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My name is Tishna Marlowe, I was raised in a traditional family with traditional elders in an isolated community north of sixty. A one-hour plane ride from Yellowknife, Northwest Territories.
I come from a place called Lutselke, ‘Place of Small Fish’; we resided on the east arm of the great slave lake in the Northwest Territories, on the caribou migration route. My people, ‘Ethen Dene’ people of the caribou have resided here since time immoral, generation upon generations. We are Chipewyan, keepers of the caribou on ‘Land of the Ancestors’.
This community is what inspires me; the way of life of the people; the country and most of all my family. I feel traditional fashion is such a vital component to all cultures. With traditional knowledge, and arts being lost at a rapid pace, I feel relearning these arts is so very vital for all nations across this globe.
My passion for fashion and being from 2 world is what lead me to going back to school at 42 years old with children. I graduated from Olds College in Calgary with a Diploma in Costume Design and Fashion Design 2 years later. This education has allotted me to work on many diverse projects and opportunities. The projects I enjoy the most is teaching and passing on my skills.
The ‘passing on’ of knowledge is about human connections and interactions. It is about each 'generations legacy' no matter the family or race on this Earth. I connect my art to my culture and family. The mediums I use in the garments is the message, “the medium is the message”. For example, I use fish scales in leu of sequence. Those fish scales were harvest from one of my family’s fish harvest’s. The medium represents my connection to family, community, and land.
Recently I was the Head Costume Designer for a new series called "Tales from the Rez", a 6 episodes series. Being on this set and creating costumes for this series is extremely important to our indigenous community as, these stories, written, produced, and designed by indigenous people, is so important as some of us are relearning our Culture and Ways of life.
I was also a recipient of the last Banff 2021 – Indigenous Haute Couture Residency, with has impacted by life both professionally and artistically. I am very passionate about this Program as our Indigenous Fashions and Culture are awaking the world and we are finally able to share our beautiful Fashions and Culture with the world. Banff has given us designers the space and equipment and help each designer to push their design limits. Banff also gives you a sense of belong and that your art is significant and meaningful.
Fashion is my platform and I use it to promote my culture through one of a kind piece’s. The garments tell a sorry of an artist caught between 2 worlds; who is trying to bridge the gap between the ‘Old and the Young’; where Murdered and Missing Indigenous Woman is an epidemic; in the mist of an ‘Indigenous Renaissance’. I believe it takes a village to grow ‘Culture’.
