Tegan Whitesel
Biography
egan Whitesel is a mixed media artist and educator of Métis and settler descent based in Kimberley, BC, on traditional Ktunaxa Territory. Her practice includes beading, metalsmithing, painting, and material arts. She holds a BFA from Emily Carr University and a BEd from Simon Fraser University, completed on the traditional territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations.
Tegan works with the Rocky Mountain Métis Association to share traditional Métis artistic knowledge and has given artist talks at institutions including the College of the Rockies and local school districts. She teaches workshops for Indigenous and non-Indigenous community members, creating accessible, skill-building spaces rooted in cultural respect and creative bravery.
Her work has been supported by the First Peoples Cultural Council, the BC Arts Council, and the Columbia Kootenay Cultural Alliance. In 2022, she was selected for the Octopus Bag mentorship with Métis artist Gregory Scofield and is part of the Amelia Douglas Institute’s community of artists, mentored by Métis artist Lynette La Fontaine in beading, tufting, moccasin making, and material arts.
Artist Statement
My process braids traditional Métis material arts with contemporary approaches and subjects. Through beadwork, tufting, metalsmithing, and moccasin making, I explore ancestry, place, and personal narrative as acts of cultural continuity and care.
I draw from blood memory, Métis motifs, and lived experience — including plant knowledge, gardening, mental health, motherhood, and folk songs. When I create, I think of the person the work is for, and of my ancestors working by candlelight, keeping these traditions alive. That lineage becomes part of the piece.
Sharing these processes is central to my practice. Through workshops and community learning, I advocate for the transmission of Métis material arts as an act of resilience, increasing Métis visibility, validity, and connection across generations.