Poitras, Jane Ash Mixed Media Painting On canvas “Sacred Words”

Jane Ash Poitras’ “Sacred Words”  is a compelling mixed media work that weaves together layers of archival photography, vivid color, and handwritten text to explore themes of Indigenous identity, memory, and cultural reclamation. A powerful black-and-white portrait of two Indigenous figures draped in traditional blankets—framed by bold color fields and surrounded by historical images, Cree syllabics, and symbolic marks. Across the canvas, Poitras intersperses emotionally charged phrases such as “VISIONARY,” “TE AMOR,” “MI CASA,” “Te quiero,” and “Indians gave birth to this spot and take it back.” These multilingual declarations evoke love, loss, resistance, and belonging, tying personal narratives to a broader cultural legacy. Other visual elements—such as a polar bear atop a collage of elders, postage stamps, and a lone figure walking a stone path—create a dreamlike timeline that merges personal memory with political commentary. Jane’s use of vibrant reds, deep blues, and yellows intensifies the emotional resonance, drawing viewers into a space where past and present coexist.