Red Lake Woodland Arts Festival: A Tribute to Norval Morrisseau and the Woodland Artists in 24 DAYS!

July 4th-6th, 2008
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Presenter/Artist: Ahmoo Angeconeb
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"The Seven Grandfathers", © Ahmoo Angeconeb

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Ahmoo Angeconeb is a nationally and internationally celebrated artist from the Lac Seul First Nation near Sioux Lookout. Angeconeb is described by Glenn Allison, curator of the Thunder Bay Art Gallery, as "the foremost of his generation of Anishnaabe artists, and an apt successor to the achievements of Norval Morrisseau and Roy Thomas".

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Angeconeb taught himself how to paint at an early age, and had sold his first painting by the time he was only 13 years old. Four years later, he participated in an art exhibition at the Sault Ste. Marie Public Library and by the time he was 22 he had his first Toronto art exhibit at York University. By then, Angeconeb had spent time in southeast Asia with Canada World Youth and was studying art at York University. He went on to obtain a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Lakehead University in Thunder Bay.

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For over twenty years, Angeconeb has concentrated his artistic talent on printmaking, and is considered one of Canada's finest printmakers. In the book "Roy Thomas - The Spirit of Anisnabae Art", author James Stevens comments that Angeconeb's "bold spiritual images are often presented in stark black and white codes that have a haunting and eye pleasing quality". While Angeconeb is a world traveller with an interest in the artwork of indigenous peoples of other cultures, he remains firmly rooted in the forest tradition of his forefathers and mothers. He says "I am glad to be a part of the Anishinaabe visual tradition that comes from our ancestors who have created art for a thousand years".

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Angeconeb's work has been displayed in shows and galleries in Europe, the United States, and Canada. Throughout his career as an artist, Angeconeb has also worked as an educator, teaching both children and adults about traditional and contemporary modes of art practise while educating them about the ways of the Anishnaabe.

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We are very fortunate to have Angeconeb participate in the Woodland Arts Festival this July, where he will be offering a half-day workshop on drawing and relief printmaking. The workshop will include information about the history of Anishnaabe art. He will be assisted by Christina Krebs. Krebs, originally from Switzerland, is an artist herself who is completing a Ph.D. on the roles of the Anishnaabe artists, especially the second and third generation of Woodland artists.

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For more information about the Red Lake Woodland Arts Festival go to: www.redlakemuseum.com.

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* The painting in this posting: "The seven Grandfathers", 37.5"x25", Linocut, © 2005 Ahmoo Angeconeb; Image: Courtesy of http://www.feheleyfinearts.com/.