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The Great Métis of My Time project is a series of nine paintings that through exhibition are intended to bring awareness of Métis history, Métis traditional art and Métis contemporary issues to a public audience. The paintings, produced in acrylic on canvas, portray the stories and the lives of five prominent Métis individuals whose determination to seek justice for Métis rights have changed the course of history for the Métis Nation in modern times.
The five individuals who are portrayed are Métis leaders, activists, and/or artists. Together, the portraits, the written stories of the history of their families, and the supporting painted beadwork combines to provide a visual biography of the Métis Nation in Canada, its history and its current day struggles. When viewed together in exhibition the paintings are intended to contribute to the on-going re-telling of the whole story of the Métis people from past to present.
The individuals portrayed are not the only Metis who have contributed greatly to the Metis Nation in modern times, but simply put, these are individuals who have been important to Métis communities and to the Métis Nation in my time, and their life’s work has had a profound effect on the continuing story of the place of the Métis people within Canada in a modern day sense. Also, these are individuals I have known personally, and therefore my opinions of them and my interpretation of their portraits are influenced directly by the profound and real impact they have had on my life and my art.
In addition to the five portraits, there are also four other paintings, each measuring 24” x 48”. Of the four, three are renditions of historical beadwork, taken from samples of actual beadwork patterns found around the geographical area where Metis people have historically resided. In this way the series incorporates traditional Métis art and provides exposure to the audience of historical Métis artistic practices.
The entire project took 3 years from start to finish. The pieces were painted in 2005 and 2006. |
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The artist gratefully acknowledges the support from the Aboriginal Arts Project Program of the:
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