About the Artist
Janelle Wawia, a self-taught artist from Red Rock Indian Band, takes her multidisciplinary work to another level. She embodies both boldness and gentleness, being a trapper on family traplines, and an award-winning painter and furrier. Janelle's work encompasses runway fashion, beading and jewellery design, tanning hides and hide camps, acrylic paintings, and flash tattoos, all with a focus on women and her connection to the land. Furthermore, Janelle holds a passion for working with youth and advocating for mental wellness. She also has a deep connection to the land and finds comfort in spending quality time with her family on the trapline.
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Bushlife
My love for the bush life runs deep—it’s in my bones, in my spirit. Out there, surrounded by the land, everything makes sense. The bush teaches patience, respect, and resilience. It’s where the air is thick with the scent of spruce and cedar, where the rhythm of life slows down and becomes real. I find peace in the quiet, strength in the stillness, and freedom in the wild.
Whether I’m out trapping, gathering medicines, or simply walking among the trees, I feel connected—not just to nature, but to my ancestors, to the old ways, and to myself. The bush isn’t just a backdrop to my life; it is life. It holds stories, memories, and wisdom that can’t be found anywhere else.
In the bush, I remember who I am. And every time I return, it welcomes me home.
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My love for the bush life is rooted in generations of knowledge, stories, and survival. I was raised to understand that the land isn’t just where we live—it’s who we are. Out in the bush, especially on my ancestral territory, everything feels aligned. The trees, the animals, the rivers—they all speak, if you know how to listen.
I find deep purpose in the work I do out there—trapping, harvesting medicines, walking old trails my ancestors once traveled. The land teaches in ways books never could. It shows you how to live with humility, gratitude, and strength. Every sound, every scent carries memory and meaning.
It’s a life of rhythm, respect, and reconnection. The more time I spend out there, the more I understand myself—not just as a person, but as part of something bigger. The bush doesn’t just provide—it restores. It grounds me in my culture, my purpose, and my spirit.
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Dreams
Following my dreams has been an act of reclaiming, of listening to the parts of me that knew I was meant for more than just surviving—I was meant to live fully, to create boldly, and to help others do the same. My journey isn’t just about chasing success; it’s about honoring my gifts, my culture, and the vision I carry deep in my spirit.
Through my art, fashion, land-based living, and therapeutic work, I’m building a life that reflects both who I am and where I come from. The land teaches me to be grounded. My creativity teaches me to be free. And healing—both mine and others’—is the thread that ties it all together.
I’ve faced doubt, setbacks, and fear—but I’ve never let them stop me. I keep walking, guided by ancestors, driven by love, and fueled by a dream that’s bigger than me. This isn’t just a path I’m on—it’s one I’m carving for those who come next.
“I walk with purpose, I create with passion, and I heal with love—because my dream isn’t just for me. It’s for all those who were told they couldn’t.”
Artist CV
2013 Fur Harvest, Fur Management and Conservation Course
2013 North American Wild Fur Shippers Council Technical Fur Workshop, NAFA, Four Seasons Furs, Toronto, ON
2018 Dene Najho Urban Hide Tanning Residency, Banff Arts Centre, Banff, AB
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Education: Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology
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Public Art /Community
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2013-15 Ikewzensag Waa Mashkowiziwaad, Empowering Girls Camp, Dilico Anishinabek Family Care
2014 Walking with Our Sisters Coffeehouse and Art Auction
2016 Resilient Hearts Project – Artist – Thunder Bay
2017 Mindful Expressions – Exploring Mental Wellness through Art, Youth Suicide Prevention, Thunder
Bay, ON
2018 Indigenous Fashion Week Toronto - Designer/Runway, Toronto, ON
2018 British Arts Council – Designer/Runway + Showcase, Toronto, ON
2019 Red Embers: MMIW Art installation in Allan Gardens, Toronto, ON
2019 Twitter Canada: Emoji Designer for National Indigenous Awareness Month
2020 Fort William First Nation Hide Camp – Camp Lead/Knowledge Keeper, FWFN, ON
2021 Red Embers: MMIW Art Installation, Ashbridges Bay in the Beaches, Toronto, ON
2022 Indigenous Fashion Arts Festival - Designer/Runway, Toronto, ON
2023 ModeCanadaRocks - Designer/Runway, Toronto, ON
2024 Indigenous Fashion Arts Toronto 20204, Designer, Runway
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Gallery Exhibitions
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2014 The North Now: 2014 Northern Ontario Juried Exhibition, Thunder Bay Art Gallery, Thunder Bay, ON
2017 Perspectives from Here Exhibition; Thunder Bay Art Gallery, Thunder Bay, ON
2018 Fortify This; Definitely Superior Art Gallery, Thunder Bay, ON
2018 Annual Members Exhibition; Mindful Makers Collective, The Baggage Building Art Centre, Thunder
Bay, ON
2020 Barbara Laronde Exhibition; Toronto Media Arts Centre, Toronto, ON
2021 Mindful Makers Members Show, Gallery 33, Painted Turtle, Thunder Bay, ON
2021 Elemental Unravelling: Juried Art Exhibit, Baggage Arts Building, Thunder Bay, ON
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Awards
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2014 Juror’s Award, The North Now: 2014 Northern Ontario Juried Exhibition, Thunder Bay Art Gallery
2016 Emerging Female Indigenous Artist in Northern Ontario, Barbara Laronde Award, Native Women in
the Arts, Toronto, ON
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Media/Publications
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2014 A Flair for Fur and the Feminine, The Walleye Magazine, Vol 5 No 11 November 2014
2016 Announcing the 2016 Barbara Laronde Award Recipient here
2016 Native Women in the Arts Recipient Janelle Wawia here
2016 Presentation of The Barbara Laronde Award in Temagami here
2016 Red Rock First Nation artist recognized with award here
2016 Artist Draws on Trapping Heritage to Create Contemporary Work here
2017 Exploring Mental Wellness through Art here
2017 Mindful Expressions – exploring mental wellness through art here
2017 Art Amplifies Voices here
2018 Red Rising Magazine, Issue 8, Language. Page 80.
2018 Northern Artist Headed to Indigenous Fashion Week here
2018 Fanzine Toronto at Indigenous Fashion Week Toronto here
2018 Indigenous fashion week weaves identity, tradition and social change here
2019 Today’s Wonder Woman: Meet Award-winning Artist & Designer Sage Paul – The Founder Of Indigenous Fashion Week Toronto here
2019 Thunder Bay Experience Guide, Ones to Watch here
2019 Northern Ontario artist designs Twitter Emoji here
2019 Red Embers Public Art Installation Transforms Toronto’s Allan Gardens here
2019 Banners in Allan Gardens honour missing and murdered Indigenous women here
2022 These Indigenous Fashion Designers Should be on Your Radar https://www.ellecanada.com/fashion/indigenous-fashion-designers-to-know
2022 These Indigenous Fashion Designers Are Change the Game https://thekit.ca/fashion/fashion-designers/indigenous-fashion-arts-festival-designers/