Around 13 years ago, Indigenous artist Jamie Gentry recalls the moment she first started dabbling in the art of moccasin-making. At the time, Gentry was intrigued by the traditional footwear found in her own culture, which are typically made of soft hides, and historically worn for everything from hunting to powwow ceremonies. She decided to attend a workshop offered by the T’sou-ke Nation in British Columbia, Canada to learn even more about them. “From the very first day, something shifted,” recalls Gentry. “It felt as though I had found a path that had been waiting for me. What began as learning technique quickly became something much deeper–a relationship with the work, culture, patience, and myself. I have been creating ever since.”
These days, the artist—who is a member of the Kwakwaka wakw Nation—is now one of the most well-known moccasin-makers across Indian Country. The artist is based out of her studio in East Sooke, located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, where Gentry creates all of her moccasin styles by hand. Sometimes they are adorned with fur or colorful beadwork, and they always draw inspiration from her setting’s picturesque surroundings. “Nature is not just my backdrop—it is an active presence in my practice,” says Gentry. “The quiet, the stillness, the seasons. . . They all help shape the pace and spirit of my work.”
This month, Gentry’s distinctive work is also the subject of a new art exhibition at the Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art in Vancouver. Titled “Blossoming,” the showcase is on view now until May 24, and offers a closer look into Gentry’s intricate designs. “This body of work is deeply personal,” says Gentry. “It represents a little girl who spent much of her life blending into the background, hiding in the shadows—who is now learning to step into the light. To blossom into herself.”
For the show, Gentry created seven new pairs of moccasins—and one face mask—that all revolve around a specific theme of flowers. (Hence, the blossoming title.) “Flowers kept popping into my visions. They were calling to me, asking for my attention,” says Gentry. “Flowers bring so much beauty and joy. I love their soft, fragile strength. They remind me that we can be impactful while being soft and gentle.”
While the artist had a clear theme and direction for her new moccasins, Gentry explored a variety of different materials to help create them. Fittingly, many of the materials she used tie back to organic materials: She wanted to spotlight the beauty that one can find in the natural world. “I worked with commercially tanned Bison hides, home-tanned hides, and furs—primarily fox, with one pair featuring beaver,” says Gentry. “I also incorporated fish skin, abalone, pearl cabochons, Swarovski crystals, 24-karat gold beads, spikes, Vibram soles, and a pair of hand-painted rainbow platforms.”
Beadwork also takes a center focus in many of the new works. Gentry made use of a variety of colorful beads to craft her vibrant floral patterns. “I primarily used Charlotte-cut beads, because of the way they catch and reflect light,” says Gentry. “I love how they twinkle with movement.” One pair even features a pair of fully-beaded butterfly wings—a more avant-garde take on traditional mocs. “That was a new direction for me,” says Gentry, “symbolizing transformation and freedom.”
While her handmade footwear is indeed beautiful to look at, Gentry sees her moccasins as more than just a fashion accessory. The artist sees the pieces as a powerful form of storytelling—not to mention a strong continuation of tradition, and a way to spotlight how Indigenous innovation is evolving forward. “As a member of the Kwakwaka’wakw Nation, our relationship to regalia and adornment is deeply ceremonial, familial, and tied to lineage,” she says. “My work can challenge narrow perceptions of Indigenous design—asserting that it can be luxurious, experimental, intricate, and expansive while remaining rooted in cultural integrity.”
Her new show will undoubtedly introduce her work to a whole new audience, but for Gentry, she simply hopes that viewers will walk away from the exhibition with a sense of uplifting and joy. “I hope this collection plants seeds of beauty, gentleness, and softness that blossom into inspiration for others,” she says. “That it can empower and encourage others to live from their hearts, explore their unique gifts, and the immense beauty they hold within themselves.”
