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 Jean Marie River elder Sarah Hardisty accepts her honourary fine arts certificate from Earl Jacobson, chairperson of the Aurora College board of governors, at a convocation ceremony in Fort Smith on April 24. She was nominated for the award by Fort Simpson's Barb Tsetso. - photo courtesy of Tim Gauthier/Aurora College |
Although she had little in the way formal schooling, Hardisty has passed on beading, quilling, tanning and sewing skills to countless others over the past half century.
Her work has been displayed at the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre in Yellowknife, at the Canadian Museum of Civilization in Ottawa and in and other museums and private collections in North America and Europe.
Fittingly, Hardisty, a life-long Jean Marie River resident, was recognized by Aurora College with an honourary diploma in fine arts on April 24. Margaret Thom, of Fort Providence, was on hand to translate Hardisty's Slavey speech into English at the graduation ceremony in Fort Smith.
Thom said Hardisty emphasized the importance of formal education in today's world. She recalled that she sewed often to make money to raise her children, as her husband died while they were young.
"She sewed just out of basic necessity and now it's turned into the most beautiful art," Thom said.
Suzan Marie, a long-time supporter of aboriginal arts and crafts, offered her endorsement of Hardisty for the honourary distinction. Marie wrote the following:
"I have known Sarah for about 10 years and she is not only my hero but my teacher. She is admired and respected by all who meet her for the way she shares her love of Dene culture through the art of quilling and tanning the traditional way."
Hardisty has admirers in her home community of Jean Marie River, too, of course.
Erma Norwegian said she can remember back in the late 1970s when she was attending Louie Norwegian school, Hardisty would come in and show the students how to do quill work and bead work.
"She puts a lot behind it. She's really patient with it, she wants it perfect," Norwegian said. "The way I've seen her do it, I never saw anybody (else) do it like that."
Medina Norwegian, who learned from Hardisty how to sew slippers and decorate with quills, echoed those sentiments.
"She's real good with the quills," she said.
