An Indigenous artist from Western Canada is Struts Gallery’s first Open Studio Artist in Residence for 2026.
Naomi Watkins is a Two-Spirit Secwépemc interdisciplinary artist from Kamloops, BC. Working across carving, sound and video, Watkins’ current project explores themes of displacement, reconnection and the animacy of more-than-human beings.
While travelling to remote or personally significant sites, they gather sound, video, materials and personal reflections that inform immersive, process-driven installations and multimedia works. By continuously revisiting specific locations, they cultivate a deeper sense of relational presence, believing that ongoing contact reveals land as an active participant in art and life – reawakening lost memories and ancestral stories tied to land and water – and ultimately creating a shared sense of belonging.
Watkins holds both a masters and bachelor degrees in fine arts from Emily Carr University of Art and Design. Their work has been exhibited and screened at the Polygon Gallery, Museum of Vancouver, and FORM Festival. Watkins received the 2025 Expanding the Form Award for their film Her Stories Have Always Been a Part of Me (2024).
