Circles is an exploration of my matriarchal relationships and the intersecting, overlapping stories that shape us. Circles is grounded in the Cree teaching of closing circles after opening them and using this concept as a practical and spiritual practice for balance and peace; reflecting on universal questions of where we come from and where we will go after this life
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Director Biography - Sarah HouleSarah Houle is an artist and performer from Paddle Prairie Métis Settlement in Northern Alberta. Her practice is collaborative and time based, evolving from personal mythology, familial roots, and material exploration to encompass animation, installation, filmmaking, digital media, sound, and community mentorship. Despite wide material interests, a clear aesthetic thread follows her practice. Sarah’s bold, pastel colours and floral motifs reference Metis beadwork. Recurring characters of the Shapeshifter, Bird Boy, and the Little People haunt her projects, flickering in and out of view across mediums. Sarah makes her home in Mohkinstsis/Calgary, but family – near and far – is integral to her process, both as subjects and collaborators. Her sons, nieces, and partner join in various works. She draws from ancestry and creates in community, never alone as she explores secret worlds, hiding in plain sight.
Sarah attended Nova Scotia College of Art and Design, and graduated from Alberta University of the Arts in 2007. Her work has screened and exhibited across Canada, including ImagineNative Film Festival (Toronto), Asinabke Film Festival (Ottawa), AKA Artist Run Centre (Saskatoon), dc3 Art Projects / Ociciwan (Edmonton), Calgary International Film Festival, and Contemporary Calgary. In 2019, she was an Artist-in-Residence for Indigenous Placemaking at the Calgary Public Library, developing Flowers for My Ancestors, a project honouring the Metis story of her great-grandparents. She is a founding member of celebrated experimental rock band, Ghostkeeper, and has performed extensively for audiences ranging from Sled Island Festival, to a live broadcasts on APTN (Aboriginal Peoples Television Network). In 2020, Sarah Houle and her partner, Shane Ghostkeeper, established a collaborative project called Cîpayak ᒌᐸᕀ, developing multimedia installations and performances. |