My name is Marie Francis and I am a citizen of the Métis Nation of Ontario. I live in Region 7 and am a part of the Barrie-South Simcoe Métis Council. 

I live in Barrie, Ontario. I come from the Labatte, Dusome, and Leduc Family Lines. I am an ambulatory wheelchair user and commute daily from Barrie to 500 University Avenue to study occupational therapy at the School of Graduate Studies at U of T. I have two children and have worked in seating and mobility for eight years prior to returning to school. I have a bachelor’s in disability studies from Toronto Metropolitan University and a diploma in prosthetics and orthotics from George Brown College. 

My artwork was created using Procreate on my iPad. It is done in the style of ‘dot art’ which is a modern adaptation of traditional Métis beadwork.

MARIE FRANCIS/THE VARSITY

“Hand Therapy”

The illustration of a hand is a self-portrait of my own right hand, which carries a scar from two surgeries. As an occupational therapy student, we work with hands and in hand therapy a lot. We like to take a “doing things that are important to you” focus in our rehabilitation philosophy as occupational therapists. This image tries to capture that philosophy as well as the idea of post-traumatic growth.

The illustration shows a hand drawing flowers that emerge from a scar — from the site of injury, this person is creating beautiful and meaningful artwork. The drawing is also metaphorical, showing the beauty that can emerge from pain. The choice of flowers reflects the more traditional style of flower often used in beadwork as well as the trillium, which represents my Ontario provincial affiliation. The white pencil represents the electronic stylus I use to draw — bridging the old and new styles of art.

MARIE FRANCIS/THE VARSITY

“Rage”

The second illustration shows rage shifting to beauty. A person is screaming in anger, pain, and frustration — but over time and with healing and love — the fire changes into flowers. The urgent, sharp colours are not lost — the message remains — but the medium of flames develops into something that will grow again year after year, renewing, sustaining, and developing in a way the initial flames cannot.

Fire is sacred and well-tended. It is life-giving yet it can also be exhausting and harmful. This is very much a ‘both’ situation — a space where two or more things can be true. There are many reasons to rage. At times a fiery scream is the perfect answer. However, it is also wonderful to witness calls for justice remaining sharp and poignant while also developing sustainability and growth.