Makwa and Aamoo (Bear and the Bee)
With Father’s Day approaching soon, I wanted to share a piece that I completed to honor the men (the fathers, uncles, brothers and grandfathers) who...
Sam Zimmerman
Niimi (She Dances to the Sky)
Niimi (She Dances) is a figure who has her own journey home to Gitchi Onigaming (Grand Portage) captured in a number of my paintings. Her shawl incorporates the different...
Gaagaagi Gizhaazh (Raven Watch Over)
A couple months ago, a gaagaagi (raven) came and sat on my deck railing watching me while I had my morning Makade-mashkikiwaaboo (coffee). The sun caught its feathers and...
Nimishoomis Moos (Grandfather’s Moose)
My Nimishoomis (Grandfather) was a wonderful storyteller. I spent a summer with him before high school and he would tell me different stories about growing up in Gitchi...
Niimi with Waawaashkeshi (She Dances with Deer)
Recently, I was traveling north of Grand Marais and stopped to visit a niiji (friend). While visiting her studio, we saw different animal tracks in the snow....
My Journey Home
My desire to be close to my family, Gitchi Gami (Lake Superior), and Gichi-onigamiing (Grand Portage) brought me back home after 23 years on the East Coast. Since moving...
Niimi (She Dances, is Home at Hollow Rock)
I remember the first time I saw a zaangwewemagooday (jingle dress). Home during Gichi-onigamiing (Grand Portage) Rendezvous Days as a teenager, I was captivated by its beauty and power....
Bimaadiziiwin (Living a Good Life)
With November being recognized as Native American History month, I wanted to share a piece that reflects my own family’s history. My uncle recently shared...