APORTA Shop: Tell us a bit about how your art came into fruition. I know you studied Printmaking, amongst other things in college, how did you know/decide that this was the future for you?  

Stella Nall: I have been drawn towards art making for my whole life, my parents are both very creative and I was exposed to all sorts of art growing up with them. The path that I took to get to where I am now is a bit long and winding, though. When I was initially considering careers and applying to colleges, I actually envisioned myself going into fashion design - which feels a little wild to think about now, but I was pretty set on it. At the time, the art which was most influential to me was regalia. My mom is a really talented beadworker and made all of our powwow outfits when I was a kid, and I have always been interested in clothing construction and design. I wanted to make sustainable clothing which incorporated some of my favorite components of contemporary and historical Indigenous fashion (beadwork, elks teeth, jingles, leather, ..!). I was also very interested in creating outdoor apparel and gear, particularly for skiing, climbing and mountain biking, with similar design nods to my culture. I felt a lot of pressure to go out of state for higher education, and applied to Pratt, Parsons and Cornell for fashion, and Colorado State University and Utah State University because of their outdoor apparel design programs. The scholarships that I received for these places were not enough to enable me to go without accruing a frightening amount of debt, so I kind of froze for a bit and didn’t know what to do.  

The summer after high school passed and I had pretty much decided not to go to college, when a friend of my parents who now works making ski backpacks in Bozeman mentioned that she went to the University of Montana for their costume design program, and used the design and construction knowledge from her time there to form her business. I went to Missoula with my mom later that week, and after checking out the costume department I decided to try it. I applied like two weeks before classes started but was able to enroll. Pretty quickly though I realized that the program was not for me, and I ended up being rather miserable. I developed severe anxiety and depression during this time too, and struggled to find a connection to Missoula. After my first year I decided to drop out of school, and moved to Alameda, CA. I was really lucky to land an internship with a textile startup there with some of the most inspiring and kind people I have met, and it changed the whole way that I thought about the world, especially regarding art.  

They were really encouraging and included me in their conversations about their business, and treated me as an equal the whole time - which was so powerful, and helped me to see myself as a capable human. They took my art seriously and I started to for the first time too. We frequently took trips to Oakland, San Francisco, and other neighboring places to see what artists and designers were up to. We went to art museums, pop-ups, studios, and even a graphic design conference that Adobe held. I began creating art in a serious way, and at the end of my time there I felt like a completely different version of myself. I am still so grateful for my time there, it really changed my life I think.  

After a few months though, I realized that I missed the mountains and my family and the friends that I had made in Missoula, and decided to reenroll in school after all - but this time in art, psychology, and creative writing classes. It was a completely different experience. I still struggled with mental health, but it was more manageable because I was doing what I loved and had tools to help me through it. I felt connected to the faculty and peers, and the art community of Missoula. I was given my first mural opportunity through the art school, and fell in love with painting on a large scale. I met the friends who are now my bandmates in CryBaby, and became involved in the Indigenous community in Missoula. I started working at Clyde Coffee, where my coworkers became very good pals, and the manager and owner were incredibly supportive of my art and gave me opportunities to show it there. They encouraged me to have music shows, art pop-ups, and to do creative projects for the business. I felt really safe to show my work there because I was surrounded by supportive people who care about me, and after that I started showing my work at other businesses for first Friday events.  

I also did an internship with the Radius Gallery, and that experience was very formative for me too. The owners were incredibly kind and answered my questions about artist gallery relationships and what it could look like to be a working artist. I learned how to document artwork properly with them, how to keep an inventory, price work, safely ship it, and so many more things that I think really have helped me get started with my career.  

The last big thing that I can think of which felt like it solidified the possibility of really working as an artist for me was a residency that I completed through Open A.I.R. at Home ReSource. They provided me with support, the materials of my dreams, and a great place to work. The other artists in residence ranged from established artists, to other people like me who were just starting out. The experience was really eye opening, and the conversations that I had / connections I made there really helped me to take myself seriously as an artist! After the residency was completed I was invited to join the Western Montana Creative Initiative’s Indigenous Art Advisory Committee, which I am currently part of and so excited about. I am also now working with the Art Mobile of Montana, which feels awesome for similar reasons.

AS: What designers and/or artists have inspired you historically? Recently?

Stella answered this question beautifully and gave us an absolutely incredible list of local and far away artists that have inspired her throughout her life. I have done my best to compile their websites or Instagram pages and I highly encourage you to look through them as they are all incredibly talented.

SN: Magda Boreysza, Jon Carling, Ishii Nobuo, Michelle Summers, Erica Lord, Adara Sanchez, Ellen Von Weigand, James Black (Black Marrow Tattoo), Courtney Hassmann, Anastassia Zamaraeva, Elizabeth Jean Younce, Julie Buffalohead, Molly Murphy Adams, Courtney Blazon, Doug Turman, Kenzie Olson, Jules Lucero, Mary Leona, John Isaiah Pepion, Bear Fox Chalk, Christa Carleton, Jeffrey Gibson, Raven Clark, Sarah Conti, Joshua Bacha, Chien Nie, Charlie Draws Carrots, Anita Moore-Nall (my mum), Abby French, Mary Ann Testagrossa, Daphne Sweet, Agnes Cecile, Aubrey Pongulelert, Monica BringsYellow (APORTA Shop Featured Artist), Steve Krutek, Dayna Danger, Crystal Moery, Beth Lo, Jason Clark, Rose Greenberg, Stephanie Dishno, Bruce Kitts, Mirtle Makes, Krissy Ramirez, Jim Bailey, Andra Jenko, Salisha Old Bull, Lady Pajama, Christine Sutton, Jo Big Mountain, Jamie Okuma, Alasdair Lion, Kammi Pilati, Rio Weber, Cathy Weber, Michelle Louis, Cassie Loretta Smith, Barbara Kuebel, Barro Alto, Elisa Uberti, Cooper Malin, Molly Rivera, Sukha Worob, Lane Chapman, Brooke Armstrong, Mimi Matsuda, Be Thunder Creations, Trey Hill, Anomal Press (Sold at APORTA Shop), Drake Gerber, Ootsipskii Pikuni Boy, Haypeep, Ashe Walker, Michelle Postma, Dani Clauson, John Buck, Jessica Roux, DG House, Elias Jade Not Afraid, Adrian Arleo, Two Hold Studios, Julie Harbers, B. Yellowtail, Ben Pease, Studio Mano, Beyond Buckskin, John Casey, Reinaldo Gil Zambrano, Sunshine Cobb, Thundercliffe Press, Brad Allen, Elizabeth Dove, Catheryn Mallory, Jennifer Comb, Theo Ellsworth, Nicholas Galanin, John Murie, Juane Quick-To-See Smith, Nancy Erickson, lots of others too !! ! !! :-)

AS: How do you feel that Covid-19 has impacted your practice? Have there been any upsides?  

SN: Covid has been difficult in a lot of ways, but it actually has been pretty beneficial for my work. Being forced to minimize social interactions left me with lots of time for the studio. My day job shut down for the pandemic, and is still closed for renovations, so I have for the first time experienced working full time as an artist. I am not sure I would have been brave enough to make the leap yet on my own, but working full time on creative projects has been going well so far, and I am grateful that I am able to do it!

"I think that sometimes when people think of Indigenous art they think of it as dated or something of the past, but that isn’t true."

AS: Your art is so modern, but has a sense of nostalgia as well. How do you balance your ancestral background with your connection to the modern art aesthetic?

SN: Some of my work draws from techniques and knowledge from my culture, and some of it I developed based on aesthetics or to speak to my own experiences. I am Indigenous, but I am also living and working today and exposed to modern art in the same ways that other artists are. I think that sometimes when people think of Indigenous art they think of it as dated or something of the past, but that isn’t true. Artists practicing traditional art today should be seen as contemporary, they are living and making work today. Knowledge from my ancestors and our traditions inform my work, but I also have a degree in fine art, and the knowledge and experiences from my time in higher education are equally influential I bet.  

Most of my work is not what would be considered traditional to my tribes, but I do incorporate some imagery and techniques from my culture, such as beadwork and elk’s teeth. For example, I often combine beadwork or other culturally significant processes with two dimensional forms of art-making that I learned elsewhere, such as printmaking, painting and illustration. By tying traditional processes and aesthetics to techniques that the viewer may already be familiar with, I hope to expand the amount of people who are interested in engaging with Indigenous art forms. I also hope that this work will challenge the existing stereotypes and expectations that the viewer may hold regarding what Indigenous art should look like, and help foster the understanding that Indigenous art is contemporary art.

Reflections, 2021 (example of beadwork on illustration)

AS: How are you practicing sustainability in your work?  

SN: I try to limit the amount of new materials that I purchase for my work, and whenever possible I use recycled or found objects. I try not to throw away pieces that I see as mistakes, and rather paint over them or deconstruct and reconstruct them into something new. Home ReSource is a great source for finding materials for my projects - most of the wooden panels that I use are made from donated hollow doors from there! I also often use scrap wood that is discarded from hardware stores or construction sites (with permission from these places of course!). I am always experimenting with new processes and surfaces to try to find more conscious ways of creating. An idea that I have been thinking about lately is to take apart the wooden delivery pallets that are left behind grocers and restaurants, and stretch canvas over them to create a surface. I am excited to try it out!

Two Heads are Better Than One, 2020 (example of sustainable painting, using donated house paint and a wooden door from Home ReSource)

SN: My background in psychology is more apparent in some bodies of work than others. I think it is particularly evident in my large scale abstract paintings. I’ve started referring to them as ‘process paintings’ because they act as a venue for me to work through my feelings. Each of these pieces stems from an experience, emotion or impactful time in my life. I begin by thinking of the very first memory of the matter, and then work forward through all of the thoughts, recollections and emotions up until the present. I work on a given piece until I feel as though I have thought all there is to think about it, or at least until I have found some sort of peace within myself about it. When I first started making these pieces I viewed them through the psychoanalytic theory as a form of sublimation. I initially thought of them as a way to disappear my emotional pain. They can still be viewed through this lens, but I now see them a bit differently. Rather than to dissipate anxieties and sorrows, I look at these paintings as a way to enflesh them into something that I can see and touch. By giving body to difficult emotions, they become more tangible, and as such are easier for me to understand.

Confections, Lies, 2020 (example of ‘process painting’)

I think that art has helped me to understand psychology better on an individual level, and it is definitely integral to my self care and managing mental illness, but I am not sure that it has significantly affected my nomothetic understanding of the field.

AS: What do you think the future of Native art looks like in Missoula? What has your experience been like in the changing demographics and culture of Missoula over the past few years?

SN: There are a lot of great efforts in the community geared towards building a more accepting future for Indigenous artists and I am excited to see them take off! The Missoula Art Museum has a gallery space dedicated to showing the work of contemporary Native artists. The Western Montana Creative Initiative has developed an Indigenous Arts Advisory Committee to advocate for and facilitate opportunities for Indigenous artists, which I am really excited to be a member of - I think great things are coming. Open A.I.R. has inclusive residency programs and does a lot to support Native Artists. Matrix Press, run by Jim Bailey at the University of Montana, brings in nationally and internationally known artists to produce limited edition prints in collaboration with students and printmaking faculty, many of which are Indigenous artists. The University of Montana’s art program offers awesome classes on historical and contemporary Native American Art taught by knowledgeable Indigenous faculty, and the Montana Museum of Art and Culture does a lot to support Native artists too. The YWCA just had an art call for their new space which prioritized submissions by Indigenous artists. The ZACC and the Radius gallery are awesome too, both places frequently show contemporary Native work and are knowledgeable and inclusive in their practices. I haven’t lived in Missoula long enough to speak to the changing demographics, but I have felt very uplifted by the art community in my time here so far, and hope that the future of the art scene will continue making progress and supporting Indigenous artists

AS: What’s been something you’ve been incredibly proud of in the last year? Gotta have a little good with your pandemic, ya know! 

SN: Two of my pieces were purchased for permanent collections in museums, and I had my poetry published for the first time! :-) I was also really excited / proud of working with you on the land acknowledgement for APORTA, thank you! 

Photography by @artofeuphoria__ worn by @linda__pappa.

AS: What designers and/or artists have inspired you historically? Recently?

"What is also important is that as individuals and consumers, we choose the material things we acquire carefully; selecting items that we know we will use and love, that will add value to our lives."

Photo credit: DAIYO

AS: What has been the response to your collection of goods in the US market? Do you think that they have had a positive reception?

"I am a kind of bridge between the world of design/beauty and the business domain."

Pictured left: Takuya Matsuo Photo credit: DAIYO

AS: What are your goals for the future of IFJ Tradings?

APORTA Shop: I’m so curious about how the different places you’ve lived have impacted your work. I know you recently moved back to Washington, a much wetter climate than Albuquerque, do you feel that your work changes or adapts to the places you live? Do you feel that your connection to the work changes with your physical location?

Arianna Lauren: I have always been nomadic, my business and I have learned to thrive when faced with any type of change. So with my most recent move back to the PNW from the SW, I got the chance to purge and make room for new amazing opportunities. It was the perfect time to reassess all my assets, inventory, and just get organized. To some that might not be ideal, I mean, who enjoys going through everything they own to make sure it has a place in their life? Since I live and work from home, moving gave me a huge perspective on what spaces and lack thereof that I could adapt to. The PNW is great for access to my plant medicines but affordability & weather wise, Albuquerque gives me so much more to work with. Unfortunately, it took me moving back up here to see the full potential of Albuquerque so it's very likely I'll be moving back very soon.

AS: What designers and/or artists have inspired you historically? Recently?

"I try to walk this earth with a good heart and good mind, as my ancestors did."

AS: How do you feel that Covid-19 has impacted your practice? Have there been any upsides?

AL: Covid-19 impacted me in so many dynamic ways it's hard to focus on just one. First off, it changed how I interact with clients and customers. I used to be so deeply invested in community events including pow-wows, makers markets, and bazaars. Now I have to reach that audience through social media and online campaigns, if it is at all possible. I did lose a huge percentage of my income because I was no longer able to do retail events and since a lot of my wholesale accounts had to close their doors. It saddens me that so many people had to find other means to survive. Although I lost that income, I found alternative routes to make my ends meet, merchandise being one of them. At the end of the day I am very grateful for my supportive clientele & community.

AS: If you’re comfortable sharing with us and our readers, what are some of the most important and valuable lessons that your elders have shared with you that you have incorporated into your business?

AL: My elders have shared so much valuable knowledge with me in my short lifetime but the teaching that stood out to me the most is remaining honest & authentic. I try to walk this earth with a good heart and good mind, as my ancestors did. That means I have to think of my impact on my nation, my followers, and the planet. I am very transparent with my journey as a business owner as well as a Native woman. This has allowed me to offer medicines through my brand that teach and inspire others to think constructively about their own impacts. The best part about Elder wisdom is that one teaching can't be reduced to a singular subject. When you're truly listening to them, their knowledge transcends.

AS: How are you practicing sustainability in your work? I know you use a lot of a native plants in your goods, I’d love to hear more about your work with them. 

AL: When I spoke of my elders’ teachings, I mentioned walking this world with a good heart and good mind. I try to live and die by that. As a business owner that creates a wide range of products, I try to be mindful of how much waste and pollution I am generating. I try to use the least impactful methods, packaging, and energy that I can but that usually comes at a cost to the consumer. That means I have to put in extra time educating my customers about the value of their purchase. A lot of my skincare ingredients are wildcraft harvested and the products come in glass or aluminum versus plastic. To me that seemed like the smartest choice for sustainability but as I grow I know it needs to go beyond that. I use renewable energy within my home, I source packing & ingredients from local businesses (when possible of course), I only use paper products when packing & shipping orders, and I am working on a refill program to encourage folks to re-use their current vessels. I also don't offer products that use the traditional plant medicines if that medicine has been over harvested or is out of season. The last thing I want to do is exploit the very plants that have sustained my career and lifestyle. 

AS: What is a social issue/cause that is near and dear to you and your work?

AL: As a Native woman who also happens to be queer, it feels like I’m impacted by all social issues especially those related to mother earth and her inhabitants. I don't think I could choose just one that I focus on more than the others. However over the last year or so, Black Lives Matter & Stop Asian Hate have opened  my eyes to the injustices that my friends face on the daily and have pushed me to use my platform to support them the same way they did during Standing Rock & Idle No More. The biggest blessing in all of this is our interconnectedness and kinship. The BIPOC has been through hell & back but we manage to remain resilient with the support of each other.

AS: What’s been something you’ve been incredibly proud of in the last year?

AL: This last year really changed my life. Again with all the movement happening in the BIPOC community, I learned to mobilize and be of service. My 30th birthday was spent in Vancouver, BC holding space at a blockade. I used my physical body & social platforms to raise awareness & funds. I also did what I could to amplify the voices of the land defenders when so many were shadow banned or silenced by the RCMP. I didn't know that just a few months later, in the middle of a pandemic, I would be marching & volunteering with thousands of people in Albuquerque, NM for the BLM. I look at these events as a monumental time in my life because it was the first time I was really intentional with my voice on social media. It seems heavy in perspective but at the time it was more than necessary.

AS: Give us a little background about how you started MQuan Studios and how you started your brand?

MQ: I don’t really think of my work as a ‘brand’. Not sure why. I get the idea, but it just doesn’t ring true to who I am and how I feel about what I do.  Summer of 2003 I left my jewelry company of twelve years and gave birth to my daughter in November. Two years later, wracked with what to do next in my life I decided to take a ceramics class. Just to start working with my hands and get some flow going.  Well, the ceramic bug got me and one class lead to 2, then 3 and then to renting a studio in Williamsburg Brooklyn. I called it Macho Studios. No heat or AC, water downstairs, a stinky forklift always running, a kiln that would stall near the end and take at least 4 hours too many to get to temperature. I was there for fours year and loved it. The second studio, which I am still in till the end of 2021, I named Princess Studios because it had heat, AC, drain in the floor to hose down all the clay dust, beautiful light and is in a quiet residential neighborhood. And the kiln fires off by 7 or 8pm. Sweetness.  Now, I’m transitioning to my studio upstate NY which is a dream come true. Sometime in 2001 I had worked with a life coach and dreamt of making ceramics in the country with a garden, compost, and trees. It was one of those if you could do anything, bar nothing exercises solely based on a daydream from a single throwing class I took in 1991.

AS: What designers and/or artists have inspired you historically? Recently?

MQ: I cannot narrow that down, but I recently watched a documentary called Leaning into the wind about Andy Goldsworthy, and the documentary Pina by Wim Wenders.  Both beautiful and inspiring.

"Covid has magnified the appreciation of community that I feel."

AS: How do you feel that Covid-19 has impacted your practice? Have there been any upsides? How do you think the world of small business/hand crafted goods has been altered?

MQ: My 3-year upstate NY studio plan morphed into a 3-month plan. Covid caused me to re- evaluate how & what I make, limited by how I can NOT make things during these times. I’ve always given my limitations their respect and due, embraced them. In my work limitations are a part of what I make and keep me focused. But this is a whole new set of limitations. 2020 was terrifying and illuminating. The world is in a huge very loud flux. So much to confront, and we cannot look away anymore. Not from ourselves or from the world. Deeply rooted racism, the destruction of our natural planet, our crumbling infrastructure, the baselessness of our economy. I could wax on. Covid has magnified the appreciation of community that I feel.

AS: How are you practicing sustainability in your work?

MQ: I’ve always used starch peanuts but hated my dependency on packing with bubble wrap. A couple of years ago, I made a commitment to use as little bubble wrap as I could. I was afraid to try something else. Shipping ceramics is not easy. I switched to corrugated cardboard and I’m proud to say I use 90% less bubble wrap than I did 2 years ago. I also take bisqueware that is not perfect and stamp it ‘MQ No Waste’, paint it, fire it and offer it at a lower price. Once clay turns into bisqueware, it’s on the earth for the long haul. So I hated throwing it in the dumpster.

AS: What is a social issue/cause that is near and dear to you and your work?

MQ: Homelessness, hunger, racism, taking care of our elders, animal cruelty, the environment. But not just these. All of them.

AS: Interconnection is an integral part of your work and something that you return to often. How has Covid changed your understanding and definition of the word? How has that impacted your craft and your relationship with your work?

MQ: Community feels ever present.

AS: Is there a particular form or image that you’ve been drawn to lately?

MQ: The Spiral and the Black Snake. Rocks and more rocks.

AS: What’s been something you’ve been incredibly proud of in the last year? Gotta have a little good with your pandemic, ya know!

MQ: I’m grateful and honored to have been able to raise money and bring any kind of awareness to help others in need with the work that I love to make. 

 There have been, and will continue to be, many nights where I choose TV instead of working on any of my projects. With the winter months making their way in, many of us will be spending a lot more time inside, which means we’ll all have more time to work on our creative endeavors. This can feel daunting. This can feel exhausting. This can even feel terrifying. But fear not, we are here to help you create a space where you and your creativity can flourish!

I like to ground my creative practice in routine; this helps me feel at peace and creates an environment that doesn’t feel stressful. My practice starts with coffee. I make a big French press every morning to slowly chip away at throughout the day. My favorite coffee mug at the moment is the OMO handmade tumbler in marigold, it’s the perfect size for every situation.

The next step is candles. I love a good candle, who doesn’t? I keep a few burning throughout the day to create a blend of scents that help keep me present while creating. It’s so easy to get lost in my head, worrying about whatever is happening in the world around me, but I find that the scents I choose to burn keep me grounded and in the moment. I’m currently burning Smoky Cinnamon Special from P.F Candle Co and Red Fern from Wax Buffalo.

I’m a big believer in the idea of morning pages, but not so much a fan of the actual morning. I find that my creative juices flow best in the afternoon, so I have adopted afternoon pages. Morning pages is a technique practiced by many writers and creatives where you are encouraged to write three pages, front and back, full of anything you think of. You don’t have to overthink morning pages, it’s a space to get your thoughts and feelings out and down on the page.

“Morning pages are not art; they are not an outcome- they are part of a process of creative recovery.” (Julia Cameron)

I’ve taken this idea and morphed it a little bit to fit my practice better. I light a Japanese rice candle from Warousoku Daiyo and write until it is finished burning. These candles are the perfect tool for journaling, sketching, morning, or afternoon pages, whatever you need to get your juices flowing! I like to use these candles because they’re odorless, smokeless, and they self-extinguish which is perfect if I get wrapped up in an idea and I don’t want to stop. It’s also nice to not need my phone for a timer because I’m so much less likely to look at it and become absorbed in something else.

These are just a few tips and tricks to get you started on your creative journey.