Art is HERStory: Melissa Fowler, Artist-in-Residence to Showcase Traditional Anishinaabe Art

The Beltrami County Historical Society will host Anishinaabe artist Melissa Fowler for a live demonstration and artist talk as part of its ongoing Art is HERStory series. The event will occur Saturday, March 8, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Beltrami County History Center, 130 Minnesota Ave. SW, Bemidji. Fowler will present an artist talk at 11 a.m., sharing her creative journey and the cultural significance of her work.

A 2025 recipient of the Minnesota Historical Society’s Native American Artist-in-Residence Encouragement Award, Fowler specializes in beadwork, textiles, and birchbark artistry. She is the co-owner of Creatively Indigenous, based in Cumberland, Wisconsin, on the St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin reservation. A member of the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa with ties to Fond du Lac and Red Cliff, she has spent more than 15 years reconnecting with Anishinaabe traditions through art.

Fowler’s work blends traditional and contemporary Indigenous materials and techniques. Her recent projects include birchbark medallions, intricate beadwork pieces, and a women’s jingle dress designed to honor two-spirit identity and cultural diversity. She views art as an essential tool for cultural revitalization and healing.

“As an Indigenous Anishinaabe traditional artist, I find so much healing in art,” Fowler said. “Science is finally catching up to what our people have always known—there is powerful medicine in creativity. Traditional art allows us to heal individuals, families, and communities, and it is vital that we continue sharing these stories.”

Visitors will have the opportunity to watch Fowler demonstrate her beadwork and birchbark techniques throughout the day and purchase her art. The event is free and open to the public, and no registration is required.

This Art is HERStory program is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Region 2 Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund.

For more information, contact 218-444-3376 or visit https://beltramihistory.org/calendar

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