Silvermoon LaRose

Painter Narragansett Charleston, RI
Silvermoon LaRose is a citizen of the Narragansett Tribal Nation of Rhode Island. As assistant director of the Tomaquag Museum, Silvermoon is a cultural educator who teaches traditional artforms to Indigenous community members and the general public. She’s familiar with various styles of weaving, beading, woodworking, and parfleche art. The painter and illustrator started her personal art-making when she was in her 30s, beginning with small, hand-colored bookmarks, using markers, before branching out into painting with acrylics on canvas. Silvermoon’s primary subject matter is the female figure interpreted through a traditional lens. Silvermoon’s artworks include interpretations of the Three Sisters, the story of the first strawberry/heartberry, and Moshup, a giant from traditional New England stories.
Her brightly colored, illustrative works use thick, sweeping lines to create movement. She almost always renders hair in black and white, using the high-contrast shades to convey patterns and movement, a stylistic choice that represents Indigenous traditions around the maintenance, styling, and adornment of hair. The figures are often adorned with designs inspired by Southern New England basket stamping traditions. Silvermoon’s artistic expression is a celebration of powerful femininity and the beauty of Indigenous womanhood.