Christine Toulouse

Christine Toulouse is an emerging Anishinaabe artist from Sagamok Anishnawbek First Nation whose primary focus is in the traditional realm of quillwork, a form of textile embellishment using dyed or natural-coloured quills from porcupines to weave into birch bark. Christine works to connect land and season to practice. She absorbs and passes down Indigenous memory and knowledge, tethers herself to ancestors and traditions, and invites past into present allowing for memory to become reality in her work.

Christine’s technique has been passed down from quill artists preceding her. She was taught the traditional craft of quillwork from her Grandmother, Ida Assinewe (Toulouse) who is a quill box artist herself. Ida Assinewe (born 1929), originally from Wikwemikong Unceded Territory has been practicing quillwork since the young age of 6. Ida Toulouse recalls learning quillwork from her mother, Mary Begone’aasong. Examples of Ida’s work can be found at the Ojibwe Cultural Foundation, and she has completed many commissioned quill boxes throughout her lifetime.

Christine’s works can be found within the private collections of other Indigenous artists such as Owner, Metal Fabricator, Designer and Sculptor of OneKwe, Kathryn Corbiere; Designer, Paula Naponse of Ondarez; Sealskin Jeweler, Charlotte Lee of Designs by Oolootie; and Founder and co-director of nêhiyawak Language Experience Inc., Belinda (kakiyosew) Daniels.

Christine’s first three solo exhibitions have been dedicated to her late mother who was instrumental in encouraging her to learn and pursue quillwork. Her practice involves promoting the significance of quillwork as a process to learn, heal, grow and share.

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This website is to showcase pieces, sell artwork and promote events. Follow her Instagram @christine.quills for exclusive details on product launches.