Melissa Peter-Paul

Melissa Peter-Paul is a Mi'kmaw artist from Abegweit First Nation,^[1][2] Epekwitk/Prince Edward Island. Her work is primarily Mi'kmaq quillwork, and utilizes porcupine quills, along with birch bark, sweet grass, and spruce root.^[2][3][4] She has won multiple awards for her work, which has been featured in group exhibitions in Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and Maine, as well as publications.^[1][5][6] In addition to her quillwork, Peter-Paul has designed a crosswalk in Charlottetown.^[3] In 2019, the city was also the location of her first solo exhibition.^[4]

Peter-Paul lives on Epekwitk, with her two sons.^[1][4]

Background

Quillwork is a traditional Mi'kmaq craft, but is no longer commonly practised.^[4][7] Peter-Paul's great-great-grandmother was a quiller, and examples of her work can be found in the Nova Scotia Archives.^[4] Peter-Paul was first introduced to the craft by her cousin.^[4] Additionally, her parents help her harvest ingredients for her work.^[2][6]

Peter-Paul considers her work a revival of the art form, as well as carrying on her family tradition.^[4][2] She has stated, "The ancestors' presence when I do quillwork is so strong and I really feed off of it",^[4] as well as that it is "integral" to her identity as a Mi'kmaw person.^[4] She is a founding member of The Quill Sisters, "a community of skilled quill workers on Epekwitk that seeks to revitalize the traditional art form through collaborative projects".^[6]

Awards

• Atlantic Indigenous Artist Award, 2023^[2][5]
• The Leo Chevierie Cultural Connector of the Year Award, 2023^[5][8]