BIG Small Talk: Meet Claire Johnston
BIG small talk is a chance to meet, introduce, and get to know artists that Harbour Collective encounters along the way. Sasha Kucas speaks with Claire Johnston for an earnest conversation of BIG small Talk.
This Autistic intermittent fasting lover of bread questions authority and asks questions. Johnston loves to spend time with her dad on the land. Respect and gratitude for her gifts run deep, and her inspirations and motivations are many.
One fine morning in her studio, we chatted about her healthy approach to life and art practice. Everyone could learn a thing or two on how to live a balanced and peaceful life from this talented beader.
Tell me about your introduction to Harbour Collective.
I was fortunate to meet Liz Barron and Jason Baerg through the Shushkitew Collective gathering in Ottawa this past summer, which was my entrance into the Harbour Collective and getting to know Liz.
What are you working on right now?
I have a solo show supported by Arts Accessibility Network Manitoba in September 2024, and preparation for that show will mainly take place over the next year. I also applied for the Smithsonian Artist research fellowship and hope to study the Grandmother beadwork piecesin their collections in Maryland in 2024/2025
What medium do you love to work with and why?
Beadwork is my love, but I also love singing, writing, and creating. I am Autistic, and my brain consumes my surroundings in great detail. Beading allows my brain to utilize that attention to detail beautifully. I have gifted dexterity in my hands from my dad and grandfather, and the slow, meditative process of beadwork feels good and natural.
How do you approach your art practice?
I start my day by drinking coffee, listening to music, singing, and beading. The beadwork teachings and protocols extend to my whole life. Ceremonies include being alone, in quiet, either in nature or with my dad.I meditate on a person, things that are shared, or what I feel through the beadwork when I bead. I see myself as a fluid and intuitive conduit. Bead colours are chosen as I bead, based on what feels good to me, so I never know what the beadwork piece will look like until the end. I think a lot about designs and colours. According to my mentor Jennine Krauchi, there are no wrong colours, which permits me to do what is beautiful to me.
What inspires or motivates you?
Old grandmother pieces at St. Boniface Museum, Manitoba Museum, and Seven Oaks House are instructive and inspiring. They elicit a profound respect for the innate legacy of our beadwork. For me, it is a coveted spiritual experience and always gets my mind turning to what the beadwork of my Metis grandmothers might have looked like. Other sources of inspiration are from the knowledge keepers in my life like Jennine Krauchi, Dr. Cathy Mattes, and Gregory Scofield. Children and older people like my dad are also sources of inspiration. My dad has influenced most of my pieces. From a young age, he talked to me about balance in space, colour, and photography and gave me a way to look at, critique, and analyze the world. He taught me how to make things out of nothing. My dad, does not have a lot. He did not graduate high school but is an extraordinary artist using a variety of mediums and is scrappy- just like all Metis.
From what you have created, what is your most meaningful piece?
My most meaningful piece is a tool stand for my vials of beads that Dad and I built together over the pandemic from his collection of quarter cut wood from his time over 30 years as an arborist in Winnipeg. It took us forty hours to create. Due to a fire, he lost all the tools and machines collected for retirement. There was some grief surrounding our project. At times, we had to create our jigs. But, some of the creative solutions came from me, which made my dad proud.
What do you value most in life?
I see myself as a helper. I help other people realize their gifts. Justice and honesty are also values of mine.
What gets you out of bed in the morning?
I teach beadwork a lot and spend quite a lot of time with children. The children and youth I have relationships with inspire me deeply. Sharing my experiences comes with responsibility. I think about my little nieces and nephews when creating art. They are my motivation. It’s hard to get out of bed each morning -interesting question.
What does a typical day look like in your life?
Generally, my alarm goes off at six. I wake up almost immediately, have coffee, and take my ADHD medication, which helps me get going for the day. It takes me a long time to get used to the world, and I need it to be quiet. I read in the morning, but the pull or draw for me to bead is always quite strong, even when my body, hands, or wrists are sore. Switching between things is a challenge. I prefer getting into a flow and beading for long durations. I will smudge every morning and before I touch my beadwork and always give thanks for my hands. My medication prevents me from experiencing hunger throughout the day, so I have a couple of big meals in the evening and go to bed early.
If you could possess a superpower, what would it be and why?
I would love to know what life as a neurotypical person feels like. I am curious about what it would feel like to not be Autistic. Although not a superpower, it probably would feel like it, as this ableist world isn’t always very kind to people like me.
Do you believe in aliens?
I will go with yes (pointing to the wall containing a print with a UFO in the sky).
What is the strangest coincidence that ever happened to you?
Meeting my partner feels coincidental because we have so many similarities- I never believed that was possible.
What is one thing people would never guess about you?
People almost never assume that I am Autistic (I’m very good at masking) or that I speak German.
What story do you love to tell but hardly ever get a chance to?
My grandfather wrote a 34-page memoir. Every few months, I feel a pull to read it as it helps me and probably will for the rest of my life. I always find new teachings and love telling the story of his advocacy and advancement in his life journey. My grandfather knew he could do more than what people told him he could do and set the foundation for me to have the life I do. He served in WW2 and somehow became an elevator mechanic with Otis Elevators, changing the life trajectory for his descendants. I have had the opportunity to tell his story to other Metis and Metis veterans with similar stories. I find purpose when given the chance to share and uplift his voice in story.
What would you do if you won 30 million dollars?
I would take care of my family, particularly my dad. I would get him some teeth, a new roof, and everything he needs. I would also build a Métis Art Residency on one of the old river lots along River Roadin St. Andrews, where many of my ancestors used to live. Multi-million dollar homes along the river now occupy the land my ancestors were kicked off of. I’d also love to create large-scale Métis intergenerational cooperative housing.
If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
I would live here! I love living in the same place as my ancestors and the community. I plan to live here or around Winnipeg for the rest of my life.
What do you think about before falling asleep?
Before I fall asleep, many creative ideas come to me, and I have to run out of bed to write the ideas down sometimes.
Claire cannot be found in a karaoke establishment nor at the Tallest Poppy, her favourite restaurant (sadly, it closed). When you see her, perhaps saying hello to ravens, kindly ask her to show you the flute she made with her dad when she was nine.
It is magnificent.
Claire Johnston is a Red River Métis beadwork artist based in Winnipeg. As a proud Autistic and Two-Spirit person, Claire’s beadwork practice is informed by the strengthening of relationships with herself, her kin, and the natural world.
Claire’s work has been exhibited at the Venice Biennale (Venice, Italy), the Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art (Vancouver, BC), and Tangled Arts (Toronto, ON). Claire is currently preparing for her first solo show, which will take place in September 2024 with support from the Arts ACCESSibility Network Manitoba. Claire is a Sundancer, an MMF citizen, and a member of the Two-Spirit Michif Local.
