Skén:nen | Modern Traditions by Karen Francis

Christopher Milazzo | Staff Writer

SUNY Oneonta’s Art Department is known for presenting galleries and exhibits in the Fine Arts building. The Department always plans a student exhibit during parts of the semester, showcasing some of the best art done by students and pieces of work done by people in the community.

Over the weekend, I had the privilege of visiting the newest exhibit. Right now, Skén:nen | Modern Traditions by Karen Francis is on display. Francis is a bead worker based in Cornwall Island, Canada, part of the Akwesasne Mohawk reservation. She pulls her style and technique from traditional Mohawk patterns and implements them into jewelry and clothing. Her work is meant to reflect her heritage and life. Skén:nen, in Mohawk terminology, means peace or serenity. According to the Mohawk Dictionary, “Serenity helps peace flow from the inside to the outside. Tranquility aims to invite peace from the outside to the inside.” Some of the pieces in the exhibit are things such as pouches, belts, hats, and clothing. These pieces of clothing and accessories are not even worn for attire, they are all works of art. You can see the time and dedication that went into her work. Francis has stated that she beads for peace but must find peace from within to do so.

With this pouch, you can see the excellent stitchwork that went into just one piece. One of the most intriguing parts of the pouch is the top and the bottom of it. I paid attention to the top because it looked to represent people coming together and joining hands. And when you find out that it’s done by beading, you feel more connected to it and part of the Mohawk culture. The bottom of the pouch is frayed, but you can see the detail that Francis created. The colors of the pouch all complement each other, with the last bead at the end bringing it all together and all the colors coming together into one bead. With this pouch, you can see the excellent stitchwork that went into just one piece. One of the most intriguing parts of the pouch is the top and the bottom of it. I paid attention to the top because it looked to represent people coming together and joining hands. And when you find out that it’s done by beading, you feel more connected to it and part of the Mohawk culture. The bottom of the pouch is frayed, but you can see the detail that Francis created. The colors of the pouch all complement each other, with the last bead at the end bringing it all together and all the colors coming together into one bead.

This next piece isn’t clothing, but when walking through the exhibit, this piece made me stop to observe it. This portrait appears to be of three standing figures with their backs turned to the viewer, and they all seem to be looking at something or someone higher up than them. All the smaller pieces of the people are made from beads and a peyote stitch. The detail and effort that goes into these pieces are remarkable and the dedication is glowing.

This final piece is a hat, and when you look at the rim, you can see it is made of beads. It’s beautifully done with the bead colors perfectly matching the color of the hat. It was flawless. You can see the hard work done by Francis in every single piece she created. Skén:nen | Modern Traditions by Karen Francis is on display now in the Fine Arts building at SUNY Oneonta.