Curriculum Vitae
Jessica ᒦᖒᐊᖅᑏ Miinguuaqtii (Jessie Couzelis)
b. 1985, Inuit/Irish/Welsh/Métis/English, land of the Halkomelem speaking peoples a.k.a. New Westminster, Canada
she • her
Lives and creates within the stolen ancestral and traditional territories of the Snuneymuxw Peoples a.k.a. Gabriola Island, BC.
Education
2023
Science and Nature Filmmaking Workshop, CBC’s The Nature of Things and DOC BC/YT/NT, Vancouver, BC
Inuit Garment Sewing Lessons with Maani Sandy and Industry Standard Sewing Apprenticeship with Jill Smolkin, First People’s Cultural Council Sharing Traditional Arts Across Generations Program, Rankin Inlet, NU / Calgary, AB
2022
Adventure Filmmakers Workshop, Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, Banff, AB
Empowered Filmmaker Masterclass Program, TELUS STORYHIVE and VoVo Productions, Nanaimo, BC
Inuit Sewing, Storytelling, Culture and Inuktitut Language Apprenticeship with Elder Levinia Brown, First People’s Cultural Council Indigenous Arts Scholarship and Mentorship Program, Rankin Inlet, NU (online and in-person)
Indigenous Community Entrepreneurship Development and Action Recovery (I-CEDAR) Program, Peter B. Gustavson School of Business, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC (online)
2021
Indigenous Art Workshops, Pacific Association of First Nations Women, Vancouver, BC
Moving Forward: Decolonizing Management, Nahanee Creative & Pacific Association of First Nations Women, Vancouver, BC (online)
Essential Skills for Trainers, Douglas College, New Westminster, BC (online)
2020
Traditional Nehiyaw (Cree) Teachings, Elder Fishwoman (Pauline Johnson), Vancouver, BC
Traditional Anishinaabe (Ojibwe) Teachings, Elder Cynthia Myran, Bowen Island, BC
Digital Ladders Learning Lab, BC Alliance for Arts & Culture, Vancouver, BC (online)
2019
Projection Mapping Workshop, SOMA Art School & Gallery, Cairo, EG
2015
Advanced Study Certificate in Painting, Emily Carr University of Art + Design, Vancouver, BC
2010
Associate of Arts Degree, Douglas College, New Westminster, BC
Grants, Awards & Residencies
2024
Arts Strengthening Program Mentorship Grant, First Peoples’ Cultural Council, Brentwood Bay, BC
2023
Indigenous Digital Constellations Residency, Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, Banff, AB
Sharing Traditional Arts Across Generations Grant, First Peoples’ Cultural Council, Brentwood Bay, BC
2022
1st Place Film, Beginnings, Adventure Filmmakers Workshops, Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, Banff, AB
Kasahara Gabriola Trust Artist Residency, Gabriola Arts Council, Gabriola, BC
Best Visionary Storyteller Award, Empowered Filmmaker Masterclass Program, TELUS STORYHIVE and VoVo Productions, Nanaimo, BC
Arts Vitality Micro-Grant, First Peoples’ Cultural Council, Brentwood Bay, BC
2021
Indigenous Arts Scholarship, First Peoples’ Cultural Council, Brentwood Bay, BC
Indigenous Arts Program: Arts Administrator Internships and Mentorships Grant, First Peoples’ Cultural Council, Brentwood Bay, BC
Professional Organizations
2023 - Present
Board Member, Independent Media Arts Alliance, Montréal, QC
2022 - Present
Regional Director, Media Arts Alliance of the Pacific, Vancouver, BC
2021 - 2022
Arts Administrator & Co-Founder, Raising Aunties Indigenous Arts Collective, Vancouver, BC
Arts Administrator, Pacific Association of First Nations Women, Vancouver, BC
Storytelling & Speaking Engagements
2023
Ancestral Gifts: A Guided Meditation Journey, Indigenous Resilience Festival, Rotary Centre for the Arts, Kelowna, BC
2022
Homesick: Film Screening and Meet & Greet, Gabriola Arts Council, Gabriola, BC
Artist Talk with Tracey-Mae Chambers hosted by Kasahara Gabriola Trust Artist in Residence, Jessica Miinguuaqtii, Gabriola Arts Council, Gabriola, BC
Lone Wolf, Faculty of Social Work, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC
2021
Lone Wolf, Virtual Humanity: Two Spirit & Indigiqueer Futures, Zee Zee Theatre Company, Vancouver, BC
Urban Inuk, Faculty of Social Work, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC
2020
Where I’m Meant to Be, The Flame, Vancouver, BC
Short Films
2023
February Sixteenth Nineteen Forty-Seven, Director/Screenwriter/Stop Motion Animator/Editor, Indigenous Digital Constellations Residency, Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, Banff, AB
2022
Beginnings, Co-Director/Co-Screenwriter, Piano Room Productions, Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, Adventure Filmmakers Workshops, Banff, AB
Back Home, Director/Screenwriter/Camera Operator/Editor, TELUS STORYHIVE and VoVo Productions, Nanaimo, BC
2021
Anihšināpē Water Law, Producer/Director/Screenwriter, PAFNW, Vancouver, BC
Medicine Picking with Fishwoman, Producer/Director/Screenwriter, PAFNW, Vancouver, BC
Selected Exhibitions
2021
Urban Indigenous Water Knowledge (virtual exhibition), Pacific Association of First Nations Women and University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC
2019
After The Canal There Was Only “Our” World, in collaboration with Amado Alfadni, City Art Gallery of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, SI
Dreamscape, in collaboration with Amado Alfadni, Projection Mapping Workshop Presentation, SOMA Art School & Gallery, Cairo, EG
2017
East, PoptArt Gallery, London, GB
2016
See You Later (self-organized solo exhibition), Renegade Arts Company, Vancouver, BC
2015
#OpenSpaceShow, The Playground, thisopenspace, Vancouver, BC
2014
Art Show & Website Launch (self-organized solo exhibition), Capitol Building, Vancouver, BC
2011
Celebration of Spring (juried exhibition), Deer Lake Gallery, Burnaby Arts Council, Burnaby, BC
2009
Naître: To Be Born (duo exhibition with Trena Coulter), Amelia Douglas Gallery, Douglas College, New Westminster, BC
2008
Incongruence (solo exhibition), Arts Council of New Westminster Gallery, New Westminster, BC
2007
Chance (self-organized solo exhibition), Couzie’s Café, New Westminster, BC
Teaching Experience
2023
Cushna Wellness Centre Retreat, Portraits of the Façade Self, Hurt Self and True Self Workshop Series, Invermere, BC
2022
Claire Creative Community, The Artist’s Way Book Circle, Denver, CO (online)
2021
Pacific Association of First Nations Women, Professional Development for Indigenous Artists, Vancouver, BC (online)
Pacific Association of First Nations Women, PhotoVoice for Residential “School” Survivors, Vancouver, BC
Pacific Association of First Nations Women, Interdisciplinary Coast Salish Arts Course, Vancouver, BC (online)
Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre, Abstract Art Workshop, Vancouver, BC
Pacific Association of First Nations Women, Interdisciplinary Arts Course, Vancouver, BC (online)
2020
Medination, Colour Your Chakras Workshop, Paris, FR (online)
Pacific Association of First Nations Women, Clarity Through Creativity Vision Board Workshop, Vancouver, BC
2019
SOMA Art School & Gallery, The Gateway to the Soul Through Artistic Expression Workshop Series, Cairo, EG
Heart Space, Creative Expression of Emotions Workshops, Dahab, EG
2018
Nour Wellbeing, Abstract Explorations Workshop, Dahab, EG
100 Years Gallery, Abstract Art Workshop, London, GB
123 Boulevard Diderot, Paint & Draw Pop-Up Classes, Paris, FR
2014
DEWY (Day, Evening, Weekend Youth) Program, Pacific Community Resources Society, Abstract Painting Workshops, New Westminster, BC
2010
DEWY (Day, Evening, Weekend Youth) Program, Pacific Community Resources Society, Abstract Painting Workshops, New Westminster, BC
2008
New Westminster Horticultural Society, Abstract Plant Drawing Classes, New Westminster, BC
DEWY (Day, Evening, Weekend Youth) Program, Pacific Community Resources Society, Abstract Painting Workshops, New Westminster, BC
Private Painting Commissions
2019
Ascension, Sponsored by Thomas & Elena Wiersgalla, Hochheim am Main, DE
2018
Balance, Sponsored by Susan Christie, Vancouver, BC
2016
Ring Road, Sponsored by Judy & Steven J. Jaeger, Vancouver, BC
2008
Neapolitan, Sponsored by Judy & Steven J. Jaeger, Vancouver, BC
Corporate Painting Commissions
2019
Cosmic Connection, Sponsored by Hyde Park Developments, New Cairo, EG
Growth, Sponsored by Dahab Hostel, Cairo, EG
Ascension, Sponsored by Treats Resto Café, Dahab, EG
Portal, Sponsored by Spores Homes, Cullera, ES
2010
Conspiracy Theory, Sponsored by The Arbutus Club, Vancouver, BC
Torrid, Sponsored by Degelder Construction, Vancouver, BC
Still Life II, Sponsored by Degelder Construction, Vancouver, BC
2008
Radiance, Sponsored by Metros Lounge, Tsawwassen, BC
Artwork Appearance in Film
“Jennifer’s Body,” distributed by 20th Century Fox, released September 10, 2009.
Publication as Author
“2570 Spruce Street,” Pearls, Douglas College Creative Writing Department Anthology, 2010.
Bibliography
Mandy Moraes, “Artist Expresses Freedom, Honours Culture”, Nanaimo News Bulletin, June 1, 2022.
Shakeira MacClean, "33 Coffees: 16 of 33, Meet Jessie Couzelis", RSVP 33 Blog, October 2013.
Erin Hitchcock, “Imagination on Canvas”, The Royal City Record, (Front Page) October 10, 2007.