speaker-photo

Melissa Samms

From and of Katalisk, Ktaqmkuk, Liss (they/them) is a writer and multidisciplinary artist, with a focus on watercolour, ink, found object art, and textiles - specifically knitting, weaving, and embroidery. They are L’nu of Ktaqmkuk and Gaspegewagi, with Nlaka’pamux ancestry rooted in Lytton, BC. Liss has a background in business administration and political science, and currently works as an Arts Administrator at First Light Centre for Performance and Creativity in St. John’s. In this position, they are working with a dynamic team to establish a world-class Indigenous arts centre out of a 100-year-old United Church. Most recently, Liss is working toward their curatorial debut, programming “Songs and Stories for a Cold Winter’s Night”, scheduled for presentation in December 2023.

(Photo credit: Megan Samms. Melissa is wearing one of Megan’s weaving pieces. She usually makes 1 wearable textile to sell every year, and that was last year's (2022))