Tara Francis

Tara Francis is a Mi’kmaq visual artist from Elsipogtog First Nation. Considered a master of traditional Mi’kmaq porcupine quillwork, Tara is a multidisciplinary artist whose work also includes surface design and painting.

Drawing from her spiritual and artistic journeys, Tara’s work incorporates the connection she maintains to her ancestry. She applies traditional techniques to new forms, while addressing the current issues that deeply affect her people and the environment. The contemporary edge she gives to her quill art has elevated her work to international recognition.

Tara is dedicated to preserving and revitalizing the traditional art of porcupine quillwork, and has also shared the tradition by teaching throughout Atlantic Canada and Maine.

Her creations have been included in public and private collections around the world, most notably at the Beaverbrook Art Gallery, the Smithsonian Affiliated Abbe Museum, and in the private collection of His Majesty King Charles III. Tara’s work has been featured in APTN’s Documentary series Wabanaakik, in the short documentary film Wabanaki Modern by independent film makerClem McIntosh, in the soon-to-be-released CBC documentary Shining A Light on Indigenous Art in Atlantic Canada, and in various arts columns and magazines.

Tara continues to push the boundaries of traditional Indigenous art, while staying true to her Mi’kmaq roots. She lives and works in Shediac and Fredericton, New Brunswick.