Biography
Tanisi/Boozhoo/Oki/Hello! My spirit name is White Thunderbird Woman, and my given name is
Tayler Schenkeveld. I was raised and have deep roots on Treaty 1 territory in Wīnipēk
(Winnipeg, MB) and now gratefully and humbly live, work, and play on Treaty 7 territory in
Mohkinstsis (Calgary, AB), homelands of the Blackfoot Confederacy, Stoney Nakoda Nation, Tsuut’ina Nation,and the Otipemisiwak Métis Government (District 5 and 6)
I am a member of the Bear Clan, the Manitoba Métis, and the Delorme family. I am an artist,
Art Therapist, Canadian Certified Counsellor, healer, and a graduate-level art therapy educator.
I was not raised in my culture largely due to shame and a desire for family members to “fit in”
to societal conventions. I have been committed to my reconnection journey for several
years now and use my work as a way to better understand and reclaim what it means to be Métis.
My artwork is deeply inspired by traditional Indigenous teachings, stories, and concepts that I
intricately weave together to create my own representations. My hope is that you will see who
I am and where I come from when engaging with my art.
The Calgary Stampede grounds have always held a special place in my heart as I once heard the Bow River of Treaty 7 eventually leads into the shores of the Red River in my Treaty 1
homeland. This relationship helps me feel connected to these two lands and to two different
time periods of my life.
Artist Statement
My work as an artist reflects my ongoing journey of reconnection—both with my Métis heritage and with the land, teachings, and stories that have shaped my identity.
Raised on Treaty 1 territory in Wīnipēk and now living on Treaty 7 land in Mohkinstsis, I carry the echoes of both places within me. The Bow River flowing into the Red River serves as a reminder that my past and present are always in conversation, just as my art is a dialogue between tradition and personal interpretation.
Through my creative practice, I explore Indigenous teachings, concepts, and stories, weaving them into visual representations that represent who I am and where I come from. My work is both an act of reclamation and a form of healing—a way to unearth the cultural knowledge that was once distanced from me and to honour the resilience of my ancestors.
As an artist, art therapist, and educator, I believe in the transformative power of art to connect, heal, and reveal. My hope is that when you engage with my work, you not only see my story but feel the deeper, interconnected spirit of the land, the people, and the traditions that continue to guide me.