Fearless Sisters Rising Mural
Lead artists: Nicole Neidhardt (Diné) and Brianna Bear (Songhees) in collaboration with Kinship Rising, Innovative Young Indigenous Leaders Symposium, Fearless Collective and community members who contributed to the creation and painting of this mural.
Material: Acrylic paint, latex paint, Dibond Aluminum Composite Panels; 2018 ; Under the Stewardship of the McPherson Library
Photo Credit: University of Victoria Photo Services
About the Design
The design of the Fearless Sisters Rising Mural was created by Nicole Neidhardt and Brianna Bear. To create the design, they utilized imagery shared with them through the Fearless workshop (more info about the Fearless process can be found here). Participants responded to two questions during this workshop:
What drains you?
What replenishes you? Or makes you feel whole?
Nicole and Brianna used the answers from the second question, “What replenishes you? Or makes you feel whole?” as the foundation for the mural design.  In response to this question, participants spoke about water, the ocean, plant-medicines, nature, the moon, cedar, laughter, family, and being rooted to the land and to community.
The three central figures in the design are women who were present in the workshop and part of our organizing team. The sitting figure is Brianna Bear, the central laughing figure is Anna Chadwick, and the standing figure draped in a green blanket, is Chantal Adams. We collaborated with participants and our team to create a pose that these three women would take for the center of the mural.
The making of tea in the design references the ritual that grounded the Fearless workshop. During the workshop, participants made tea bags and steeped them while answering the above questions. The three plants depicted in the lower right hand corner of the design are Stinging Nettle, Dandelion and Mint which all grow in the west coast and were used for the teas in the Fearless workshop.
The design shows a blending and interrelation between the 3 figures with the earth, water, and plant-medicines. This speaks to our interconnection with the natural world and how that connection rejuvenates us when we are feeling low.
The moon is linked not only to honouring our matriarchs and femininity but it also carries deep connections to our waters. The moon teaches us through its many phases, as illuminated in the mural, that in this life there may be ups and downs but each phase presents something new we can learn from.
The central laughing figure, Anna, has eagle wings and a body that is part of the mountain range. The wings represent those of an eagle, who is said to carry messages to our ancestors.
The mural also features some writing. Within each Fearless mural process participants come up with an affirmation to ground the artwork. The affirmation on this mural sits atop the eagle wing span and reads,
“sisters of resistance – replenishing generations – restoring our relations”
This affirmation is a culmination of the Fearless design process and a reflection of the people, ideas, and dreams who contributed to this mural. The words that are in each eagle feather are contributions from a second workshop held during the Sisters Rising Forum in October 2018 (more information about the forum can be found here). The workshop participants in this group were able to write a one word response to what “replenishes them up or makes them feel whole”. The words written on the mural are in their own handwriting, painted in copper paint.
This mural was a collaborative, community-centered work of art. It reflects the words, dreams, ideas, hopes, and medicines offered by all who contributed to its beauty.
Image Gallery
