Growing up on Epekwitk, Mi’kmaw artist Melissa Peter Paul was immersed in the creative expressions of her rich culture, from her family’s dedicated basket-making to beadwork and making regalia. As she explored other Mi’kmaq art forms, Melissa was drawn to quillwork and in 2015 she was accepted into an apprenticeship with Mi’kmaq Quill Art. Four years later, she launched her professional career as a Mi’kmaw quill artist with her first solo exhibit presented by This Town is Small in Charlottetown. 

Since 2019, Melissa’s work has been featured in various publications highlighting prominent Indigenous artists. She has also participated in various group exhibits in Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and Maine.  Melissa is one of the founding members of The Quill Sisters, a community of skilled quill workers on Epekwitk that seeks to revitalize the traditional art form through collaborative projects. Melissa also instructs quill art workshops across the Maritimes in order to introduce this traditional craft to more people.

Melissa’s artistic expression is heavily influenced by 20th-century Mi’kmaq quillwork and she is supported in her harvesting efforts by her family. She recently expanded her approach to quillwork to include multimedia projections as a mechanism to modernize traditional work and challenge assumptions of Indigenous art.  Melissa is honoured to be passing on her passion for quill art to her two sons and the broader community. Melissa’s quill work can be viewed and purchased through her website (www.melissapeterpaul.com), at artisan markets she participates in, and at select art exhibits across the Maritimes and beyond.