In her curatorial and writing practice, Cathy Mattes focuses on Aboriginal issues and art, and explores concepts of community and dialogical aesthetics. She has contributed writings to the Winnipeg Art Gallery, Plug In ICA, Canadian Dimension Magazine, and the National Museum of the American Indian to name a few. Mattes was the curator at the Art Gallery of Southwestern Manitoba between 2003 and 2005, and is now the art history lecturer at Brandon University in the Visual and Aboriginal Arts Department. She lives and works out of Sprucewoods, Manitoba.