Meet Artist, Natesa Medlicott-Kappo

Natesa Medlicott-Kappo is one of the artists participating in Woodland Cultural Centre’s Virtual Face Mask Auction, Ga:hǫh ne’ hni’ ga:howe:kso/Covered and Uncovered. The auction is in response to the new realities created by the global coronavirus pandemic impacting so many Indigenous communities across the country, with 50% of proceeds shared with artists and 50% to support Woodland Cultural Centre programs, specifically School Visits & Educational Programming and Exhibitions.

Natesa Medlicott-Kappo is a nehiyaw iskwew (Cree woman) artist from Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation in Northern Alberta and is currently based out of Grande Prairie AB. With a background in fashion design, fabric tends to pop up often in her work – most of which is multi-media based. Some of the key issues Natesa addresses with her work are mental health, addictions and recovery, and the rights and safety of First Nations women and girls – and all women and girls – who are living a high-risk lifestyle in Canada. Natesa is currently studying Fine Arts and Anthropology at Grande Prairie Regional College while working as an Illustrator for Theresa Wouters’ children’s books that will come in a variety of Native languages. Natesa is inspired by the strength and talent of her teacher Tina Martel and the strong and resilient women in her family and is looking forward to continuing and completing her education and expanding her work.

“It is an honor for me to be chosen for the Woodland Cultural Centre’s Ga:hǫh ne’ hni’ ga:howe:kso Covered and Uncovered online auction event. I am distant from where WCC is located but that does not make the purpose any less important. The WCC programs that the fundraising proceeds will go towards are hugely important and I can only hope to do my part to help initiatives such as the ones offered here.”