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Organized by the artist, Matrilineal Memory is an exploration of memory, emotion, and cultural preservation. A solo exhibition by 2023 NACF LIFT artist, Mikaela Shafer (Hopi, Coyote Clan), it features paintings, poetry, and installation.

Through the use of collagraph, dyeing, sewing, and layering on paintings, Shafer intertwines her practice with her culture, drawing inspiration from her Hopi heritage.

Mikaela Shafer, "Ancestral Memory", 2023. Watercolor, gauze, canvas, thread, paper mixed media, Matrilineal Memory series, 6x6. Photo by Mikaela Shafer.
Mikaela Shafer, "Each Plant is a Story", 2023. Watercolor, gauze, canvas, thread, paper mixed media, Matrilineal Memory series, 6x6. Photo by Mikaela Shafer.
Mikaela Shafer, "How Stories Survive", 2023. Watercolor, gauze, canvas, thread, paper mixed media, Matrilineal Memory series, 6x6. Photo by Mikaela Shafer.
Mikaela Shafer, "Lungs I Breathe In", 2023. Watercolor, gauze, canvas, thread, paper mixed media, Matrilineal Memory series, 6x6. Photo by Mikaela Shafer.
Mikaela Shafer, "Lungs I Breathe Out", 2023. Watercolor, gauze, canvas, thread, paper mixed media, Matrilineal Memory series, 6x6. Photo by Mikaela Shafer.
Mikaela Shafer, "Red Earth", 2023. Watercolor, gauze, canvas, thread, paper mixed media, Matrilineal Memory series, 6x6. Photo by Mikaela Shafer.
Mikaela Shafer, "Relax Into Her Hug", 2023. Watercolor, gauze, canvas, thread, paper mixed media, Matrilineal Memory series, 6x6. Photo by Mikaela Shafer.
Mikaela Shafer, "The Weaver", 2023. Watercolor, gauze, canvas, thread, paper mixed media, Matrilineal Memory series, 6x6, Photo by Mikaela Shafer.

Shafer’s unique approach incorporates unconventional tools, including dried corn, creating intricate patterns and textures, including works printed on chiffon.

Shafer’s work becomes a practice of facing head on memories and processing, grieving, and ultimately healing. Each painting unearths a new memory; each poem serves as a conduit for emotional release.

Mikaela Shafer. Photo credit: Daniel Overstreet.

“Memories are powerful. A smell, a sound, or a flavor can send you spiraling down a rabbit hole of a moment you’ve long forgotten.” – Mikaela Shafer (Hopi, Coyote Clan)

Exhibition Hours:

Fri, May 10, 2024: 5-8 PM PT (Opening Reception)

Sat, May 11th: 12-4 PM

Fri, May 24th: 5-7 PM

Sat, May 25th: 12-4 PM

Fri, May 31st: 5-7 PM

Thurs, June 6th: 6-8 PM (Community Tour)

RSVP TO THE OPENING RECEPTION

What: Opening Reception for Matrilineal Memory
When: Friday, May 10th from 5-8 PM
Where: 800 SE 10th Avenue, Portland, OR 97214

About Mikaela Shafer

Born in Berlin, Germany and now residing in the Pacific Northwest, Mikaela Shafer is an Indigenous mother, activist, and artist. She draws inspiration from her Hopi culture and personal healing journey in her creative endeavors. A self-trained artist, Shafer has been creating since her youth — sculptures, poetry, paintings, and costumes. Today, that creativity has grown into a professional practice in which she creates expressionistic, abstract paintings that explore familial relationships, cultural identity, grief, loss, reconnection, and healing.

Through a unique blend of poetry, storytelling, and mixed media paintings, Mikaela captures the narrative of cultural disconnection, reconnection, and the process of generational healing. Her artistic expression involves intentional and intuitive techniques such as dyeing, sewing, and layering. Her artwork has found recognition worldwide, with exhibitions in galleries across London, New York, Rhode Island, and Washington, as well as being featured in numerous online galleries and print publications.

Follow Mikaela on Instagram