Native Art > Canadian Native Artists

Canadian Native Artists

After Morrisseau - The Second Wave of Woodland Native Artists

In 1972 the show Treaty Numbers 23, 287, 1171 broke the ice jam of native art in Canadian galleries. Despite Morrisseau's success a decade earlier Canadian native art was still considered simple iconography by the art establishment until works by Daphne Odjig, Jackson Beardy and Alex Janvier were shown in the Winnipeg Art Gallery. Other shows followed and as did opportunities for other artists.

Morrisseau had been mentoring Joshim Kakegamic and his brother Goyce Kakegamic in Sandy Lake. They went on to open their own screen printing, Triple-K-Cooperative in Red Lake, and mentored others.

Daphne and Carl Ray taught a short lived summer course on Manitoulin Island, which was followed by courses sponsored by the Ojibwe Cultural Foundation. Many of those participants are either still painting or are working in music and theatre.

The following attended the Manitoulin summer school.

• Leland Bell
• Blake Debassige
• Shirley Cheechoo
• Martin Panamick
• Randy Trudeau

If you know of other young people who participated please let me know. I'm aware that Martin died very young, but I'd like also to be able to add some information to Randy Trudeaus' bio.

Email me .... nokomis at native-art-in-canada.com