Stoney Nakoda artists: National Indigenous Peoples Day
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ArtsPlace 950 8 Avenue, PO Box 8521, Canmore, Alberta T1W 2V3
Gallery Opening reception: Thurs. June 21 at 4pm
In partnership with our Indigenous programming committee, artsPlace is celebrating National Indigenous Peoples Day by featuring an art exhibition by a diverse group of Treaty 7 Indigenous artists. Please join us at the opening reception on June 21 to meet the artists.
Roland Rollinmud is a talented, committed artist with a trained eye and hand. Sensitized by his Stoney Nakoda First Nation heritage in the Alberta foothills, he is widely recognized for his interpretations of Nature and First Nations traditional themes. He has a gift of seeing the freedom in his subject matter, whether a pair of eagles soaring overhead, a gander preparing its goslings for first flight, his grandfather providing food for the long winter, or a young fancy dancer moving to heartbeat drums. He shares with the observer his insights into his history, his community and culture through breathtaking glimpses of nature and portraits of chiefs, elders and those who have lived well. Roland weaves the beauty of the Stony People, their language, culture and history into tangible works of art. Roland has pursued formal studies in art at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, the University of Calgary, and the Banff School of Fine Arts. By his own admission, however, his greatest learning has come through personal observation and respectful listening, and Nature and his Elders themselves teach Roland how they want to be depicted. Roland pays attention and carries out their wishes. Roland has distinguished himself also as a mentor to other emerging artists, inspiring many to see life more fully and with a profound sense of gratitude. In March of 2010, Roland was honoured by being commissioned by Parks Canada to paint a large mural to be placed in the renovated Cave and Basin Historical Site in Banff.
Gordon Wesley is passionate about bringing the life of the wild into a still picture, where he can always have as a memory from his wildlife experiences. He is a proud Stoney Nakoda from the Big Horn Reserve, where he was inspired to create life on canvas. Living in a quiet reserve in the mountains, Gordon can easily maintain the focus and concentrate on the essences of the wildlife of the rockies onto canvas. As a child Gordon loved to be outdoors monitoring the animals that inhabit his local geography and became curious about them and enjoyed their natural beauty. His passion of nature derives from the desire to capture the spirit of the wild in art.
Holly Kaquitts (Indian Given Name: Thunder Bear) is a Stoney Nakoda / Cree artist. She has lived most of her life on the Morley Reserve, located near the Rocky Mountains. She is the grandaughter of the Stoney Nakoda/Cree artist and actor Frank M. Kaquitts from whom she got her inspiration as a child. Thunder Bear is self taught. She started out with drawing and sketching taht led to portraits, still life, fantasy and dark art. Later on she explored pastels, acrylic and oil paints. she used these maaterials to produce landscape, history and genre paintinigs. Thunder Bear has done murals within her community and also took part in the making of the Town of Cochrane community mural, a mosaic work that is called “Trust”. She painted #192, #26, #19. She is best known for the logo she created for the Stoney Nakoda Resort and Casino. Presently she is working on creative designs that are based on her culture and tradition. Holly’s goal in her art is to reach out to people and bring realization to humanity, to have hope and to love nature and life once again. Thunder Bear acknowledges her loving familys support in her artistic endeavours.
Tamara Lee-Anne Cardinal is a multi-media artist, community activist, oskâpêwis, storyteller and life-long learner. Born and raised in Lloydminster, Saskatchewan, she now lives in Calgary and traces her ancestral roots to Saddle Lake Cree Nation. Since graduating from the Alberta College of Art + Design in 2015 with a background in sculpture, fibres, interactive installation, and performance, she attended Culture Camp at Blue Quills First Nations University, participated in Emily Carr University of Art + Design’s Urban Access to Aboriginal Art Program, and has attended the Indigenous Visual + Digital Arts Residency 2016 in Banff. She is the recipient of the National BMO Art! Competition Award of 2015 for her work Back into the Earth: Creation and the Interpretation of Meaning, which speaks to her core interests in community, family history, and our connections with Mother Earth. Her artwork continues to be a reflection of the teachings she receives along her journey, inviting all people to become a part of the process.