Dillon Bickell is the quillwork artist behind Quillin’ By Dillon.  

A proud member of the Chippewas of Rama First Nation, he is primarily a self-taught Ojibwe quill worker and birch harvester.

Dillon first experimented with quillwork at a community crafting circle in October 2021. The familiarity, ease, and blood memory connection were undeniable, and his interest was immediately piqued. Knowing his late grandmother, Lila Ingersoll, had been a talented quill worker further inspired Dillon to pursue this art form.

Since then, he has greatly improved his skills, and has started to develop his own quillwork style. Dillon values both the traditional Indigenous crafting techniques, as well as more modern crafting techniques, and aspires to incorporate both into his designs.

Each piece of Dillon’s quillwork is handmade with natural materials, like birchbark, porcupine quills, and animal hides and skins. Many of the materials he uses are harvested locally within the traditional territories of the Chippewas of Rama First Nation.

All of Dillon’s one-of-a-kind pieces are created with love and care. He sincerely hopes you enjoy his work, and he encourages you to appreciate all the unique elements in quilled artwork.

You can find more of Dillon’s work on all social media, including Instagram, TikTok and YouTube at: @quillinbydillon

Malia Mathias-Mizzi is a visual artist from Temagami First nation. She is currently a first year student in Nipissing University’s Indigenous Studies program. She is also the recipient of the Weengushk International Film Festival’s 2024 Blake Debassige Emerging Artist Award.

Instagram: @malia.s_art 

Monica is a visual Metis artist from Barrie who focuses on the use of the continuous line in her works to represent  the universal connection we all share. Commissioned based, she creates one of a kind ink on paper art, guaranteeing a unique piece of intuitive work. Monica is also no stranger to public art and working a scissor lift. You can find her advocating for public art with guided tours as well as through her own large scale pieces and installations located within Simcoe County. She currently has an art piece on display at the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in their Gathering Place Exhibit. Monica is the recipient of the 2022 Emerging Artist Award for the City of Barrie and hopes to continue forward showcasing the powerful benefits of art within the community. 

Instagram: @beautifully.monica

Website: www.beautifullymonica.com 

Jessica Martin is a local Orillia Métis artist/goldsmith who draws inspiration from her cultural heritage to create jewellery that reflects the beauty of traditional art. She blends timeless goldsmithing techniques with contemporary designs which aim to celebrate the significance of her culture. Each piece is a testament to her dedication to preserving and sharing her heritage, while embracing modern expressions of creativity. Her work serves as both a personal connection to her roots and an invitation for others to experience the richness of her craftsmanship.  

Instagram: @toadallytreasured

Drake Williams is an emerging oil painter from Rama First Nation. He’s inspired by the 70s Ojibwe art movement in Ontario, and his Elder grandfather. He explores the spirit world through his oil paintings, utilizing thick strokes of paint to depict who he believes are his Ojibway ancestors, utilizing impressionistic portraits, woodlands symbolism, regalia inspired colour-ways and references to petroglyphs within his paintings.

Instagram – @drakewilliamsart

Website – drakewilliams.ca