The Riding Mountain Artists’ Residency gives Manitoban artists time to focus on their work in the beautiful natural setting of Riding Mountain National Park.
The next artist-in-residence for 2025 is Jennine Krauchi. Ahead of her time in the historic Deep Bay Cabin, Jennine answered a few of our questions about her work and how she’ll be spending her residency.
MAC: Tell us a little about yourself as an artist and your practice.
Jennine: I am a Red River Métis beadwork artist and designer presently based in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
My artistic practice, or work, is Métis style floral beadwork. I learn from our ancestors (artifacts); or what we now refer to as our Grandmothers, when researching old beadwork pieces. I have had the wonderful opportunity to be able to look through many museum archives and examine the multitude of pieces stored there. These pieces have taught me so much about our almost lost art of Métis style beadwork — the style, the beads and the incredible women who did this work at that time.
Tell us about your project — what will you be working on in the Deep Bay Cabin?
I will be working on several pieces that will become dog tuppies (dog blankets) and also of a miniature musher — coat, hat, mukluks pants. The inspiration came to me during a trip to Lyon, France when at the Confluence Museum. The curator was not sure if they truly did have any authentic Métis beadwork or artifacts in their collection. While I was examining some moccasins with the curator, my husband was peering into a different set of drawers and saw several small porcelain dogs wearing tiny tuppies. I immediately stood on my tip-toes to look at them and thought that one day I would really like the opportunity to do the same. The curator was delighted to discover that indeed they did have both the Métis moccasins and also the dogsled with tuppies that were in very Métis style.
I have made several reproductions of the dog tuppies for museums. These miniatures will be done with all the same materials as the larger ones. I have acquired small beads (sizes 22 to 26) in colours used in the 18oo’s and I will use silk ribbon, wool fabric and smoked-tanned deer hide.
So what better place than the Deep Bay Cabin in Riding Mountain National Park to do these tiny pieces of our history. I can almost see them coming across the frozen lake in winter.
How do you hope the park will influence or inspire your project or practice?
I have always had some form of beadwork around since I was quite young. Both my mother and father have always influenced and inspired me. Yet I have often thought of the Métis women doing beadwork, doing their work in surroundings such as the Artist cabin by the lake. How inspiring it must have been for them to live in a wonderful setting much like this. That is what I am hoping that this place will lend to me.
Anything else you’d like to share with readers and the Riding Mountain National Park community?
In the many years that I have been beading and sewing, I have taught many workshops (and thousands of now beaders) throughout Canada and parts of Europe as well. I have pieces that have been exhibited in the National Gallery in Ottawa as well as the Winnipeg Art Gallery (and several others). I have mentored young beadwork artists who now take things to a totally new level with their creativity and magical imaginations, and they keep our beadwork vibrant and alive.
The Riding Mountain Artists’ Residency is offered in partnership by the Manitoba Arts Council and Riding Mountain National Park.
Interested in the staying in the Deep Bay cabin? Find out how to apply to the Riding Mountain Artists Residency through the Learn – Residencies grant stream. Apply by January 15, 2026 for a residency in the summer of 2026.
