ME by Michelle Koester
I spent a lot of time thinking about myself and all the words that kept coming to my mind made me think about how they play such a big part in who I am, who I was, and who I want to be. Every word written has been or still is a part of ME, be it how I feel about myself or the effect or meaning of the word or label and its effect in my life.

ME 2 by Michelle Koester
I was having a really bad day and I was hiding in my cell. That’s another part of me, one that most people don’t know and don’t see. While I don’t want to be seen on bad days, it’s not just because it’s uncomfortable for me. It’s uncomfortable for the people around me. So, this piece is a part of the whole that is me.

Dream Catcher by M.G.
I thought it would look good in a dreamcatcher. And it does. I learned macrame in 1977.

God in Your Heart by M.G.
Sister Mary Jo Copeland. Because she has God in her heart. I’m the only one I know that makes this item. I thank Sister Mary Jo Copeland for everything she does.

I Am by MJ

My culture and how being an Ojibwe woman makes me proud. How I feel my heritage deep inside my soul. I may not know as much as I should about my culture, but I feel it in my heart and everyday life.

Brick by Brick by Noella May
Minneapolis has been through many devastating events. That has taken a toll on the city itself and my hope for restoration is for it to be built back up “Brick by Brick” with love.

I Am Who I Say I Am by Noella May
No longer do I explain who I am or what I want out of life.
I Am Who I Say I Am!

Top of the World by Robert Wilder
My love for animals. The ram, so majestic
and patient is literally on top
of the world. To sit on the side of a
mountain and enjoy such a view must
be what heaven is like.

Shades of Somber by Roberto Lopez-Rios
Turmoil and unexpected turns of events darken the colors of light of hope within our souls. The opportunity for growth
can shed the weight of the most somber shades and result in a person’s elevation of consciousness.

Side one: Day of the Dead Theme.
Side two: A drawing I converted into beadwork
By Ryan Smith

Basically I wanted to challenge myself with art and beadwork. I took one of my drawings and turned it into a bead pattern. Challenging myself is my inspiration for all my art work, whether it be painting, drawing or bead work.

The World is Yours by Scott Debban … The movie Scarface. “The world is yours.” This can become TRUE, even for the man or woman serving
time in prison.

Wild by Shane Spicer … Wild freedom, the ability to be free and also the beauty horses possess. I drew this from a photograph in a magazine. When I saw it, I immediately wanted to transform them into native war horses because the native culture respected their horses and the freedom they possessed. They didn’t use saddles nor ropes to control the horse, they used the bond between them as a companion.

Alone in the Woods by Toby E. Johnson … This picture was painted as it reminds me of myself as a boy. There is a freedom to be found in the woods. The Wolf here seems to have found a place of refuge nestled between the trees - and in that, it almost seems to smile. While some may see it as being alone, it has found solace in all of the beauty & splendor that is Mother Nature. If not in the woods, I hope we can all seek a place that brings that internal peace.

Never Alone by Toby E. Johnson … This piece came to me in a dream. It really symbolizes the cycle of life. The eagles flying in the sky symbolizes the physical, everyday moments. Their ancestors’ Spirit screams to them, and yet they do not recognize it. Thinking they are merely flying amongst the clouds. The eagle getting the fish is a continual cycle - some things dying for other things to live. We are left with the physical, spiritual, unknown (the High Silhouette) and finally the continuum of life. We truly are never alone.

Androgyny Not an Anomaly Tropical Fish by Zhi Kai H. Vanderford … If the males of some species of tropical fish are killed or die from old age, a female turns into a male and takes its place in the harem. This drawing was a commercially acceptable way to express my identity

Multiple Choice, Still None of the Above - Female Released From Male by Zhi Kai H. Vanderford … We do not choose to be born, our circumstances are a crapshoot. My heart has ruled my reason and I am a work in progress. As a transmale, the female body I was in, is released as a memory. I am a humbled male which emerges strong but with a world of history to carry and face. I dream of seeing the beauty of day and night
beyond my stream of tears.

Fallen Angel by Jennifer Marx … I painted this piece because my whole life I felt like I came from somewhere else, like I’ve never belonged. I am half light and half dark. I look up at the stars and feel more at home than I’ve ever felt here on earth. I try my best to be good, but I have this fire burning inside me, this rage, deep inside. I have learned how to keep it at bay, but I can’t be who I am, I don’t fit in if I’m being myself. I am an angel that had her wing taken away for rebelling... I’m cursed, angry, tortured, haunted by my past and am struggling to redeem myself.

Two Spirit by Lux Thunberg … The inspiration was the theme for this art cycle. It felt like a chance to create a piece in a way I wish to be seen, not as a woman or a man, but a human being. An enigma, someone who is not easily understood or doesn’t fit into boxes, really.

Continuum by Lux Thunberg … When I think of all the different components of one’s self, it’s continuous. We never stop shedding layers, or breaking chains. Sometimes we need our masks to cover the truth. Sky’s the limit. And it doesn’t matter how much time it takes to reach it.

Prince by APOTHEOSIS … My inspiration for this piece was the before of Prince from years ago, black and white, nostalgic and from another lifetime. The “before” of his life.