About

Meet the Artist!

Tansi! Hi there! I'm Em and I'm the creative force behind Tanshi Clay! 

I'm originally from Georgian Bay and moved
to Toronto in 2018. I am a self-taught beader and everything on my website is completely made by me!

I'm a registered member of the   Métis Nation of Ontario and my roots originate from The Drummond Island Voyageurs on my mothers side. I have ties to Jean Baptiste Sylvestre who was a notable member of the fur trade and you can read more about his story here!
  


Creating Tanshi Clay

I originally started Tanshi Clay back in 2020 when polymer clay earrings were all the rage and decided to start my own polymer clay business!

After attending my first powwow during the summer of 2022, I was immediately in awe of all the amazing beadwork I saw. That day, I bought my first pair of beaded earrings and on the way home I stopped by Michaels to pick up some beading supplies.

These are the first pair of earrings I made.

My Métis Experience

Growing up, I definitely struggled with my
Métis identity. It was never talked about and it wasn't until I moved to Toronto that I started to re-connect and meet this side of myself.

At first, identifying as Métis was super confusing for me. I didn't feel white enough in white spaces and I didn't feel native enough in native spaces. I felt the need to constantly justify my identity to others. I felt alone, isolated and misunderstood.

I joined the Toronto York Métis Region Council (TYRMC) in hopes to meet other Métis people and I immediately felt at home.
   
For once, I was surrounded by people who understood how I was feeling. Beading has played a huge role in reconnecting with my culture and in finding purpose. I've met so many amazing people this past year and I'm incredibly grateful to be part of such an amazing community. 

     

What is Tanshi Clay?

When starting my business, I knew I wanted to include a part of my Métis identity in the branding. Then, Tanshi Clay was born! Tanshi means hello in Michif which is one of the traditional language spoken by Métis peoples! Michif is mainly a combination of Cree and French. 

 

 To my fellow pasty native brothers and sisters:
you are beautiful, you are not alone and you are valid.