the little girl is of her grandma. It’s a book I can relate to as I had a close relationship with my grandmother.”
“This is a beautifully written and illustrated book that covers a lot of ground in 24 pages. At its heart is the relationship between the young girl and Naaahsa and how she learns to appreciate art, both in small ways like painting at home, and in big ways like attending an art gallery featuring Naaahsa’s work.”
"Readers will feel the safe and comforting presence of the narrator’s grandmother and her strong connection with her granddaughter.... Nevertheless, this is also a story with depth, about maintaining connection to the past through a spoken language – Blackfoot. At residential school, a defiant whisper in Blackfoot says so much: Kitsiikákomimm. I love you.'"
"This children’s book is gently inspirational...yet another quietly powerful act."