Maggie Paulin’s mukluks
2026
Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, Fort McMurray, AB
This artwork incorporates embroidery from mukluks created by Margaret (Maggie) Paulin (1910–2001), a Métis moccasin maker born in Fort McKay. Maggie is the mother of Elizabeth King (1939–2025) and the great-grandmother of Tiffany Shaw (b. 1982). Created collaboratively by Elizabeth and Tiffany, the work honours their shared cultural heritage and deep ties to the region.
Maggie raised her seven children along the Snye, near the present-day Jubilee Building. A gifted craftswoman, she created moccasins and mukluks for the community, incorporating beadwork, embroidery, and other techniques. Though she never learned to read, Maggie possessed a remarkable ability to replicate patterns from memory.
Through colour, linework, and floral motifs, this artwork brings together past, present, and future generations rooted in place. Elizabeth King passed away near the completion of this project; the work stands as a tribute to her kindness and the legacy she shared with family and community.
Appreciation to Jacqueline Armitstead, Lois Shaw and Crystal Shaw.