Marie Watt

Marie Watt is an interdisciplinary artist whose work weaves together printmaking, textiles and sculpture to explore cultural intersections and the rich tapestry of shared human stories. A citizen of the Seneca Nation (part of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy) with German-Scot ancestry, Ms. Watt draws upon Haudenosaunee feminist teachings, Indigenous knowledge and her own family history to address themes relevant to contemporary life.

Her work often engages community as subject and collaborator - an approach that has taken the form of sewing circles, community-built sculptures or crowd-sourced social media participation - sparking multigenerational dialogue and a deeper sense of connection between people and place.

Blankets play a central role in Ms. Watt’s practice.  Her “Blanket Stories” sculpture series comprises towering structures of folded blankets donated to the artist by local communities, each accompanied by personal notes recounting the importance of these simple items to the individual or family. Ms. Watt adds each story to a label carefully pinned to the blanket, transforming these humble objects into monolithic monuments of care and collective histories.

Ms. Watt’s commitment to community engagement was powerfully embodied in her 2023 installation, “Sky Dances Light.” Cloud-shaped forms suspended from the ceiling shimmered with thousands of tin jingles, evoking ceremonial regalia used in dances traditionally performed as a healing offering. In a thoughtful break from conventional gallery norms, visitors were invited to touch the work, setting the jingles into motion and activating a soundscape of collective resonance and shared restoration.

Her 2024 installation “Land Stitches Water Sky” at the Carnegie Museum of Art reflects on Pittsburgh’s industrial legacy while honoring the contributions of Indigenous steelworkers, particularly Haudenosaunee “Skywalkers” who helped shape the modern urban skyline. Her work has also been on view at the Zimmerli Art Museum at Rutgers University, The Gund at Kenyon College and the Shelburne Museum in Vermont.