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Julie Flett

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Julie Flett
Born
Toronto, Ontario
NationalityCanadian
Known forillustration, children's literature
Notable workPakwa Che Menisu / Wild Berries, Little You, Lii Yuboo Nayaapiwak Swer / Owls See Clearly at Night, Zoe and Fawn, The Moccasins
AwardsAmerican Indian Youth Literature Award
2016
Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Award
2010
Aboriginal Literature Award
2014
Canadian Native Arts Foundation Visual Arts Acquisition Program
1993

Julie Flett is a Cree-Metis Canadian author and illustrator. She is also a strong advocate for women in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside.

Early life and education

She was born in Toronto[1] and currently lives in Vancouver, British Columbia.[2] She studied textiles at Alberta College of Art and Design [3] attended Concordia University in Montreal and Emily Carr University of Art + Design where she studied fine arts.[2] She incorporates photography, drawing, and painting into her work [4] and has an interest in indigenous textiles.[3] Flett also has a son.[5] She said that The Woman in the Dunes by the Japanese writer Kōbō Abe had a profound effect on her personality.[6]

Works

Flett’s writing focuses on Canadian First Nations children’s literature,[2] while her illustrations differ depending on the source. In her books, Flett’s illustrations are aimed for children, while in her freelance work aims for a wider audience.[7] Flett cites her style as influenced by Cree and Inuit artists such as Meelia Kelly, Pitseolak Ashoona, Annie Pootoogook, and Christi Belcourt, as well as her own artistically-inclined parents. Flett also states that she explores her heritage through her art, allowing her Cree-Metis roots to influence her work as well.[1] She illustrates for works that are culturally relevant and present a unique worldview.[3]

For her illustrations, Flett uses mixed mediums, often incorporating texture and collage techniques into her illustrations. Flett says that her illustrations are influenced by "the warm, muted colours and tones and the simplicity"of children's books from other generations.[8]

Reception

Book Title Award Result
When We Were Alone (Illustrator) McNally Robinson Book for Young People Award, Manitoba Book Awards Won
When We Were Alone (Illustrator) Governor General's Literary Award - Young people's literature — illustrated books[9] Won
When We Were Alone (Illustrator) TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award Shortlisted
We Sang You Home (Illustrator)
My Heart Fills with Happiness (Illustrator)
Dolphin SOS (Illustrator)
We All Count
Pakwa Che Menisu / Wild Berries First Nations Communities READ Won
Little You (Illustrator) 2016 American Indian Youth Literature Award Best Picture Book [10] Won
Lii Yuboo Nayaapiwak Swer (L’Alfabet De Michif) / Owls See Clearly at Night (A Michif Alphabet) Governor General’s Award for Children’s Literature[11] Nominated
Children’s Literature - Illustratiol[11] Nominated
2011 Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Award Shortlist[11] Honorable Mention
Christie Harris Illustrated Children’s Literature Prize[11] Won
2010 Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Award[11] Won
BC Book Prizes[11] Won
Alcuin Society Book Design Awards Honor Book[11] Won
Zoe and Fawn (Illustrator) Multicultural Picture Book in the 2007 Moonbeam Children’s Books Awards (Medal)[11] Won
The Moccasins (Illustrator) Christie Harris Illustrated Children’s Literature Prize[11] Nominated
1993 Canadian Native Arts Foundation Visual Arts Acquisition Program[11] Won
Collective Works 2014 Aboriginal Literature Award[12] Won

Flett’s work has been received well among Canadian populations. Flett’s illustrative work has been called "gorgeous" and her work towards preserving the Cree language has been praised as de-colonizing and re-Indigenizing perceptions of language within Cree culture.[13] Her books Wild Berries/Pakwa Che Menisu, Lii Yuboo Nayaapiwak Swer (L’Alfabet De Michif)/Owls See Clearly at Night (A Michif Alphabet), and We All Count make specific advances towards preserving language through teaching young children the language with captivating illustrations and bilingual text. These books are reindigenizing the way that literacy is taught in schools that have First Nations populations; allowing First Nations students to learn basic literacy skills in both English and a language of a First Nations group.[8]

Advocacy Works

After graduating from Concordia, Flett returned to Vancouver and took on the role of visual communication program coordinator for First Nations. Flett also became involved with advocacy work for women on Vancouver’s Downtown East Side.[11] She worked for the Positive Women’s Network as an outreach worker for a period of time and discovered that she loved educating through her art.[5]

Through her writing, Flett is constantly working to keep the Cree language alive, and approaches this through a lens of education.[12] She not only does this through releasing books that have underlying messages about Indigenous teaching and ways of knowing, but also through putting those books in the hands of children. Flett has worked with librarians to work towards getting her books into the hands of children who will benefit from the literature. For example, the book "The Moccasins", illustrated by Flett made its way into the hands of an Aboriginal Foster Child and the book is about an Aboriginal Foster Child.[14] Helping children to find ways to keep in touch with the Indigenous community even in adverse circumstances is a type of advocacy that Flett captures in her children's books.


References

  1. ^ a b c Flett, Julie. "about - julieflett". julieflett.com. Retrieved 14 December 2014.
  2. ^ a b c Clare, Kerry (2014-11-26). "Julie Flett on Illustration and First Nations Children's Literature". 49th Shelf. 49th Shelf. Retrieved 2015-03-06.
  3. ^ "Authors". Simply Read Books. Retrieved March 6, 2015.
  4. ^ a b "ANNUAL REPORT 2012-2013: Aboriginal Community Career Employment Services Society" (PDF). Access Futures. Access Building Futures Today. Retrieved 14 December 2014.
  5. ^ "The book that changed your life: Julie Flett". The Georgia Straight. September 20, 2015. Retrieved February 16, 2020.
  6. ^ Flett, Julie. "illustration - julieflett". julieflett.com. Retrieved 14 December 2014.
  7. ^ a b "Julie Flett's picture books honour her Aboriginal heritage". Quill & Quire. Quill & Quire. Retrieved 14 December 2014.
  8. ^ "Here are the winners of the 2017 Governor General's Literary Awards | CBC Books". CBC. Retrieved 2017-11-01.
  9. ^ "2016 American Indian Youth Literature Award". Retrieved 24 March 2017.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Wild Berries: Julie Flett, Earl N. Cook". Amazon.ca. Retrieved 14 December 2014.
  11. ^ a b ahnationtalk. "Julie Flett Scores First Nation Communities READ 2014-2015 Honour and $5,000 Aboriginal Literature Award". Nation Talk: Powered by You!. Nation Talk. Retrieved 14 December 2014.
  12. ^ Reese, D. "4 Mistakes in Children's Literature About Natives, and Books that Fix Them". Indian Country Today Media Network. Retrieved 14 December 2014.
  13. ^ Strauss, Rochelle. "Spotlight Part One: Canadian Aboriginal Children's Authors and Illustrators". TVO Parents. Retrieved 14 December 2014.
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