2011 Career Fair Art
Maria Livingston
"Fancy Dancer"
I started with the theme (start here go anywhere) and added my personal cultural aspect to that. My older sister Sandra Yellow Horn and I first learnt how to hoop dance together. We performed together for a while, but we don’t anymore because she's going to Trent University right now for her masters degree. Sandra was always a great role model for me to have, she kept hoop dancing and has danced in a lot of places, and she also went to university. Most of my family still lives in northern Alberta and its hard not having family in Lethbridge, so that reinforces the importance of family. I really miss my sister, and this piece shows how important family and having a good role model to look up to is.
The piece “Fancy Dancer” is originally from a set of three paintings, the other two are paintings of a traditional dancer and a jingle dress dancer. Maria looked to strong native women who paved the path for her success when she was in need of motivation. Her family members, community members and native women activists helped Maria keep moving forward when she was struggling in her own life. This painting shows her appreciation for these women and also her love for native dancing.