Star blanket - Art Card
Star Blanket
Kristi Bridgeman & Lisa Shepherd
Atchakos Ahkoop (The Star Blanket) tells the story of Atchakos Iskwew (Star Woman) who descended from the centre of the Pleiades on a fine web to populate the Earth. The centre of this piece reminds us of our beginnings as star dust.
During the fur trade when animal fur was abundant, gifting a hide blanket was considered an honour. As hides became scarce, a new tradition evolved of creating and gifting a star blanket. Pioneer women created these treasures of small fabric scraps for life events such as marriage. The exacting nature of creating a Star Blanket; the precise cutting, measuring and sewing...and many hours of labour – show the recipient great honour.
Strawberries, also known as the Heart Berries are considered women medicine, with their heart shape, ability to nourish/nurture, with runners and many visible seeds that bear life. On this Star Blanket, the Strawberries acknowledge our grandmothers, great grandmothers and our connection throughout all of time.
Endemic flowers: Strawberry and padula flowers.
Medium: Ink, watercolour, satin ribbon, glass beads on black velvet.
Blank inside. Description of art on back of the card. Envelope included. Printed locally on FSC paper.