In December 2022, Autumn Smith received a photo of what looked like her artwork — a self-portrait with her grandmother inspired by a memory of the day her grandmother gave her a traditional name — only it wasn’t her painting.
It was a post from Wasauksing First Nation artist Tyler Rushnell’s Instagram account. Smith says Rushnell copied her work but changed the plants in his version.
“To see somebody else take that without understanding the story and the connection that we all had to it, it’s hurtful. I was very hurt when I saw that,” said Smith.
Smith said in her painting, she wanted to honour the teachings she received
