About Sharifah Marsden
Sharifah Marsden is a traditionally and classically trained multifaceted Indigenous artist from the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation, now living on Syilx Territory in Keremeos, British Columbia.
Sharifah is an Indigenous visual artist, jeweller, and educator known for her large-scale public murals, fine jewellery, and mixed media works rooted in Indigenous teachings. A graduate of the University of Victoria Indigenous Fine Arts program, the Vancouver Metal Arts Goldsmith Program, the Native Education College Jewelry Design Program, the Langara College Fine Arts Program, and the Northwest Coast Jewellery Arts program under established Haida/Kwakwaka’wakw artist Dan Wallace, Sharifah’s practice bridges traditional and contemporary forms of expression.
In 2010, she worked alongside artists Richard Shorty and Jerry Whitehead, among others, to complete Western Canada’s largest mural on the outer wall of the Orwell Hotel in Vancouver. Her contributions to the metal arts have been significant, bringing a distinctive feminine essence to the form. As the founder of Silver Feather, Sharifah is an esteemed goldsmith creating one-of-a-kind wedding bands and heirlooms that carry deep cultural and personal meaning.
Sharifah’s paintings reflect her early training in the Woodland style pioneered by Norval Morrisseau. This style, rooted in Anishinaabe spirituality and worldview, is characterized by bright colours and bold black lines representing the connectedness of all life. Taught to paint in this style by her late mother, Laura Marsden, Sharifah carries forward a lineage of artistic and cultural knowledge through her work.
Her paintings and jewellery often tell the undertold stories of women, children, and voices from the margins, including the LGBTQ+ community. Her piece Heartberry Gatherers, a reflection on women and children gathering strawberries, welcomes visitors to the UBC Hospital Surgical Wing. Her Beadwork Series is part of the collection at Edmonton University Hospital, and her Tipi Painting Project with the Vancouver School District guided over 700 students from 28 schools in creating a co-designed work featuring handprints and Anishinaabe symbols.
Trained from a young age in jingle dress and fancy dance, Sharifah also brings traditional knowledge of beadwork, leatherwork, and powwow regalia into her visual art practice. These influences can be seen in the vibrant beadwork patterns, feathers, and floral and geometric designs present throughout her murals, paintings, and jewellery.
The Anishinaabe teachings of minobimaadziiwin—“the good life”—and the Seven Grandfather Teachings are central to Sharifah’s work. Through visual storytelling, she shares these values while embodying them in her daily life. As a Traditional and Fine Arts Facilitator in BC schools and a former Jewelry Arts Instructor at the Native Education College, she upholds and honours her traditions of community, storytelling, and celebration.
Central to Marsden’s vision is the inclusion of images of Indigenous people, women, and children in public art and contemporary landscapes—creating visibility, fostering inclusion, and uplifting community.
Sharifah Marsden is an Indigenous visual artist and entrepreneur whose business has grown from her studio art practice into a diverse creative enterprise built around original artwork, large-scale public art, licensing, limited-edition prints and a growing silver line. Her work is rooted in Indigenous visual storytelling and a desire to create connection between people, culture and place.
Her business has evolved by finding new ways to bring her artwork into the world while building a sustainable career as an Indigenous artist. Today, her work reaches audiences across Canada through both public art and retail partnerships. Her silver line is carried by Craft Ontario in its boutique locations in Toronto and by the Vancouver Art Gallery in Vancouver, giving her work a presence from coast to coast. Her artwork has also been licensed and reproduced through partnerships that allow her designs to reach audiences beyond her original studio practice.
Her public art has created an even broader community presence. Sharifah has completed large-scale works in British Columbia and Ontario, including projects for the City of Pickering and works in Toronto and Vancouver. Her public commissions range from community-scale projects to monumental works as large as 12 storeys. These pieces bring Indigenous art and storytelling into highly visible public spaces, allowing people to experience her work as part of their everyday lives rather than only within a gallery.
Sharifah has intentionally developed multiple ways for people to connect with her art. While original paintings and major public commissions represent one part of her practice, limited-edition prints and her silver line make her artwork accessible to a much wider audience. The silver line is based on her original hand-engraved designs and is produced in small batches through an Indigenous-owned Vancouver studio, creating a product that extends her artwork while supporting another Indigenous-owned business.
Through her business, Sharifah is increasing the visibility of Indigenous art in contemporary public and commercial spaces while building a sustainable, independently owned Indigenous creative business. Her goal is to continue expanding the reach of her artwork, creating meaningful cultural connections and demonstrating how Indigenous art and entrepreneurship can thrive together.