Making Her Mark
Indigo Arrows looks to the past for inspiration
Destiny Seymour is the founder of Indigo Arrows, reimagining the pottery and bone tool patterns of her Anishinaabe ancestors for modern home décor.
Q: What inspired the creation of Indigo Arrows?
A: I have a Master of Interior Design degree from the University of Manitoba and worked for a local architecture firm for 10 years. When I was there, I saw a need for interior finishes and fabrics that featured patterns that were reflective of our local Indigenous tradition. The items available on the market were often southwest or west coast patterns.
Q: Where did you learn about the patterns you use in your work?
A: My friend who worked at the Manitoba Museum gave me a behind-the-scenes view to the pottery and shards from archeological digs here in the province. The artifacts are from the land of my Anishinaabe ancestors. I saw the beauty and simplicity and thought they would be amazing on a pillow, rug or wallpaper.
Q: What is your process for creating the pieces?
A: I enlarge the patterns and repeat them, hand-printing them on linen for tea towels, pillows and quilts at Martha Street Studio. I’ve learned you have to slow down ,or you’ll mess up. It’s important—and welcome—to be able to shut out other distractions to focus on the work and be in the moment.
Q: Why is it important to you to share the patterns and their history?
A: Part of the proceeds from Indigo Arrows support Ka Ni Kanichihk’s Butterfly Club programming and mentorship for Indigenous girls and Two Spirit youth. It’s also an opportunity to bring a beautiful part of my heritage into people’s homes in a way that they can see, touch and understand more about the history here. For my daughters (ages 7 and 8), they will grow up with these pieces being being part of their home.
Q: What
has the response been like to your work?
A: You don’t have to be Indigenous to appreciate a beautiful pillow or understand
the history of the people to enjoy a fresh take on patterns in use 3,000 years
ago. It is part of my history, part of my story that I want to share. I love
hearing the language, even for something simple like when people ask if the
Bezhig tea towels are in stock using their Anishinaabemowin language product
names.
At one of the pop-up sales I was at, a woman approached me to give me a sampling of pottery pieces she’d collected along the shorelines where my family is from. The patterns were the same ones found on the some of my pieces.
Q: What is next for Indigo Arrows?
I left my day job two-and-a-half years ago to follow my dream and met so many wonderful makers here. I plan to learn more about textiles and the market for them by attending larger markets and textile shows in Tokyo, New York and Paris to understand the wholesale market. I want to continue to grow here, creating more stock for retail stores.
See more of Indigo Arrows offerings and find out more at indigoarrows.ca.
