Alyssa Bardy

A self-taught natural light photographer, visual storyteller, wife and mother, Alyssa Bardy showcases the intersection of humans and the Natural World in her photography, and the deep reciprocal love that runs between the two. Alyssa is Upper Cayuga of Six Nations of the Grand River and is a member of Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte, where she and her family reside. When she’s not taking or editing photos, you can find her exploring the beautiful waters surrounding the area, spending time with her family, enjoying a nice cup of coffee, or watching her favourite TV show. Her current recommendation is North of North (CBC, APTN, Netflix), which she says is “Indigenous brilliance and humour at its finest!”

Alyssa uses the lens as a tool for herself, her children, and future generations to learn and share the beauty of both culture and creation, and her work has been featured, among others, in Canadian Geographic, The Centre for Humans and Nature in Illinois, and The 400 Years Project – a collection of original photo essays, text essays and a digital library exploring the evolution of Indigenous identity over the last 400 years since the Mayflower arrived in 1620, centering the Indigenous voice and perspective.

As a recipient of the 2024 round of County Arts’ Indigenous Voices Fund Grants program, Alyssa was awarded funding to help cover materials and related costs to help her prepare and display her work in upcoming exhibitions, including A Path Forward at Macaulay Heritage Park museum. Co-curated by the Tsi Tyónnheht Onkwawén:na, the Downie Wenjack Fund and The County Museums, Alyssa is the featured artist this June in this permanent and evolving exhibition which uses history, heritage and Indigenous works of art and story as a way of exploring Truth and Reconciliation efforts in the County.

You can also see her work in this year’s Art in the County Juried Exhibition and Sale, as Indigenous Voices Fund Grants program recipients have been given the opportunity to submit and have their work displayed in the show, which is on view in the County Arts Lab June 27th-July 13th, 2025.

Read on for some inspiring words from Alyssa, where you can see her work, and learn more about what influences and drives her.

Tell us about any projects you have going on:

This month, my focus is on sharing some of my newer work that I’m proud to have recently completed and framed. Thanks to the support of the Indigenous Voices Fund Grant, I was able to bring these pieces to life and have them professionally mounted and framed, which is an important step in making them exhibition-ready.

With this new collection complete, I’m excited to be submitting for the first time to a local juried show: Art in the County Juried Exhibition and Sale.

In addition, you’ll also find my work, made possible by the grant featured in two significant spaces:
• The 50th Indigenous Art 2025 Exhibition at the Woodland Cultural Centre in Brantford
• “A Path Forward” Exhibit, where I’m honoured to be the featured artist for the month of June

I also recently completed a four-season photographic journey that tells the story of the Natural World, which immerses the viewer as if it were unfolding before their eyes

These works are intimate and earthy, capturing the shifting rhythms of the Land as it moves through rest and rebirth – the ebb and flow of the seasons.

Each image tells a quiet story of change, of resilience, and of deep-rooted connection, seen through my eyes and captured through the lens.

Tell us about another artist’s work you’ve experienced recently that made an impact on you:

Recently, I had the opportunity to spend time at the Hiawatha Pow Wow at Hiawatha First Nation. Powwows are such powerful gatherings, where drumming, dancing, art, craft vendors, and good food come together in celebration of the brilliance and resilience of First Nations culture

Being surrounded by so much Indigenous art is always good medicine, but this time, I was especially drawn to the work of Indigenous painter Jared Tait. His Woodland style artwork was absolutely stunning, it is ethereal, deeply connected, and full of story.

One piece in particular moved me so deeply that I purchased it as a Father’s Day gift for my husband. Jared’s work felt like it held something sacred, and I’m so grateful to have brought a part of that home with me.

Where in the County do you find the most creative inspiration?

I have a little expression I often say to myself: “To the water, always to the water.”

It’s by the water that I feel most inspired, surrounded by the very Waters that hold the stories and spirits of our Ancestors. I’m continually drawn to the shores of Lake Ontario, especially the crystal clear waters overlooking Upper Gap, toward the Kingston Islands, and south across the vastness to the southern shore.

Spending time here, with the Water, the Birds, and the horizon is where I feel most at peace. There is beauty in every season, and this connection to Land and Water is both grounding and healing.

Time outdoors isn’t just a practice, it’s a necessity. My subjects are rooted in the Natural World, and the shorelines and IBAs (Important Bird Areas) of Prince Edward County always offer something extraordinary. It’s impossible to leave without feeling inspired and fulfilled.

What advice would you give to artists just starting out in their careers?

Don’t lose sight of your purpose.

I find I start to lose my spark when the business side of art takes over. When that happens, I turn back to what fuels me: collaborating, trading, or exchanging energy with other artists.

It’s not always about the sale. Staying inspired means reconnecting with why you create in the first place.