NAPN Community Wall Quilt
NAPN Community Wall Quilt
NAPN Community Wall Quilt

NAPN Community Wall Quilt

Artwork



2024.014.001
2001
The NAPN Community Wall Quilt was created by the late Elaine Barnhart as part of her master's thesis in Nursing at the University of Saskatchewan's College of Nursing. Titled "Building Community Through Quilt Making," Elaine’s thesis centered on the Native Access Program to Nursing (NAPN), a program established in 1984 to increase the presence of Indigenous people in healthcare roles, providing counselling and support for Indigenous nursing students. 

Elaine, along with Indigenous nursing students and nursing advisor Val Arnault-Pelletier, who worked closely with Elaine on the project, hand-sewed the quilt as a collaborative effort. In her thesis, Elaine stated the quilt as a metaphor for community, weaving together images, colors, and symbols that represent the strength and support vital to the NAPN community.

Tragically, Elaine passed away from cancer before completing her degree, but her dedication was honoured with the posthumous awarding of her master's degree in 2001. The Community Wall Quilt continues to symbolize her contributions and the enduring impact of NAPN, which has since been renamed the University of Saskatchewan Community of Indigenous Nursing (UCIN), within the College of Nursing.
Fabric, hide, beads
Width: 128.3 cm; Height: 143 cm;


Width: 128.3 cm; Height: 143 cm;
Quilt, Textile, Fabric
Collection of the College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, 2024.