Akwesasne Cultural Center Art Gallery Features Iakonikonriiosta

The Akwesasne Cultural Center Art Gallery – Artist of the Month is Iakonikonriiosta – a master quilter whose work is featured throughout the North Country.

In an impromptu artists talk, Iakonikonriiosta discussed how creating quilts play a role in preserving our history, our stories, and our traditions. Her quilts express her own personal experiences and that of her family's personal history and the stories of Akwesasne.

Her quilts convey a deep tie to our environment, highlighting our local water ways, our lands and their terrains – and her reverence and gratitude for our world. Iakonikonriiosta sews, weaves and pieces together our culture and traditions into every quilt she creates. Her quilts have been used to educate others about our Haudenosaunee lifestyle culture with each quilt telling their own story.

Iakonikonriiosta began quilting when her children entered the Akwesasne Freedom School saying, "The only reason I quilted it at all was because Tommy Porter said that all the AFS parents had to make a quilt. So, you could hire somebody – and me and Richard had lots of kids who didn't have lots of money. It was like - you've got to make it! So, the first quilt I made was for the Freedom School Quilt Auction. And I didn't finish it on time! I showed up at the school and only had the top pieced together. And somebody there bid on it, and they really liked it. So, we finished it up. And that's why I volunteer to make quilts for to auctions and community fundraising.

She added, "It's just fun to make quilts. Anyway, that's why. My daughters sew - Tara worked at the Freedom School and same thing - she needed to make quilts and now she makes lots of quilts. She does all kinds of sewing and people in Six Nations don't quilt and so she's been teaching people.

She shared some of the challenges of teaching quilting classes, including catering to different learning styles and keeping students engaged.

She said, "My daughters quilt. Iaonhawinon started quilting and she's doing some really nice stuff. And Ienonhkwatsheriiosta likes to sew. So, it's just a way that I can talk with them. My granddaughters also sew and have made smaller quilts.

Some of her quilts feature beading to make a certain portion of her quilt stand out –

Iakonikonriiosta' niece beaded on one quilt to enhance and accentuate the mist of the river.

Iakonikonriiosta' quilts will be on display at the Akwesasne Cultural Center Art Gallery until Friday, June 28th.

In July, the Akwesasne Cultural Center Art Gallery will feature award winning artworks from the Akwesasne Art Market and Juried Show taking place on Saturday, July 6, 2024, at Generations Park.