From artist to gallery

Jean Marshall serves as arts outeach liaison at Thunder Bay Art Gallery
Jean Marshall, a Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug First Nation band member, is an artist and also is currently working as the arts outreach liaison at the Thunder Bay Art Gallery.
Marshall grew up in Thunder Bay and studied at Trent University in Peterborough, Ont. where she received an honours degree in Native Studies and History.
After completing her university degree Marshall moved to Sioux Lookout and worked in housing before she applied for an Aboriginal studies and museum practices internship at a museum in Gatineau, Quebec.
“That’s where my interest was sparked in working in a museum or gallery setting,” Marshall said. “I like being around art and around people who are interested in preserving, taking care of and conserving art. Also, learning about cultures from all over the place. I really believe that what makes a culture is their art.”
The internship was one year long and following it she came back to Thunder Bay and practiced her own art, which is mostly beadwork. In Thunder Bay she started marketing herself and getting her work out in the arts community.
“It was through my beadwork and doing work in the community that helped me get the job at the art gallery,” Marshall said.
Marshall worked for Learning Through the Arts and taught beadwork to elementary school students. She met people at the gallery and first got a research project with the beadwork the Thunder Bay Art Gallery has in their permanent collection.
That lead her to get hired to do arts outreach as the arts outreach liaison.
“It was a good fit because I’m an artist, have an education and teaching experience and also have experience marketing myself and applying for grants,” Marshall said.
Through the Ontario Arts Council and Canada Arts Council she has been successful at getting eight grants to pursue her artwork.
“They have different programs for different things that you do and as an artist you can really utilize their programs to give yourself a job and pretty much make a job for yourself doing what you love,” she said.
Marshall said if you’re creative and interested in artwork, you can get a job in what your interest is because there is a niche everywhere.
“But you have to get out there and take on different experiences and opportunities because they are everywhere, especially for the youth there’s internships and residencies and mentorship programs,” she said.
Marshall said for youth seeking a career in the arts getting a good education and believing in what you are doing are the two most important things. “I don’t think I would have got the opportunities I got if I didn’t go to university,” she said.
“If you’re doing your art you have to believe in what you are doing or it won’t work. You have to be positive and always be working to keep on moving forward.”