“We kind of have this myth of independence in Eurocentric ways of being, and I think that’s the gift that my disability has given me, is understanding deeply that we don’t do anything alone. We are always interdependent, we are always interrelated. So long as we’re supported in a community, there is no deficiency.”

Alisha Parks, May 2022. 

Alisha Parks, as painted by the artist herself

Alisha Parks

Alisha Parks is KanienĘźkehá꞉ka, (Mohawk) through her father and Irish/Danish through her mother. She has lived on WĚąSÁNEĆ, Lekwungen and Songhees territories for most of her life. Alisha has been making art from an early age and has always regarded drawing as her first language. Alisha has traveled extensively but always regards BC west coast forests and shorelines as her home. All of these aspects of Alisha’s identity and experiences have influenced her artistic expressions.

Alisha would like to acknowledge that her Heart Berry project has been a collaboration with Hjalmer Wenstob, Sue Doner, Alison Bowe and Andrew Louis.