The travelling art exhibit ReconciliACTIONS is in its final five days at the Cochrane Public Library,  405 Railway St. W., and includes a piece by a young Stoney Nakoda artist.

On display are 21 creations of Indigenous artists from several different nations, including Treaty 7, Inuit, and Metis artists.

This CIF Reconciliation Society exhibit was created in hopes of inspiring others to take action to support Indigenous communities, both acknowledging the past and working together towards building a better future where the traditions and culture of Canada’s Indigenous peoples are shared, celebrated, and understood. 

Library director Monique Fiedler-Sills explains the exhibit focuses on acknowledging reconciliation as an ongoing process.

In 2015, there were 94 calls to action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and only about 13 have been fulfilled at this point, she explains.

"This is about continuing to do the work and that is expressed beautifully by a number of artists within our space right now. I would really encourage people to come check it out."

The art is scattered throughout the library.

Mazzy is from Morley and is a youth artist from a member of the Stardale Women's Group. In the book on the exhibit, she talks about her involvement in the project and the art she creates.

Mazzy's artA creation by Mazzy, of the Stoney Nakoda Nation, is part of the exhibit.

"My art is tied to hope and body positivity," she explains. "For me, hope is love, positivity (joy), home, and it doesn't mean a roof over your head, it means to return to something or someone like a place to return to, something that gives you a feeling of joy or something that gives you peace of mind and state."

"What it means to me about the outcome or outlook, for some people it might be hard looking at your body and be in love with it," she continues. "For others, it might be easy, but it's not for others to say. You only know yourself."

Typically, twice a year, the Cochrane Public Library hosts travelling art exhibits. They are designed to help Albertans become aware of Alberta's many talented artists. 

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