Marlene Joudry

Marlene Joudry is a self-taught Mi’kmaw artist and cultural educator from L’sɨtkuk (Bear River First Nation), working under the name Ravenz Quillz. Marlene creates striking porcupine quill jewelry and offers hands-on cultural workshops. She learned the traditional art of leatherwork from Genevieve Julian of Millbrook and gained deep knowledge of porcupine quillwork under the mentorship of Janey Julian from Paqtnkek.

Marlene designs traditional and contemporary Porcupine Quill Jewelry. Marlene also designed a “grandmothers- Mi’kiju” style Porcupine Quill Pendant and earrings.

Through her workshops and artistic practice, Marlene shares traditional teachings about harvesting, cleaning, and preserving porcupine quills, and the harvesting of birch bark, adapting each experience to suit the needs of her learners. As a guide, she shares insights on sustainable harvesting, quill care, and preservation, ensuring that Traditional Knowledge continues to thrive.

Marlene’s approach is holistic: her artistic practice is interwoven with teachings on Treaty knowledge, restorative justice, and healing circles. Her work bridges Traditional Knowledge with creative design by incorporating cultural meaning into her work. In addition to her quill work and workshops, she also designed and created a porcupine quill math project based on the Mi’kmaw eight-point star.