Monica Raphael
Monica Jo Raphael, Anishinaabe-Lakota is a culture bearer, grandmother and fifth generation quill worker who comes from a long line of woodland quill artists and feels as if she’s having a dialogue with her ancestors when creating her interpretation of an art that predates European contact and the introduction of glass seed beads. Spending most of her life in the village of Peshawbestown on the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Reservation, she learned the traditional woodland art form of quill and birch bark box making. Quickly mastering both the woodland flora and fauna designs for which her family was known, Monica has excelled in creating even more complex designs while using traditional materials and techniques along with bright modern colors to create a modern twist to a timeless artform.
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Her award-winning work is quickly becoming known all over the world for its clear intention to craftsmanship, unwavering dedication to patience, and has received awards at the Smithsonian National Craft Show, SWAIA Santa Fe Indian Market, Cherokee Art Market, Eiteljorg Indian Market Festival, Heard Indian Market, Abbe Museum Indian Market, Autry Indian Market, Southeastern Art Show and Market, Artesian Arts Festival, and the Woodland Indian Market.
After working over 25 years helping to make data driven change in tribal communities Monica made a career change to follow a lifelong dream of becoming a self-sustaining full- time artist and in 2021 she was awarded the prestigious First Peoples Fund Cultural Capital and the Native Arts and Cultures Foundation LIFT Fellowships. Her celebrated work can be found in several personal collections, as well as the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indian and Western Art, the Hood Museum of Art at Dartmouth College, and the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian.
In September 2023 Monica relocated from Oklahoma to Indianapolis accepting the position of Thomas G. and Susan C. Hoback curator of Great Lakes Native art, cultures and community engagement at the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indian and Western Art.
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Woodland porcupine quillwork is a traditional customary art of the Anishinaabe inspired by the floral and fauna of the woodlands. The customary art works are created using the traditional woodland porcupine quill on birch bark quillwork technique using a small needle awl, tweezers and scissors.
The porcupine quills were harvested, washed, sorted and dyed using natural plants, vegetable and commercial dyes. The birch bark was gathered on the Lake Michigan shorelines in June 2023.
Most works are backed with brain tanned smoked deer hide and finished with various sizes of antique and vintage seed beads 24K gold and sterling silver seed beads as well as beads made from semi-precious and natural mineral stones. The artist has digitized the designs from the traditional works and printed designs on a sustainable fabric made from recycled plastic bottles to create linings for the works as well as contemporary clothing. All natural materials were traditionally harvested and prepared by the artist.
