Layers of Meaning Ancient Echoes

Amanda Pierce

Before exploring how and why I choose items that represent my roots and culture and integrate them into my encaustic paintings, I want to share a bit about my background. My art feels like a continuum from my childhood, with each piece connecting naturally to the next.

My name is Amanda Pierce, and I am a Cree Métis encaustic painter and sculptor. Growing up in the 1970s, my days were spent outdoors—climbing trees, swinging from rope swings, and building forts and rafts. I cherished collecting rocks, feathers, and shiny objects. My favorite place was a park-like forest, where I discovered secret spots to immerse myself in nature. I felt safe and embraced in a hidden sanctuary I believed was made just for me. I would spend hours talking to the trees, grass, and birds, collecting sticks, rocks, and leaves to create small bundles and totems. Leaving these as gifts for the forest was my way of saying “thank you,” and I always felt a quiet response from nature.

I have always been intrigued by the details of nature—the iridescent hues on certain feathers, the shine from sunlight on wet stones in the creek. I could get lost in these details, and I am constantly trying to bring this magic into my art.

Reflecting on my parents, my mother embodied home, love, joy, acceptance, and kindness. She has an incredible ability to make anything beautiful and everyone feel welcome. My father and I could explore silently for hours, hiking and listening to the crunch of leaves beneath our feet. We would sit in longforgotten teepee rings, eyes closed, listening to the wind. My dad often asked, “How does it make you feel? What is it saying to you?” From a young age, I was encouraged to tune into these feelings, which sometimes felt ancient, sad, or peaceful.

Grouard AB

Encaustic and mixed media 18 x 11 x 2 in

I attended an Open School, a unique system with grades ranging from 1 to 6, reminiscent of Little House on the Prairie. We were encouraged to learn at our own pace, with outdoor play and experimentation as central components. The environment was very family-oriented, with parents, including scientists, biologists, and artists, volunteering in our classes. Art classes, taught by three dedicated artists, were among my favorites. In grade 2, I vividly remember an exercise where we pretended to be seeds sprouting through damp soil, eventually growing into majestic oak trees. Our teacher would ask how it felt to be that tree and what it would whisper if it could speak. This immersive approach left a lasting impression on me.

Today, I continue to create bundles and totems in my work, evolving a continuous story with layers of meaning between each encaustic layer. My work is about our spiritual connection to the natural world and a deeper reflection of life’s impermanence. I explore the concept of balance and spirituality by holding each piece nature has gifted me. Being in tune with it, drawing from its source is essential to me and my greatest source of inspiration. For that reason, I favor the use of materials that are from the earth, such as raw pigments and beeswax, feathers, shells, stones, and twigs. Everything carries a vibrational frequency. The words you speak, the thoughts you're harboring, and the art we create are all interconnected. This intuitive process is essential to my creative practice; I cannot create art any other way. I don’t see these pieces as mere objects; I connect with them like they are my friends. They take on personal significance, often evoking memories that feel like déjà vu.

Layers of Legacy

Encaustic and mix media, 24 x 12 x 2 in

It often helps me to turn on music that resonates with me. There’s something about the repetitive nature of a particular piece that speaks to me deeply, though I can’t always explain why. I find myself playing it over and over, and it seems to aid my creative process in some way. Additionally, turning down the lights creates a stillness that helps me focus, and burning sweetgrass or sage brings a grounding, spiritual element to the space, fostering a deeper connection to my work and the energies around me.

For Métis Nation Ontario, I created a body of work honoring Indigenous children from residential schools discovered in mass graves across Canada. Each bundle, twig, bead, etch mark, nail, and rusted piece symbolized a child who never made it home.

As I worked on this series, I felt a profound connection with each piece, drawn to its color and texture. I gathered items that nature gifted me—broken twigs, torn papers, and rusted nails—embracing their imperfections and arranging them in a vignette-like display. Each item represents a child, and the process itself felt ceremonial. Creating this series was deeply healing for me; I was able to cry for so many.

Guardian 1

Encaustic and mixed media

27 x 9 x 5 in

Unearthed Imprints, Clay and encaustic, 18 x 9 x 1 in

Innocence, Hide, wood, and encaustic, 7 x 7 x 3 in

Ancient Scroll, Encaustic and mix media, 24 x 14 x 3 in

In my latest series Layers of Meaning - Ancient Echoes, made possible by the IEA grant, my art bridges the past and present, conveying stories beyond words. This grant allowed me to build upon the themes from my Un-Earthed series, transforming loss into symbols of strength, beauty, and resilience. Through my work, I aim to evoke deep connections and emotions, inviting viewers to engage with the stories and experiences embedded in each piece.

In some of my paintings, I incorporate scrolls to bridge historical and contemporary narratives. Inspired by the birchbark scrolls traditionally used by Indigenous peoples for writing and recordkeeping, these elements carry cultural significance and ofer insights into the spiritual and historical aspects of these communities.

In other paintings, I write in Cree to defy the restrictions once imposed on Indigenous languages. Writing "I love you" in Cree is a message to my ancestors and future generations, asserting the enduring presence and resilience of my culture. The bundles and twigs remain the story of the Indigenous children who never made it home, and the bundles are the gift I would leave the forest as my way to say thanks to them.

In this painting in Cree hieroglyphic, I write the words "I love you" over and over again.

Ancient Script

Encaustic and mix media 24 x 12 x 2 in

Ancient Scroll, Encaustic and mix media, 24 x 14 x 3 in

I am continually inspired by nature and the way it mirrors our own existence. I see a striking similarity between a tree stump and a human fingerprint. This resemblance is a profound reminder of our deep connection to the natural world. In my art, I embed my thumbprints onto papers and incorporate them into my encaustic paintings. This practice allows me to infuse each piece with my personal energy and signature, honoring and reflecting my roots in nature. Each print is not just a mark, but a tribute to the intertwined relationship between humanity and the earth.

One of my favorite mark-making tools is a feather. I am drawn to the spontaneous, unpredictable lines that emerge when I let the feather guide my hand. Often, I close my eyes and move with the feather, allowing the marks to unfold naturally.

I also enjoy attaching feathers to sticks, using this combination to create unique patterns. This intuitive process not only connects me deeply with the materials, but also channels the energy and essence of nature into my work.

Warrior Song

Encaustic and mix

media, 24 x 18 x 2 in

Repeatedly, I find myself compelled to gather certain materials, though I’m not always sure why. Recently, I spent weeks foraging for sticks and twigs, without knowing exactly how I’ll use them. The process felt like home and is deeply relaxing and integral to my intuitive practice. These twigs, along with feathers and other natural elements, may sit in my studio for months, waiting for the right moment to come together. Living with these materials connects me to an unconscious narrative and deepens my connection to my roots. This process is a natural extension of who I am, and through this relationship with the materials, my art takes shape.

In these paintings and sculptures, I aim to make a powerful statement: By embracing and honoring the natural elements gifted to me by nature, I breathe new life into them. Through this artwork, I transform these gifts into a profound expression of love and connection, reflecting how nature’s beauty and essence can be reimagined and celebrated. My way of saying thank you to the forest.

About the Author

Amanda Pierce is a Cree-Métis encaustic painter and sculptor and a citizen of Métis Nation Ontario. Her work is deeply rooted in storytelling through abstract art, drawing on themes of spirituality, impermanence, and the natural world. With a practice enriched by her childhood experiences of collecting natural objects and immersing herself in nature, Amanda uses materials such as beeswax, feathers, stones, and twigs, each chosen for their vibrational significance.

Amanda’s art evolves through layers of encaustic medium, where she carves and gouges to reveal underlying narratives of experience, love, and resilience. Her work reflects a profound connection to her cultural heritage and the earth. She is a resident artist and encaustic instructor at La Fab Cultural Center in Chelsea, Quebec, Canada, and her art has been featured in juried exhibitions across Canada and the U.S.

Her recent series, Layers of Meaning - Ancient Echoes, supported by the IEA grant, bridges past and present, transforming loss into symbols of strength and beauty. Amanda also incorporates birch-bark scrolls and Cree script into her paintings to honor Indigenous narratives and assert cultural resilience. Through her intuitive process, Amanda’s art invites viewers to engage deeply with the stories and experiences embedded in each piece.

You can view Amanda’s work at www.amandapierceart.com www.instagram.com/amanda.pierce.art www.facebook.com/AmandaPierceArt

You can view info about Amanda’s in-person or private Zoom workshops at www.amandapierceart.com