Ningewance’s art describes her life: moving in two directions

Patricia Ningewance’s language work is not her only specialty – she is also a fabric artist.
Well-known for her Anishinabemowin books, such as Talking Gookom’s Language and Pocket Ojibwe, the Lac Seul band member has a fabric art piece on display in Laura’s Choice, an Invitational Quilt Show being held March 12 to April 15 at the A-Frame Gallery in Sioux Lookout.
“It’s two very distinctly different fish swimming in opposite directions – make of that what you will,” Ningewance said of her four foot by six foot appliqué-work wall hanging.
“It could mean anything. For me personally at the time, maybe I was dealing with a difficult relationship.
“Maybe it was different forces in my life that were going in opposite directions. Any kind of conflict or an inability to connect.”
Ningewance usually doesn’t begin working with a specific issue in mind to express in her art.
“You just go to work,” Ningewance said. “You work with colours, you work with textures, any different media.”
Ningewance enjoys working with fabric because she can add beads, buttons, ribbons or other types of materials.
“Sometimes they’re actual pieces of clothing that we don’t use anymore,” Ningewance said. “Or sometimes I get it specifically for the piece.”
Ningewance first began working on fabric art when she moved to Winnipeg in 1985.
“Since then I’ve been working on it whenever I have a chance to,” Ningewance said.
“I moved (back) to Thunder Bay last summer with the sole purpose of doing art here.”
But her language work takes up most of her time, including teaching a course at Lakehead University, translation and the development of her latest book: Talking Ojibwe for Kids and Parents.
“My son and another writer co-wrote the book and I translated it,” Ningewance said.
“It’s for kids and their parents to use together when they are on car trips or even at home. There will be lists of things to identify as you are driving along.”
Laura Kurytnik, the curator of the Invitational Quilt Show, selected Ningewance’s wall hanging out of a number of pieces of work she had.
“She saw that one and wanted to put it in the show,” Ningewance said.
Presented by the Sioux Lookout Creative Arts Circle, the quilt show also features the work of Hana Beitl, Donna Giles, Claudia Loon, Judy Martin, Nancy Pope, Karlee Roy, Kanina Terry, Aileen Urquhart, Lorraine Vella, Laurel Wood and Kurytnik.