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Nancy E. Oakley is a Mi’kmaq/Wampanoag artist. She was raised in Mashpee Massachuttes and is now living and working on the Eskasoni First Nation reserve in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.
Nancy is a graduate of the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where she studied Photography and pottery. After graduating She then moved to Nova Scotia and studied for a year at Nova Scotia School of Art and Design, taking courses in Photography, ceramics, weaving and jewelry making, before leaving to start her family. She is now a mother of 6 and grandmother of 4.
Through softly curved pottery forms created by hand and on the wheel, Nancy creates culturally significant pieces that imbue her spiritual and traditional knowledge and honor her role as a mother. Her process is a collaboration with the land. Clay harvested from mother earth and shaped by hand. Pieces are stone polished and smoke fired outdoors with fir tips, seaweed and sawdust, imprinting beautiful smokey finishes. Her pots are then adorned with traditional Mi’kmaq embellishments such as black ash basketry, beadwork, carved and or painted hieroglyphics and braided sweetgrass
Nancy’s work can be seen at stores across Nova Scotia and Massachuttes, and has had her work shown in several galleries across Canada.
CV
HISTORY OF PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS
Jan 2026 “Visual Voice, Freedom to create, 2026 Internations juried exhibition” Cape Cod Museum of Art, Dennis, MA
Aug 2025- SWAIA, Santa Fe, New Mexico
June 2025 “All our relations”, Art of the Wampanoag nation, Cotuit, MA.
Feb 2025 CollectLondon, London, UK
Feb 2025 “Creations of the Dawnland”, AX center, Susses , NB
Nov 2024 “Triumphs in Clay”, NS Pottery Guild, Tatamagouche , NS
June 2024 “Wabanaki”, Gallery on the Queen, Fredericton, NB
June 2024 “Earth, Wind, Air, Fire, Connections Residency, UPEI, Charlottetown, PEI
April-June 2024 “Mn’tu Wikk”, confederate Center, Charlottetown, PEI
2024 Tea Star, Smithsonian American Indian Art Museum, Washington DC
March 2024 Eltuek Center, Sydney NS
March 2024 CollectLondon, London, UK
Sept. 2023 Sustainability through craft, CraftNS members show, Halifax, NS
June 2023 - Strawberry Thanksgiving, Plymouth Center for the Arts, Plymouth, MA
June 2023 - Wabanaki, Gallery on the Queen, Fredericton, NB
November 2022 - OMBRE, Gallery on the Queen, Fredericton, NB
July 2022 - MU’UALUJIK AMAL-LUKUTITE’WK LNUK: Chester Art Center, Chester, NS
June 2022 - WaBANAKI, Gallery on the Queen: Fredericton, NB / Yorkville Village: Toronto, ON
June 2022 - EHPITUWIKUWAN (Woman’s house), Beaverbrook Gallery, Fredericton, NB
April 2022 - NI’N NA (I AM), solo show, Cape Breton Center for Craft and Design, Sydney, NS
2022 - Cooking pot, shards,: Craft and Science, Alberta Craft Council, AB
June 2022 - KMawqepiyapon: Le Musee du Bas-Saint-Laurent, QC
2021 - Kisituek Gallery, New Dawn Center, Sydney, NS
2019-2020 - “Hidden Truths”, Wolankeyutomon exhibit, Abbe Museum, Bar Harbor, ME
2018 - “Sacrafice”, Indigenous Arts Acquisition Program, Ottawa, ON
2017, 2018 - GalleryActs: Halifax, NS
Feb 2017 - Mawiart collective show during 98 calls to action: Fredericton, NB
April - Sept 2017 - “Sharing stories”; New Brunswick Art Council
March -April 2017 - “Traditions and Innovations, Artists of Eastern Woodland Tribes”, Hera Gallery, RI
June 2004 - “Mawiejig, A Gathering of aboriginal artists”; Sueandalies Art Gallery, Sydney, NS
Nov 2002 - Christmas at the Center, one-of-a-kind show, Sydney, NS
Sept-Dec 1997 - Inaugural Exhibition: UCCB gallery, Glace Bay, NS
GRANTS/AWARDS\
2025 Art Bank of ARTSNS
2024 Little Big Community,featured on APTN television show
2024 Handmade,featured Nova Scotia Television program
2023- ARTNS Indigenous Artist of the Year
2023 - Recipient of Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee Medal (NS)
2019 - Mentorship grant, Canada Council, “traditional pottery, Richard Zane Smith”
2018 - Recipient of NSITEN, Indigenous Crafter of the Year award
COMMITTEES
2025-present: Cape Breton Center for Craft and Design
2021 - present : Craft Alliance board
2021 -present : Mawi’art board
2022-2025: Craft Nova Scotia
2019 - 2020New Dawn Board
2018-2020 - Creative Nova Scotia Leadership Council