The Story of Dragonfly

I have often explored how life shapes art, reflecting on how our lived experiences provide the seeds for new work, often in the most diminutive and uncanny ways. My unlikely award-winning piece, Dragonfly, is a direct result of this—a creation born from my time in tribal leadership in 2025.

When 2026 began, I was immediately thrust back into the world of clay. I sighed with relief at first, realizing my former appointment would no longer require my urgent attention. Yet, as I settled back into the studio, I realized my creative consciousness was still occupied by the weight of my past service. I kept reflecting on the nature of leadership at that level: we are truly seen as symbolic figures by our people. We represent hope, communicate news, mediate, and solve problems. How one manages those responsibilities depends largely on their own personal traits, abilities, and heart.

To lead is to carry the lineage of all those who served before us. Their wisdom, insight, and spirit of leadership are physically held within the canes of power we possess during our service. They represent the highest expectations to behold; I took that weight with the utmost respect and conducted myself accordingly, not realizing how deeply it had settled into my hands until I began to work again creatively…

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