Chantelle Trainor Matties

Biography

Chantelle Trainor-Matties is an Indigenous artist from Abbotsford, British Columbia, of Nisg_a’a descent, with ancestral roots in the village of Ging_olx in the Nass Valley. She also has Métis ancestry that traces back to the Red River Settlement in Manitoba, along with a mixed European background. Chantelle grew up, lives, and works on the unceded territory of the Stó:lo peoples. She specializes in illustration, painting, design, and mural art, working for herself and taking on contract work through her small business Frettchan Studios. Her work blends contemporary Northwest Coast formline, reflecting her Nisg_a’a roots, with cartoons and realism. She’s been reclaiming her Indigeneity through many pathways, including art and learning the Nisg_a’a language. Chantelle’s portfolio consists of many subject matters such as flora, fauna, pop culture, and the macabre; however, she primarily highlights animals in her work and loves to find lessons we can learn from them and practice in our everyday lives.