About

Shé:kon,

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I am Indigenous, a member of the Mohawk Nation of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy.  Throughout my life, I have carried a deep respect for nature and a profound appreciation for the world around us.

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In December 2017, I suffered a life-altering stroke.  While I lay in a coma, my family was told there were only two likely outcomes: either I would not survive, or I would spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair requiring 24-hour care.  I am deeply grateful that neither became my reality.

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After eventually waking from the coma and leaving the hospital in a wheelchair, I began the long journey of recovery.  Today, I am fully mobile and aware, although I continue to live with significant memory and related challenges resulting from the stroke.

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To help manage my memory difficulties, I began taking photographs every day.  Photography became a way for me to remember where I had been and what I had experienced.  Around 2020, an educator from my community, aware that I was recovering and spending much of my time isolated at home, encouraged me to attend a workshop on website creation being offered on the reserve.  During the course, participants had to develop a website, so I decided to base mine on photography, utilizing the photographic images I had been creating.

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When the website was completed, and I shared my story, the instructor and several participants remarked that they thought that I was already a practicing photographer based on my images.  Their encouragement inspired me to pursue photography more seriously and to dedicate myself to learning the craft.

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With support from the Ontario Arts Council and the guidance of professional photographer Deborah Samuel, who generously mentored me during my early years, I have been able to develop my technical skills and artistic vision. Although I still rely on camera manuals and personal notes daily because of my memory challenges, I am grateful and proud for how far I have come.

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Over the years, my photographic interests have expanded beyond the natural world.  While nature remains an important focus, I now also explore themes connected to Indigenous culture, identity, aspects of our shared story here on Turtle Island, and historic European lands.  Nearly all of the images featured on this website were created within the past three to five years.  Many are accompanied by meaningful quotations from respected historical figures and notable personalities.

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In 2024 and 2025, I was invited to present a selection of my images in solo exhibitions here in Canada, and in Poland and Latvia.  I am hopeful that more opportunities to share my images become available in the future.

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Since surviving this health event, I have developed an even deeper appreciation for life and for the beauty that exists all around us.  I am grateful for the experiences that have shaped me, and I look forward to the challenges and opportunities that the days ahead may bring.

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Nia:wen,