Head In the Clouds This new mask painting is about being from multiple backgrounds. My birthplace is the Red Lake Indian Reservation in northern Minnesota, a place that is considered “closed” from the rest of the world. When I was a baby my parents moved from there to Minneapolis, where I was raised with friends from many backgrounds. Throughout my life I have sought to find the balance between my culture and the world I interact with daily, and in doing so I find my unique voice. The birchbark canoe is, traditionally, how the Anishinaabe (Ojibwe) traveled by water. It’s a somewhat rare practice these days and a few can be seen in tribal historical museums throughout the upper Midwest. The mask-shaped architecture in this painting represents the mindset of living in the urban environment with knowledge of my family background. With these elements in mind I have created this mask that brings both forward together.