THE THREE FIRES: Contemporary Anishinaabe Artists

@ FOMA Gallery
333 Montezuma Ave., Unit B
Santa Fe, NM 87501

Admission - FREE

Opening Reception: Thursday, August 13, from 4:00–8:00 PM

This exhibition brings together 10 contemporary Anishinaabe artists whose work spans painting, photography, basketry, mixed media, and sculpture. Rooted in the enduring cultural traditions of the Three Fires Confederacy—the Ojibwe (Chippewa), Odawa (Ottawa), and Potawatomi Nations—the exhibition celebrates the vitality, diversity, and continued evolution of Anishinaabe artistic expression across generations. Rather than presenting a single artistic voice, The Three Fires highlights a constellation of artists whose practices are united by shared cultural heritage while remaining deeply individual. Through their work, visitors encounter stories of identity, memory, land, kinship, resilience, spirituality, and the ongoing dialogue between tradition and contemporary life.

The participating artists and organizers extend their sincere gratitude to Dr. Denene D. Quintal and Salvador Salort-Pons of the Detroit Institute of Arts for the extraordinary care, respect, and consideration they brought to Contemporary Anishinaabe Art: A Continuation. Dr. Quintal’s thoughtful curation and the Museum’s continued support established a powerful blueprint for how a modern Indigenous exhibition can honor artists, culture, and community.

Featured Artists

Norval Morrisseau (1932–2007)
Known as the founder of the Woodland School of Art, Norval Morrisseau transformed contemporary Indigenous art through a visionary visual language rooted in Anishinaabe cosmology, spirituality, and oral tradition. His work continues to influence artists across generations, serving as both a cultural touchstone and an enduring source of creative inspiration.

Kelly Church
An award-winning Odawa basket maker, Kelly Church carries forward generations of traditional black ash basketry while expanding the medium through innovative forms and contemporary design. Her work reflects a profound relationship with the natural world and a lifelong commitment to preserving Indigenous ecological knowledge and cultural traditions.

Cherish Parrish
Cherish Parrish brings a fresh perspective to Anishinaabe artistic practice through intricate basketry that honors ancestral techniques while embracing contemporary aesthetics. Her work celebrates family, continuity, and the living traditions passed from one generation to the next.

Richard Church
Richard Church is a Potawatomi-Odawa tribal elder whose lifetime experiences, traditional knowledge and respect inspire his photographic images. He incorporates dedication, craftsmanship, and traditional meaning into his images to share across generations.  

Dennis Esquivel
Dennis Esquivel explores identity, history, and indigenous experience through contemporary fine furniture and painting that blends expressive imagery with deeply personal narratives. His work invites viewers to reflect on resilience, cultural memory, and the evolving nature of Native art today.

Arnold Shawanoo Walker
Arnold Shawanoo Walker's multidisciplinary practice draws upon Anishinaabe teachings, symbolism, and storytelling while embracing contemporary forms of expression. His work bridges generations, inviting dialogue between traditional knowledge and modern artistic practice.

Jason Wesaw
Jason Wesaw creates work that reflects a deep connection to Anishinaabe culture, community, and the natural world. Through his contemporary artistic practice, he explores the enduring relationships between tradition and innovation, honoring ancestral knowledge while contributing a distinctive voice to the ongoing evolution of Indigenous art.

Holly Trevan
Holly Trevan is known as a Potawatomi artist, commercial photographer and educator.  Her lifelong practice combines photography and historic printing processes to create portraits that intentionally transcend time.  Through her work, she shares personal stories of her family and the resilience carried across generations.

Cressandra Thibodeaux
Through photography and mixed media, Cressandra Thibodeaux explores themes of identity, belonging, and the lasting effects of colonial policies on Native communities. Her ongoing projects combine portraiture with storytelling, creating contemporary works that invite conversation about memory, resilience, and what it means to define oneself beyond imposed histories.

Nonamey

Nonamey (he/him) is a Two-Spirit artist from Mashkiiziibii, enrolled at Bad River of the Anishinaabe Nation. His work expands across painting, sculpture, installation art, and fashion, while tracing lines of ancestral grief, Indigiqueer identity, and cultural reclamation.