September was crying month

I was really inspired by this shirt and the message to remember that September was crying month for many people on Turtle Island.

I decided to make everyone in the family a version of this t-shirt to remind us of the two sided nature of education for indigenous people which I discussed in this post.  I traced Runa's foot and began to paint.  I really love to work with the fabric paints as it gives an almost chalk affect.  I drew a different animal for each family member and in the design of each on I included the names of family members who went to residential schools.  These names are broken up and sideways or upside down. 

These last two paintings were done last year.  I was playing with a funeral scene but I did not get the dimensions of the coffin quite right. I really like the colors in this piece so I am using it as part of the shirt I finish for Joel.  I wish I could draw better, but we have to work with what we have right?