My name is Simone Dunye. I am a printmaker at heart, but I love working in all kinds of mediums. My art is a reflection of myself, my heritage, and my interests. Recently I have been taking time to follow my passions and make work about the questions and people that interest me, such as heritage, storytelling, and sustainable art making. I grew up with some amazing artistic mentors and I have always felt the need to return the favor and be the kind of person that inspired me when I was just starting to find my passion for art. Teaching has become a really fulfilling part of my life and my students have taught me so much about art and creativity!

Website: simonedunye.xyz
Instagram: @west_thanks

Artwork by Simone Dunye

Gage Academy of Art acknowledges the Coast Salish Peoples as the original inhabitants of this area and connecting waterways. We understand the land that Gage occupies is unceded territory and that today many Indigenous peoples live here and without their stewardship, we would not have access to this space. We honor the Coast Salish Peoples’ sovereignty, rights to self-determination, culture and ways of life. Since time immemorial, Indigenous peoples have called this territory their sacred land. We commit to learning, educating others and repairing the legacy of historically harmful relationships between non-Native and Native peoples in King County. In doing so, we will be honest, and recognize the experiences of Native peoples to include genocide, forced relocation, forced assimilation, and land theft. We also acknowledge Native peoples are survivors, present in today’s world, thriving. We encourage everyone here today to ask themselves: what can I do to support Indigenous communities?

In an effort to be transparent, Gage is contemplating this call to action and re-working how to best support Indigenous communities.

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