Margaret Konwawennontion Kelly | Art By Arachne

Arachne Kelly, drawing, painting, painter, workshops, facilitator, Indigenous Artist, First Nations, Indigenous Arts Collective of Canada, Pass The Feather

Margaret Konwawennontion Kelly

Margaret Konwawennontion Kelly

Mohawk of Kahnawake

Kwe kwe! My name is Arachne Kelly and I am from Brooklyn, NY. I am the granddaughter of an iron worker who brought his family to the Brooklyn, NY to make a living and still be with them every day. My grandfather was an amazing man who taught me how to read at 5 and to appreciate my dreams, old movies, books, dance, theatre, museums, and the like.

Arachne Kelly, drawing, painting, painter, workshops, facilitator, Indigenous Artist, First Nations, Indigenous Arts Collective of Canada, Pass The Feather

His mother, father, grandparents, and siblings used to travel to Europe in the Wild West shows. That is a drop in the bucket of some of my history albeit ancient. In the early 70’s he moved back to Kahnawake. Two years later, I followed. Although I had moved back to NYC in the early 80’s, after my grandfather passed, I came back to keep the homestead from falling in on itself. I now reside in the home of my ancestors. 

Skills? I am a doodler who always loved to dabble with art. I got my first easel when I was around 5 years old and I got toe shoes when I was around 10. Thankfully, I did not try to be a ballerina. Honestly, i was taught grammar school art of which I remember finger painting and making a heart out of sawdust, glue, and glitter. While in college, I took one art class and that is it.

I can’t say directly that my art represents my Indigenous heritage. If anything, it represents me in my skin as an Indigenous woman.

Before I end this short bio, my grandmother was amazing with creating quilts, clothes, doilies, sweaters, and blankets. She danced a mighty fine jig and she  cooked the most amazing meals. My mom was a child who had a child so I was raised by my grandparents until my grandmother died. Some of my more current art is a result of the pain I felt at the loss of my mother. I find that emotion drives creation in one form or another. My sister just passed on July 25, 2020 and on that day I had created a painting called When Worlds Collide. I destroyed that painting and created something much better in its wake. That is all for now.

Workshops

Margaret is a teacher and facilitator of:

  • Cold press illustration board pictures/collages
  • Painting/Drawing Workshops

Please contact artist for details, pricing, and availability.

Buy their work...

Please visit IndigenARTSY to purchase Margaret’s work, or contact them for any inquiries.

Membership Identification Status

Mohawk of Kahnawake