Meet Mary Monger, the Eeyou Istchee artist and designer behind the Indigo Fox company. Currently living in Montreal, Monger’s artistic journey started in childhood, crafting and creating with her Nuhkum. These early memories of learning to knit, quilt and bead stay close to Monger. Rooted in nature, her creations evoke calm and reflect a commitment to quality and durability.
Nation: Can you recount your journey as an arts and crafts creator, including what inspired you to pursue this path?
MM: I grew up with amazing artists all around me. I’ve been doing arts and crafts since I was a kid. The biggest influences in my artistic journey are the women in my life. My Nuhkum, Mary Herodier Menarick, was always creating. When I was in elementary school, I would go to her house for lunch and after school and she’d be on the couch with her embroidery projects. She’s the one who gifted me my first box of embroidery thread. I remember how I obsessively organized and reorganized the colours until I learned how to embroider.
Nation: So, you learned how to embroider and bead by watching your family members.
MM: My mom, Lillian, would always knit sweaters and my auntie, Ruby, would let me watch as she made quilts. Then when I was old enough, my cousin, Paula [Menarick], taught me how to bead. I also gained a lot of knowledge and skills in my Cree Culture class in elementary and high school.
Nation: I heard that you are planning on doing freelance project management in branding and graphic design?
MM: I decided that I needed to build my traditional and digital artistic skills first before doing freelance project management, illustration and graphic design. Currently I’ve been taking a drawing course for two semesters, and I will be doing an intensive course in graphic design in the spring. In terms of collaboration, I am in discussions with other artists. I am super excited about these upcoming projects, as they will be my first artistic collaboration. I hope to reveal more about this collaborative project within the next year, so stay tuned.
Nation: I love how you use social media to connect people with your projects and communicate your upcoming plans for Indigo Fox. Tell me about the past few years and how your company has evolved.
MM: It brings me so much joy to create. It’s to the point where I never know which project I will want to start next. I follow my heart where it takes me. My artistic journey was rough with a lot of stops and starts over the years. But in August 2020, I set up my Instagram page and began to take my art more seriously. There are so many amazing creators around Turtle Island who inspire me every day and I’m so grateful to be able to connect with other beaders. I know that if I ever travel to different parts of Canada and the US, I’ll be able to meet up with so many people who love to craft as much as I do. That’s an amazing feeling.
Nation: I hear you have quite a following on Instagram.
MM: I am doing an art giveaway in February to celebrate hitting 4,000 followers. People can follow to stay tuned and for a chance to win some of my pieces. Also, if any artists out there want to do an art trade with me, I would love to. Just message me on Instagram and we can connect from there.
Nation: Your pieces showcase a diverse range of artistic skills and mediums. How do you approach the creative process when working on a new project? Are there specific themes, techniques or materials that influence your creations?
MM: I try to evoke a sense of relaxation and calmness with my colour choices. Because everyday life can be so stressful and chaotic, I want my art to help people feel calm. Material choice is also a big factor that I consider when collecting and creating. I try to find the best quality of materials for my crafts. For example, I use only moose hide for flat stitch work and all my metal findings are at least 14k gold-plated. I want to create something that people are proud to have, something that they will take good care of. I want my work to last long enough that people will be able to pass my pieces down from family member to family member.
Nation: You must get attached to some of the pieces you have created. Do you have any favourites?
MM: I always have favourites when I create a collection. I’m always sad to see those go, even though I know that my pieces find good homes. My absolute favourites are those that have a lot of meaning to them. Like the one I created at the beginning of my beading journey. I recreated one of Nuhkum’s embroidery designs but in beads. The beading is a bit messy because I was just starting out, but it holds a special place in my heart because it’s my grandmother’s design. I gave it to my mom.
Nation: Are there any inspirations or everyday occurrences that fuel your creativity? All your pieces have special names and meanings, is there a certain rhyme or rhythm to the way you come up with these intricate patterns and designs?
MM: Most of my work is inspired by nature. I try to see shapes and forms in nature that people don’t usually notice. Like when a lake or puddle freezes over, there are air pockets that get trapped in the ice and you just want to crack the thin ice over the air pocket with your boot.
That’s what inspired my Exhale design. I get a lot of motivation from Instagram. I see all these amazing creators bead beautiful pieces and it gives me the urge to create. But I stay within my own creative space, meaning I create my own designs and don’t copy other people’s work.
The best is when I get to create with other artists in the same room, when everyone’s creativity is flowing and working together. Like when my cousin and aunt are visiting, we can be at the table all day to bead and sew and embroider, while we laugh and share stories with each other. That’s when the best art is created.