NORVAL MORRISSEAU BLOG

>>> "The House of Invention" by Kevin Hearn - musical tribute to Norval Morrisseau (2011)

2012-01-30T00:11:00.025-04:00

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UPDATED /January 31st, 2012/

• Genuine Morrisseau paintings from Kevin Hearn's collection
~ Still of 'National Post' video: "Collector’s Series – The Happy Mediums"

/Click on image to Enlarge and/or click HERE to view this National Post's 'You Tube' video/

Introduction: The AGO's debut (June 11th to 30th, 2010) of the new series of guest-curated exhibitions by notable personalities passionate about the arts.

Musician, artist and devoted art collector, Kevin Hearn of Barenaked Ladies showcases works available by AR+SG that speak to his collecting interests (see above). With original artwork by Leonard Cohen, Marcel Dzama, Norval Morrisseau, Pudlo Pudlat, Lou Reed and Martin Tielli of the Rheostatics, plus Hearn's own whimsical drawings, this not-to-be-missed exhibition offers an intimate look at one of Canada's leading talents.

Note: For additional information visit Ottawa Citizen's article "Pioneer makes his final breakthrough" and previously published posts: "The Art of Norval Morrisseau in Galleries and Museums Around the World (Part VIII)" & "Another genuine Norval Morrisseau's painting exhibited at Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO)".

Source: AGO Art Gallery of Ontario / Musée des beaux-arts de l’Ontario

>>> The following is the song inspired by the artwork of Norval Morrisseau, including the genuine paintings presented in the above 'You Tube' video; part of Kevin Hearn's private collection:

The House Of Invention

Here is a song about a painter you might know.
He is The Copper Thunderbird Norval Morrisseau.
He’s floating by high in the sky in a canoe.
I hope you feel the colors’ healing spell on you.

A man of conviction
On a journey, on a mission,
To find his X-ray vision,
In the house of invention.

And in the gallery heads are turning back and forth.
Somebody called him “ the Picasso of the north”.
And when I wander cloudy on a gloomy day
He’ll cheer me up like Debussy or Dubuffet.

A man of conviction
On a journey, on a mission,
To find his X-ray vision,
in the house of invention.

This is a song about a painter you might know.
He is The Copper Thunderbird Norval Morrisseau.

~ Kevin Hearn (3:16) Track Six on the album "Cloud Maintenance"

* To purchase this song (album) on iTunes click HERE.

Source: Kevin Hearn's www.kevinhearn.com

>>> Reference posts:
- Pioneer makes his final breakthrough /Ottawa Citizen/,
- The Art of Norval Morrisseau in Galleries and Museums Around the World (Part VIII) &
- Another genuine Norval Morrisseau's painting exhibited at Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO).
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Claim Regarding the Estate of Renowned Canadian Artist Norval Morrisseau Resolved

2012-01-25T15:42:00.032-04:00

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UPDATED /January 29th, 2012/

"Victoria and Family", 1978; "The Family", 1990's
/Copyright by Norval Morrisseau Estate/

VANCOUVER, Jan. 25, 2012 /CNW/ - A claim regarding the distribution of the estate of Norval Morrisseau, filed in BC Supreme Court by the seven children of Norval Morrisseau, has been resolved in an out of court settlement.

Norval Morrisseau, also known as Copper Thunderbird, was an eminent aboriginal artist who founded the Woodlands School of Art. His works often portrayed the legends of his people, and were characterized by vibrant colours and x-ray views of people and animals.

Mr. Morrisseau was awarded the Order of Canada in 1978 and was acknowledged as Grand Shaman of the Ojibwa in 1986. He died on December 4, 2007.

In the settlement, Gabor Vadas, the executor and sole beneficiary under Mr. Morrisseau's will, and the Morrisseau children have agreed to share in the artist's estate. The agreement recognizes the significant relationship Norval had with Gabor Vadas and the Vadas family, and also ensures that the Morrisseau Family shares in their father's artistic legacy.

Ted Charney, co-counsel for the Morrisseau family, said, "This settlement ensures that the children of Mr. Morrisseau are able to share in management of their father's artistic legacy while also recognizing the important role that the Vadas family played in Mr. Morrisseau's life."

The Morrisseau Family wishes to enhance the legacy of Norval Morrisseau's art and aid his own native community through projects such as a memorial meeting house for artists in Keewaywin, museum exhibits and retrospectives and proper management of the copyright of his art.

Mr. Vadas, who was adopted by Mr. Morrisseau in accordance with the artist's shamanistic traditions, views the settlement as an opportunity for the parties to reconcile past differences and focus on increasing public understanding of Norval Morrisseau's art.

Michael Miller, counsel for Mr. Vadas and the estate, commented that, "The cooperation between the Morrisseau children and Mr. Vadas will help ensure that the integrity of the works of one of Canada's foremost artists is protected and maintained."

Amy Francis, co-counsel for the Morrisseau family, also expressed optimism that, "The Morrisseau children and Gabe Vadas will now be able to move forward together, working to protect and enhance the important cultural legacy left by Norval."

The Morrisseau Family was represented by Amy Francis of Legacy Tax + Trust Lawyers in Vancouver, BC and Ted Charney of Falconer Charney LLP in Toronto, Ontario.

Gabor Vadas and the Estate of Norval Morrisseau were represented by Michael A. Miller and Manuel A. Azevedo, Barristers and Solicitors, Vancouver, B.C.

For further information:

Theodore P. Charney
Falconer Charney LLP
(416) 964-3408
tedc@falconercharney.com

Michael A. Miller
Barrister and Solicitor
(604) 685-7207
mmiller@direct.ca

Source: CNW 'Canada Newswire'

Related articles from other media:
~ Morrisseau children reach out-of-court settlement over artist’s estate /The Globe and Mail/,
~ Family of renowned B.C. aboriginal artist settles legal dispute with 'adopted' son /The Vancouver Sun/, ~ Photos: Norval Morrisseau and his art /The Vancouver Sun/ & ~ Norval Morrisseau family, beneficiary make a deal /CBC/.
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*The paintings in this post shows a celebration of Norval Morrisseau's first grandchild from his daughter Victoria and Norval Morrisseau with Gabor M. Vadas & Michele Vadas with their first-born child: "Victoria and Family", 1978, © Norval Morrisseau Estate; "The Family", c. 1990's; © Norval Morrisseau Estate /Collection of Gabor & Michele Vadas/

Animated short inspired by the life of Norval Morrisseau's grandson nominated for Genie Award

2012-01-25T08:02:00.004-04:00

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* The Genies are the Canadian equivalent of the Oscars

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CHOKE Poster
/Click on image to Enlarge/

On January 17th, 2012 the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television at simultaneous news conferences in Toronto and Montreal nominated CHOKE in the Best Animated Short category of the 32nd Annual Genie Awards.

CHOKE
/Written & Directed By Michelle Latimer; Produced By Michelle Latimer & David Miller/

When Jimmy leaves his First Nations reservation, drawn by the lures of city life, he finds himself confronting a world he could never have imagined. In his encounters with the city’s lost souls, he is reminded that no matter how far you travel, you cannot escape who you are. Inspired by the life of the late teenaged artist Kyle Morrisseau (grandson of famed painter Norval Morrisseau), Choke uses stop-motion animation to explore themes of urban isolation and the individual search for identity in modern society.

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Source: 'Five animated shorts nominated for Genie Award'
/Big Cartoon News/

Note: Kyle Morriseau (1992-2009) was from Keewaywin First Nation, Ontario, CANADA. He started painting in January 2008, after the passing of his grandfather Norval Morrisseau. He felt proud to help keep the Morrisseau family tradition and stories alive. He had three art shows with his father Christian and one with his grandfather’s works. Kyle Morriseau was a student at Dennis Franklin Cromarty High School in Thunder Bay, Ontario.

>>> Reference posts:
- IN MEMORIAM: Kyle Morriseau (1992-2009),
- The Last Homecoming of Norval Morrisseau (Part I),
- The Last Homecoming of Norval Morrisseau (Part II),
- Norval Morrisseau's Family (Part I),
- Norval Morrisseau's Family (Part II) &
- In memory of Harriet Morrisseau (Kakegamic).

* Norval Morrisseau & Harriet Morrisseau (Kakegamic) have 7 children by direct bloodline (David, Michael, Peter, Eugene, Christian, Victoria and Lisa), 17 Grandchildren and 13 Great Grandchildren.

>>>> Morrisseau Family Vs. Gabor Michael Vadas... A trial date: Februrary 27, 2012

2012-01-24T10:12:00.009-04:00

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UPDATED /January 29th, 2012/

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The adult children of artist Norval Morrisseau, including Lisa Morrisseau Meekis, left, and Victoria Morrisseau Kakegamic, are challenging their father's will, alleging undue influence by his executor, Gabor Michael Vadas. (Adrian Wyld/Canadian Press)

Morrisseau Family Vs. Gabor Michael Vadas-

The late Norval Morrisseau was one of Canada’s most famous and influential artists. Falconer Charney together with co-counsel in Vancouver represents the children of Norval Morrisseau in their lawsuit to set aside the Last Will and Testament of their father. At stake are the rights to the late artist’s images, name and reproductions.

A trial date has been set for Februrary 27, 2012.

© Falconer Charney LLP

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~ Click HERE for the "Notice of Civil Claim" &
~ Click HERE for the "Response to Civil Claim".

>>> Reference posts:
- Norval Morrisseau's children sue over will (Part I),
- Norval Morrisseau's children sue over will (Part II),
- Morrisseau Family Foundation,
- About the Morrisseau Family Foundation,
- The Last Homecoming of Norval Morrisseau (Part I),
- The Last Homecoming of Norval Morrisseau (Part II),
- Norval Morrisseau's Family (Part I),
- Norval Morrisseau's Family (Part II),
- In memory of Harriet Morrisseau (Kakegamic),
- Norval Morrisseau's Final Resting Place, - Extra! Extra! Copyright for the Artistic Legacy of Norval Morrisseau has been registered! & - Certificate of Registration of Copyright for 'The Artistic Legacy of Norval Morrisseau'.
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* Norval Morrisseau & Harriet Morrisseau (Kakegamic) have 7 children by direct bloodline (David, Michael, Peter, Eugene, Christian, Victoria and Lisa), 17 Grandchildren and 13 Great Grandchildren.

Universal Power of Morrisseau Art

2012-01-23T01:12:00.000-04:00

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"My art speaks and will continue to speak, transcending barriers of nationality, language and other forces that may be divisive, fortifying the greatness of the spirit that has always been the foundation of the Ojibwa people."

Norval Morrisseau

"Untitled" /In Honour to Ojibwa Indian Motherhood/,
© 1977 Norval Morrisseau /Click on image to Enlarge/
~ the first Blog Master's Norval Morrisseau Acquisition

Blog Master speaks...

It has been 12 years today since I acquired my first Morrisseau painting on Janyary 23, 2000. I would like to take advantage of this occasion to welcome the newcomers to this internet platform and thank all regular visitors for continuing support.

INVITATION TO ALL READERS:

There are many of you who possess important valuable information such as paintings, photographs and other printed/written materials which will greatly assist our common goal. I urge you to provide this information to me for public record. Norval Morrisseau has become one of Canada's greatest all time artists and is recognized for his importance Worldwide.

Your assistance is needed now! Your actions will greatly benefit your art as an investment and safeguard Norval Morrisseau's Legacy.

Hvala/Miigwetch,

Ugo Matulić a.k.a. Spirit Walker
/spiritwalker2008@gmail.com/

> For the purposes of this blog I would like to be referred to as Spirit Walker. Miigwetch!

* The painting in this post: "Untitled" /In Honour to Ojibwa Indian Motherhood/, 31"x26", © 1977 Norval Morrisseau; PROVENANCE: Private Collection of Ugo Matulić a.k.a Spirit Walker; acquired on January 23, 2000 from an art dealer Mr. Anthony Martinenko (Winnipeg, Manitoba) and it was sourced from the Private Collection of Mr. Rolf Schneiders (Thunder Bay, Ontario).

Is NMHS' silence golden?

2012-01-19T01:54:00.002-04:00

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Illustration by Spirit Walker --
"NORVAL MORRISSEAU HERITAGE SOCIETY (NMHS)", Est. 2005

"The Norval Morrisseau Heritage Society was established at the request of Norval Morrisseau to research, document and preserve his artistic achievement and protect the integrity of his art. It seeks to achieve this mission by establishing and maintaining a registry of his works, publishing and updating a catalogue raisonne of his artistic output and providing the necessary expertise to authenticate his art."

Mission Statement -

~ Committee members of the NMHS are as follows:

* Elizabeth McLuhan - Dept. of History, University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, Manitoba;
* Dr. Ruth Philips - Professor of Art History, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario;
* Greg Hill - Audain Curator and Head of the Department of Indigenous Art at National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario;

* Lee Ann Martin - Curator of Contemporary Canadian Aboriginal Art, Museum of Civilization (not a member anymore);
* Viviane Gray - Indian and Inuit Art Centre, Dept. of Indian Affairs & Northern Development, Ottawa, Ontario (not a member anymore);
* Carmen Robertson - an associate professor of contemporary Aboriginal art history in the Department of Visual Arts, University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan (a NEW member);
* Richard H. Baker - Barrister and Solicitor.

> NMHS could be contacted at norvalmorrisseauheritage@gmail.com or you may click above on each NMHS members' names to e-mail them about your questions, concernes & satisfaction or dissatisfaction of their achievements to date.

BLOG MASTER'S COMMENT: Why are they silent? Is their silence approval for what has been happening in the Norval Morrisseau Art Market? If they truly care in "protecting the integrity of Norval Morrisseau's art" they would need to speak up. Their silence is hurting the legacy of the man they are supposed to protect and the longer they wait to publish a public statement regarding this matter presented herein, the longer the legacy of Norval Morrisseau will suffer.

Ugo Matulić a.k.a. Spirit Walker
/spiritwalker2008@gmail.com/

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>>> Reference posts:
- Open Letter to the Norval Morrisseau Heritage Society,
- The truth behind 'Open Letter to the Norval Morrisseau Heritage Society',
- The story which preceded the 'Open Letter to the Norval Morrisseau Heritage Society'... & - Blasphemy (Part II).
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The Power of Love

2012-01-18T01:41:00.003-04:00

"Spiritual Self Looks Beyond", 48"x36", © Norval Morrisseau

~ "The Hellen E. Band Collection"; Thunder Bay Art Gallery

/Click on image to Enlarge/-

"The love on earth reflects the love above. No quality of human endeavour is without the unremitting love of the Creator. Your gift to the world is yourself. Where you stand the Creator stands.

One day you will understand what I understood when I did my paintings."

NORVAL MORRISSEAU, Ojibway

* The artwork in this post: "Spiritual Self Looks Beyond", 48"x36", © Norval Morrisseau; See page 128 of THE ART OF NORVAL MORRISSEAU /Lister Sinclair, Jack Pollock, and Norval Morrisseau/; ISBN: 0-458-93820-3 /Toronto, Ontario: Methuen, 1979./

>>> NORVAL MORRISSEAU BLOG Celebrates Muhammad Ali's 70th Birthday

2012-01-17T02:59:00.002-04:00

Portrait of Muhammad Ali (Athlete Series), © 1977 Andy Warhol
/Click on image to Enlarge/

"He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life."

Muhammad Ali

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>>> NORVAL MORRISSEAU BLOG Celebrates Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

2012-01-16T00:17:00.002-04:00

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Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968)

Martin Luther King, Jr. (January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American clergyman, activist, and prominent leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. He is best known for being an iconic figure in the advancement of civil rights in the United States and around the world, using nonviolent methods following the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi. King has become a national icon in the history of modern American liberalism.

King's efforts led to the 1963 March on Washington, where King delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech. There, he expanded American values to include the vision of a color blind society, and established his reputation as one of the greatest orators in American history.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day was established as a U.S. federal holiday in 1986... On January 17, 2000, for the first time, Martin Luther King Jr. Day was officially observed in all fifty U.S. states.

Source: Wikipedia

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This blog has more than 1,800 posts & more than 140,000 Unique Visitors since March 3, 2008

2012-01-08T04:44:00.015-04:00

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"Wheel of Life" , 35"x35", © 1979 Norval Morrisseau
~ Click HERE to view the inscription on the reverse side of canvas

"I don't wish my work to be exploited, but to be properly used as an art form in its proper place where for the generations of the great Ojibway people it can be seen in the future, as well as be appreciated by all our white brothers."

Norval Morrisseau, September 14th, 1962

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* The authentic acrylic painting on canvas in this post: "Wheel of Life", 35"x35", © 1979 Norval Morrisseau; /CURRENT OWNERSHIP: Private Collection of Ms. Maggie Hatfield/

Forensic Document Examination (Part I)

2012-01-06T08:00:00.014-04:00

"Father and Son", 30"x30", © 1977 Norval Morrisseau;
~ Analysis of the inscription on the reverse side of canvas by Mr. Brian Lindblom - Forensic Document Examiner /Click on image to enlarge/

Forensic document examination – the science today
Author : Dr. Audrey Giles
Date : May 2010

The scientific examination of documents has been an integral part of forensic science for almost a hundred years and many of the techniques developed over that period are still in use today. However, time does not stand still. The technology used to produce documents continues to evolve; the methods used to produce forgeries are ever more sophisticated; the expectations of lawyers and Courts are yet more demanding.

But forensic science is not sitting on its hands either – advances in techniques and technology mean that the forensic document examiner is fighting back.

What is a forensic document examiner? Who to instruct?

Document examiners are trained scientists. This means that they are trained in scientific method and objectivity, in assessing evidence and drawing conclusions. A good forensic document examiner is expected to hold a University Degree in a basic science – these individuals invest in their training. They have trained alongside forensic scientists and in established forensic science laboratories. They can demonstrate their continued education, having a record of attending meetings, producing research papers and refereeing journals. Very importantly, any forensic document examiner you wish to employ should have invested in equipment and laboratory facilities.

Wrongly, there is a perception that the forensic examination of documents, and particularly handwriting, is something which anybody can carry out on their kitchen table. No – forensic document examination takes place in a properly equipped forensic document laboratory. One group in particular, graphologists, frequently offer their services to the legal profession as forensic handwritings specialists. (These individuals are trained in the pseudo-science of determining personality features from handwriting.) This has absolutely nothing to do with the forensic document examination, and identification of handwritings and signatures as carried out by forensic scientists. Another group who offer services to the legal profession are scientists who have had a long career in official forensic science laboratories who then retire and, without a stick of equipment, reckon to provide the same level of work as they did in their fully equipped forensic document laboratories. They can’t – the science has moved on. No matter how impressive their CV, an invitation to hold a conference at their ‘laboratory’ will quickly clarify their actual working status!

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To continue reading this article by Dr Audrey Giles who leads the scientific work of The Giles Document Laboratory click HERE.

~ This article is based on a lecture given on 22 January 2010 at the Chancery Bar Association, London.

Source: STEP JOURNAL
/Wealth Structuring Analysis for Trust and Estate Practitioners/
~ 'Forensic document examination – the science today'

>>> Reference post:

- Downloadable Norval Morrisseau Forensic Reports (Part I),
- Downloadable Norval Morrisseau Forensic Reports (Part II),

- Downloadable Norval Morrisseau Forensic Reports (Part III) &

- Norval Morrisseau Certificates of Authenticity (COAs).

/Signed by the artist on April 11, 2002 in Thunder Bay, Ontario/

* The illustration was shown in Downloadable Norval Morrisseau Forensic Reports (Part III).

>>> Downloadable Norval Morrisseau Forensic Reports (Part I)

2012-01-02T02:43:00.030-04:00

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~ Reference for Morrisseau's collectors and investigators

UPDATED /January 14th, 2012/

From left to right /All paintings © by Norval Morrisseau/:

Top: "Spirit Composition", approx. 3'x4', © 1979; "Shaman Underworld", approx. 5'x3', © 1976; Middle: "Fire Spirit", 2.5'x2.5', © 1977; "Astral Spirit with Evil Serpent", approx. 5'x3', © 1978; "Copper Thunderbird", approx. 6'x4', © 1977; Bottom: "Artist Speaks with Moose Spirit", approx, 5'x5', © 1979; "Family", approx. 5'x5', © 1971. /Click on image to Enlarge/

>>> The above presented are 7 out of 12 paintings which are part of the forensic report analysis by Mr. Brian Lindblom of 'The Document Examination Consultants Inc.' - Forensic Expert & Document Examiner; Report dated January 24th, 2002.

Note: This report had been generated for Mr. Joseph McLeod of Maslak McLeod Gallery - who was at that time a member of Art Dealers Association of Canada (ADAC); and is currently a member of The Canadian Association of Personal Property Appraisers (CPPA).

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~ Dated January 24th, 2002
/Click on image to Download/

> Forensic Report analysis /File No. 1349/02/ by Mr. Brian Lindblom of 'The Document Examination Consultants Inc.' - Forensic Expert & Document Examiner with X-RCMP fraud division credentials!.

Questioned painting No. 1

Page 5)

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"Warrior Thunderbird", 72"x48", © 1977 Norval Morrisseau
/Click on image to Enlarge/

Note: In a report this painting is labeled as "Copper Thunderbird"
/see below/

"Copper Thunderbird", approx. 6'x4', © 1977 Norval Morrisseau
~ See page 5 of Forensic Report analysis /File No. 1349/02/
/Front image and inscription on the reverse side of canvas/
/Click on image to Enlarge/

Questioned painting No. 2

Page 6)

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"Artist Speaks to Moose Spirit", 52"x57", © 1979 Norval Morrisseau
/Click on image to Enlarge/

Notes: This painting is currently available for purchase at Maslak McLeod Gallery, Toronto, Ontario (click HERE or HERE)

~ This painting was shown in 2007 on page 40 in the exhibition catalogue at Maslak McLeod Gallery - Endorsed by Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, Honourable James K. Bartleman (click HERE).

"Artist Speaks to Moose Spirit", approx. 5'x5', © 1979 Norval Morrisseau
~ See page 6 of Forensic Report analysis /File No. 1349/02/
/Front image and inscription on the reverse side of canvas/
/Click on image to Enlarge/

Questioned painting No. 5

Page 9)

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"Fire Spirit", approx. 2.5'x2.5', © 1979 Norval Morrisseau
/Click on image to Enlarge/

Note: In a report this painting is labeled as "Fire Spirit"
/see below/

~ See page 9 of Forensic Report analysis /File No. 1349/02/
/Front image and inscription on the reverse side of canvas/
/Click on image to Enlarge/

Questioned painting No. 6

Page 10)

"Untitled", 29"x43", © 1979 Norval Morrisseau
/Click on image to Enlarge/

Note: In a report this painting is labeled as "Spirit Composition"
/see below/

~ See page 10 of Forensic Report analysis /File No. 1349/02/
/Front image and inscription on the reverse side of canvas/
/Click on image to Enlarge/

Questioned painting No. 9

Page 13)

"Untitled", 35"x55", © 1976 Norval Morrisseau
/Click on image to Enlarge/

Notes: This painting is currently available for purchase at Maslak McLeod Gallery, Toronto, Ontario (click HERE or HERE); titled "Woman and Man in Nature".

~ This painting was shown in 2007 on page 36 in the exhibition catalogue at Maslak McLeod Gallery - Endorsed by Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, Honourable James K. Bartleman (click HERE).

~ Click HERE to view this painting shown behind Mr. Martin Mills, Mr. Christian McLeod and Mr. Phil Fontaine who is a former Chief of the Assembly of First Nations.

In a report this painting is labeled as "Shaman Underworld"

/see below/

~ See page 13 of Forensic Report analysis /File No. 1349/02/
/Front image and inscription on the reverse side of canvas/
/Click on image to Enlarge/

Questioned painting No. 10

Page 14)

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"Together", 40"x54", © 1977 Norval Morrisseau
/Click on image to Enlarge/

Note: This painting was shown in 2007 on page 37 in the exhibition catalogue at Maslak McLeod Gallery - Endorsed by Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, Honourable James K. Bartleman (click HERE)

"Together", approx. 4'x5', © 1977 Norval Morrisseau
~ See page 14 of Forensic Report analysis /File No. 1349/02/
/Front image and inscription on the reverse side of canvas/
/Click on image to Enlarge/

Questioned painting No. 11

Page 15)

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"Untitled", 58"x55", © 1971 Norval Morrisseau
/Click on image to Enlarge/

Notes: This painting is currently available for purchase at Maslak McLeod Gallery, Toronto, Ontario (click HERE or HERE); titled "Four Warriors"

~ This painting was shown in 2007 on page 32 in the exhibition catalogue at Maslak McLeod Gallery - Endorsed by Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, Honourable James K. Bartleman (click HERE).

In a report this painting is labeled as "Family"
/see below/

~ See page 15 of Forensic Report analysis /File No. 1349/02/
/Front image and inscription on the reverse side of canvas/
/Click on image to Enlarge/

Questioned painting No. 12

Page 16)

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"Ancestral Spirit with Evil Serpent", 58"x37", © 1978 Norval Morrisseau
/Click on image to Enlarge/

Note: In a report this painting is labeled as "Astral Spirit with Evil Serpent" /see below/

~ See page 16 of Forensic Report analysis /File No. 1349/02/
/Front image and inscription on the reverse side of canvas/
/Click on image to Enlarge/

>>> The following are the Methods and Observation of Mr. Brian Lindblom of 'The Document Examination Consultants Inc.' - Forensic Expert & Document Examiner (see pages 2, 3 & 4 of Forensic Report analysis /File No. 1349/02/:

"As stated earlier, many of the signatures, hand printed titles and accompanying dates have probably been executed with a paintbrush and ink. As such the movements are somewhat more simplistic and elementary than one would expect to find in a normal cursive signature executed with a pen. Consideration was given to the influence of the writing instrument and surface in the comparison that was conducted. On some of the paintings the signature and/or title is partially missing due to either smudging or gradual removal of portions of the ink. As such, certain characteristics in the signature can no longer be assessed.

Seven of the signatures, some of which are accompanied by titles, show clear indications of writing movements that are consistent with the hand printing and signatures in the Norval Morrisseau samples. The types of similarities identified are habits of connecting certain letters and disconnecting others; proportions of one letter to another; the relative size of one letter to another; slope; spacing; and alignment. In most instances it was noted that the uppercase N and M of the given and surname had some differences in structure. Most particularly they differ from the specimens in that they often lack some of the initial movements and have separated strokes. In my opinion these discrepancies may very well be accounted for by the influence of the writing instrument, resulting in cruder letter structures.

The specific paintings that show the above similarities are: Artist Speaks to Moose Spirit,79; Copper Thunderbird, 77; Loons, 75; Spirit Composition, 79; Shaman Underworld, 78; Together, 77; and Family; 71.

The signatures and titles on the remaining paintings are either too indistinct or too abbreviated in form to allow an opinion to be expressed."

Brian Lindblom

January 24th, 2002

Source: Courtesy of Mr. Joseph McLeod, Toronto, Ontario

BLOG MASTER'S NOTE: I would like you to know that I am in no way associated with Mr. Joseph McLeod and Maslak McLeod Gallery, as I stated from the beginning. The NORVAL MORRISSEAU BLOG is posted "in honour of the Spirit of Norval Morrisseau a.k.a. Copper Thunderbird. This blog is dedicated entirely to the preservation of his artistic legacy along with the living presence of the Ojibway peoples on the North American continent".

>>> Reference post:

- Downloadable Norval Morrisseau Forensic Reports (Part II),

- Downloadable Norval Morrisseau Forensic Reports (Part III) &

- Norval Morrisseau Certificates of Authenticity (COAs).-

/Signed by the artist on April 11, 2002 in Thunder Bay, Ontario/

* The acrylic paintings on canvas presented in this post: All © by Norval Morrisseau /Private Collections and as noted/

>>> Downloadable Norval Morrisseau Forensic Reports (Part II)

2012-01-02T02:42:00.007-04:00

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~ Reference for Morrisseau's collectors and investigators

REVISITED

~ These paintings were originally acquired by Mr. Joseph Otavnik from Randy Potter Estate Auction, formerly known as Kahn Auction. /Click on image to Enlarge/

>>> The following documents were submitted in Otavnik Vs Vadas SC 07-51428-00. This court case was ruled in the plaintiff's favour.

The documents are as follows:

a) Forensic Report analysis by Mr. Brian Lindblom of 'The Document Examination Consultants Inc.' - Forensic Expert & Document Examiner with X-RCMP fraud division credentials!,

b) Apraisal by Mr. Joseph McLeod of Maslak McLeod Gallery - member of Art Dealers Association of Canada (ADAC),

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~ Dated March 13th, 2007
/Click on image to Download/

> Forensic Report analysis /File No. 1834/07/ by Mr. Brian Lindblom of 'The Document Examination Consultants Inc.' - Forensic Expert & Document Examiner with X-RCMP fraud division credentials!.

~ Dated March 20th, 2007
/Click on image to Enlarge/

> Apraisal document by Mr. Joseph McLeod of Maslak McLeod Gallery - a member of Art Dealers Association of Canada (ADAC).

Source: Courtesy of Mr. Joseph Otavnik, Oshawa, Ontario

~ For more background information click HERE.

>>> Reference post:
- Downloadable Norval Morrisseau Forensic Reports (Part I),
- Downloadable Norval Morrisseau Forensic Reports (Part III) &
- Norval Morrisseau Certificates of Authenticity (COAs).-
/Signed by the artist on April 11, 2002 in Thunder Bay, Ontario/

* The acrylic paintings on canvas in this post: "Untitled", 55"x19" ea., © 1969 Norval Morrisseau /Private Collection/

>>> Downloadable Norval Morrisseau Forensic Reports (Part III)

2012-01-02T02:41:00.006-04:00

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~ Reference for Morrisseau's collectors and investigators

REVISITED

From left to right: "Sacred Medicine Bear", 36"x30", © 1979 Norval Morrisseau, "Father and Son", 30"x30", © 1977 Norval Morrisseau & "Sacred Medicine Wheel", 24"x24", © 1975 Norval Morrisseau
~ These paintings were originally acquired by Mr. Michael Moniz from Randy Potter Estate Auction, formerly known as Kahn Auction. /Click on image to Enlarge/

>>> The following documents were submitted in Michael Moniz vs. CTV Globemedia Publishing Inc. CV-07-1776 SR. This court case was ruled in the plaintiff's favour.

The documents are as follows:

a) Forensic Report analysis by Mr. Brian Lindblom of 'The Document Examination Consultants Inc.' - Forensic Expert & Document Examiner with X-RCMP fraud division credentials!,

b) Apraisals by Mr. Joseph McLeod of Maslak McLeod Gallery - member of Art Dealers Association of Canada (ADAC),

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~ Dated November 5th, 2008
/Click on image to Download/

> Forensic Report analysis /File No. 1951/08/ by Mr. Brian Lindblom of 'The Document Examination Consultants Inc.' - Forensic Expert & Document Examiner with X-RCMP fraud division credentials!.

Part I

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"Father and Son", 30"x30", © 1977 Norval Morrisseau

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"Father and Son", 30"x30", © 1977 Norval Morrisseau
/Inscription on the reverse side of canvas/

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"Father and Son", 30"x30", © 1977 Norval Morrisseau
/Forensic signature analysis - Click on image to enlarge/

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"Father and Son", 30"x30", © 1977 Norval Morrisseau
/Forensic signature analysis - Click on image to enlarge/
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"Father and Son", 30"x30", © 1977 Norval Morrisseau /Professional appraisal work done by Maslak Mcleod Gallery in Toronto Ontario by Mr. Joseph McLeod who was as of February 12th, 2007 a member of the Art Dealers Association of Canada (ADAC); and is currently a member of The Canadian Association of Personal Property Appraisers (CPPA) - Click on image to enlarge/
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Part II

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"Sacred Medicine Wheel", 24"x24", © 1975 Norval Morrisseau

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"Sacred Medicine Wheel", 24"x24", © 1975 Norval Morrisseau
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"Sacred Medicine Wheel", 24"x24", © 1975 Norval Morrisseau

/Forensic signature analysis - Click on image to enlarge/

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"Sacred Medicine Wheel", 24"x24", © 1975 Norval Morrisseau
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"Sacred Medicine Wheel", 24"x24", © 1975 Norval Morrisseau
/Professional appraisal work done by Maslak Mcleod Gallery in Toronto Ontario by Mr. Joseph McLeod who was as of January 23rd, 2007 a member of the Art Dealers Association of Canada (ADAC); and is currently a member of the The Canadian association of Personal Property Appraisers (CPPA) - Click on image to enlarge/ -

Part III

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"Sacred Medicine Bear", 36"x30", © 1979 Norval Morrisseau
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"Sacred Medicine Bear", 36"x30", © 1979 Norval Morrisseau
/Forensic signature analysis - Click on image to enlarge/

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"Sacred Medicine Bear", 36"x30", © 1979 Norval Morrisseau
/Professional appraisal work done by Maslak Mcleod Gallery in Toronto Ontario by Mr. Joseph McLeod who was as of January 23rd, 2007 a member of the Art Dealers Association of Canada (ADAC); and is currently a member of The Canadian Association of Personal Property Appraisers (CPPA); Currently part of Ugo Matulić a.k.a. Spirit Walker's Private Collection (Calgary, Alberta). - Click on image to enlarge/ -

Source: Courtesy of Mr. Michael Moniz, Brampton, Ontario

~ For more background information click HERE.

>>> Reference post:
- Downloadable Norval Morrisseau Forensic Reports (Part I),
- Downloadable Norval Morrisseau Forensic Reports (Part II) &
- Norval Morrisseau Certificates of Authenticity (COAs).-
/Signed by the artist on April 11, 2002 in Thunder Bay, Ontario/

* The acrylic paintings presented in this post: All © by Norval Morrisseau /Private Collections/

>>> My art speaks and will continue to speak... in 2012 & Beyond

2012-01-01T00:02:00.002-04:00

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Norval Morrisseau/Copper Thunderbird (1931-2007)

~ Illustration by Spirit Walker--

"My art speaks and will continue to speak, transcending barriers of nationality, language and other forces that may be divisive, fortifying the greatness of the spirit that has always been the foundation of the Ojibwa people."

Norval Morrisseau

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* The illustration of this post is constisted of: The photograph of Norval Morrisseau taken at the opening of his first art exhibition at Pollock Gallery in Toronto, 1962; The background image taken from the illustration of the book "Crooked River" by Shelley Pearsall /ISBN: 0-375-82389-1/. The "Copper Thunderbird" Syllabics signature of Norval Morrisseau extracted from an original painting: "Syllabics": 53"x112", © 1980 Norval Morrisseau /Private Collection/

50th Anniversary of the first Norval Morrisseau's public exhibition at The Pollock Gallery

2012-01-01T00:01:00.002-04:00

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/September 14th, 1962 - September 14th, 2012/

"Onaman Legend", oil on paper, 22"x15",
© 1962 Norval Morrisseau /Click on image to Enlarge/
* Click HERE for a label on the back of the framing of this atwork and click HERE to see an inscription on the verso of this painting indicating the purchaser on September 13th, 1962. ~ Originally part of Mr. Williams Collection, Toronto, Ontario

"I don't wish my work to be exploited, but to be properly used as an art form in its proper place where for the generations of the great Ojibway people it can be seen in the future, as well as be appreciated by all our white brothers." [1]

Norval Morrisseau, September 1962

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[1] - Norval Morrisseau's statement after his first exhibition at Jack Pollock's Gallery (Pollock Gallery) on September 14, 1962 in Toronto, Ontario, CANADA /Quoted in Toronto Star article "Indian Artist Earns High Praise" by David Cobb - September 1962/

NOTES: This first Norval Morrisseau's exhibition was officiated by Alan Jarvis under patronage of Senator Allister Grosart and noted expert on Ojibway art and anthropology Selwyn Dewdney. ~ All paintings were sold out at the opening night for public on September 14, 1962. Total value of the art sold was $4,320.00 (minimum wage in 1962 was $1.15/hr).-

>>> Reference post:
- Paintings from Norval Morrisseau's first public exhibition at The Pollock Gallery (Part I) &,
- Paintings from Norval Morrisseau's first public exhibition at The Pollock Gallery (Part II).

* Blog Master is thanking a collector for the submission of an authentic image of an original painting by Norval Morrisseau with respects to the owner and his or her decision to remain anonymous: "Onaman Legend", oil on paper, 22"x15", © 1962 Norval Morrisseau /Private Collection/

Blog Master's Public Address IX

2011-12-31T03:16:00.008-04:00

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~ To all readers happy holidays and prosperous 2012 ~

From left to right: Ugo Matulić a.k.a. Spirit Walker with his brother Jakša by the Indian totem after the screening of one of the "Winnetou" films, based on German author Karl May novels; Omiš, Croatia - July 1966; Source: www.almissa.com
/Click on image to Enlarge/

Hi to all,

I appreciate all of you visiting the NORVAL MORRISSEAU BLOG. It is proving to be an exciting success as I have always anticipated it would be. The subject is dynamic and evolving to say the least. I wish to thank all the contributors for encouraging me to continue with this monumental project which is dedicated entirely to protecting the integrity of Norval Morrisseau's art and the preservation of his artistic legacy.

I am using this opportunity to express a special thank you to my very good friend Mr. Michael Moniz of Brampton, Ontario for his relentless and unwavering dedication and assistance.

Allow me again to introduce myself to those who don't know me.

I was born in Split, Croatia. As a child I saw, and continue to see, the Indians of North America as members of an outstanding race. My favourite childhood memory was the time when 'Winnetou' movies were filmed in Croatia (then part of Yugoslavia). As a memento from that time were countless memories and a photograph with my brother and I in front of Indian totem pole in my hometown of Omiš, Croatia after the filming of one of the 'Winnetou' movies based on novels by the best-selling German author of all time - Karl May.

When I emigrated to Canada my aim was to become a true Canadian and contribute to the advancement of this outstanding country. I also wanted to advance the cause of the First Nations Citizens. The best way I could do this appeared through advancing the cause of native art. Researching the background of Norval Morrisseau and other native artists and their lives has shown the adversity these artists had to overcome to become recognized. Some wonderful people emerged through this research, as did the hardships the art goddess imposed on many of these talented artists.

The subject of my passion is Norval Morrisseau's art. He was one of the very few artists who started a completely new art movement: the Woodland/Anishnaabe School of Art, and has been dubbed the Father of Canadian Aboriginal Art. My extensive knowledge and research along with my personal collection which I have amassed over the years are what I draw my knowledge base from. It seems like almost every day I find a new and fantastical correlation within this man's work. It is never ending. The scope and depth of Morrisseau's visions throughout his lifetime have left an impact on my soul that I cannot describe in words. "Perhaps I should paint as Morrisseau did to express feelings otherwise would not be explicable within my vocabulary?" His Art Work is my passion...

... The artistic genius of Norval Morrisseau was best described by Jack Pollock (1930-1992) who wrote: "...Norval, with his incredible ability with the formal problems of art (colour-design-space) and his commitment to the world of his people, the great Ojibway, give one the sense of power that only genius provides... It is sufficient to say that in the history of Canadian Painting, few have, and will remain giants. Norval shall."

Thank you for your continuing support.

INVITATION TO ALL READERS:

There are many of you who possess important valuable information such as paintings, photographs and other printed/written materials which will greatly assist our common goal. I urge you to provide this information to me for public record. Norval Morrisseau has become one of Canada's greatest all time artists and is recognized for his importance Worldwide.

Your assistance is needed now! Your actions will greatly benefit your art as an investment and safeguard Norval Morrisseau's Legacy.

Hvala/Miigwetch,

Ugo Matulić a.k.a. Spirit Walker
/spiritwalker2008@gmail.com/

> For the purposes of this blog I would like to be referred to as Spirit Walker. Miigwetch!

~ Source (image):
An Unofficial Website of Omiš, Croatia at www.almissa.com
/Ugo Matulić - Webmaster/

~ Click HERE to view the above image in its original context

>>> Reference posts:
- Blog Master's Public Address I,
- Blog Master's Public Address II,
- Blog Master's Public Address III,
- Blog Master's Public Address IV,
- Blog Master's Public Address V,
- Blog Master's Public Address VI,
- Blog Master's Public Address VII,
- Blog Master's Public Address VIII,
- Will the real SpiritWalker please stand up?,
- The real Spirit Walker is standing up!,
- >>> The Story behind photograph published in the post "The real Spirit Walker is standing up!" & - The Best-Selling German Author of All Time /Ref. Karl May/.-

Norval Morrisseau a.k.a. Copper Thunderbird

2011-12-30T19:20:00.002-04:00

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-Shaman-Visionary-Storyteller-Artist
- Anishinaabe/Canadian Painter-

© 2008 by Vanessa Liston

In an address presented in 1980 at the University of Western Ontario, Goyce Kakegamic, a prominent Anishnaabe (Woodland) artist stated:

"The aim...was not merely to establish a realistic record. The artist quickly realized that he could not draw a tree or animal as perfectly as it was made by the Creator so, in good sense, he did not try to do so. Instead, he sought out the spirit, or essence, of the tree, and represented this in his painting. This is the semi-magical characteristic so common to Native Art. The painting depicts the soul of the object. The art of representing visions or mental impressions is not new.

Today, the artist must turn to the elders of the community for age-old stories and legends, and infuse them with artistic meaning. Only those who have shared in native life gain the insights necessary to recreate that life in an art form. The basic rule is to arouse an emotional response in the audience. If the artist does not succeed in this, it may be either his own failure or that of the audience itself.

Woodland Native Art is not a primitive art form. It involves the latest in media and techniques. Its practitioners are not untrained or illiterate. The messages contained in the works are neither crude nor unsophisticated. Woodland Art is not an anachronistic curiosity cherished for its furtive glimpses into a bygone age. It is rather a representation of current philosophy and a culture that is alive and well today.

...Please do not think of us as 'Indian' artists, but rather, as artists who happen to be Indian".

Goyce Kakegamic - one of the founders of the Tripe K Cooperative

Source (Text): "Art in the Woodland Tradition" - Compiled and Edited by William F. Colborne /Used with permission/

Note: Founded by Henry, Joshim and Goyce Kakegamic the Triple K Cooperative was a silkscreening company that reproduced their own work, as well as that of other artists like Paddy Peters, Barry Peters, Saul Williams, and their brother-in-law Norval Morrisseau.
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Norval Morrisseau: 'Best Canadian painter ever'

2011-12-30T16:56:00.002-04:00

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* This post was originally published on January 23rd, 2008

/Opinions and thoughts of admirers of Norval Morrisseau art, art collectors, friends.../

/Click on image to Enlarge/

NORVAL MORRISSEAU: BEST CANADIAN PAINTER EVER

I'm guessing that when the 2010 Vancouver/Whistler Winter Olympics finally roll around in two years there's going to be lots of references to Aboriginal culture. Lots of dancing, drumming, native dress, references to aboriginal creation myths during the opening ceremonies; some elders will be brought in to bless the proceedings, that kind of thing. You can already see them using an Inuksuk (those Inuit 'rock piles') as one of their official icons. And as it should be. I have no problem with it, in fact I'm all for it. Like Australians we post-centennial, post-modern Canadians like to reach back to the deep time or the dream time when it comes time to show our face to the world. How real we are. The indigenous art. What inspired up and out from the land before the blight of colonialism. See, "we" are as ancient as everybody else. As old as Europe. I suppose its a kind of progress really, but a large dose of irony might still be necessary amidst all our mutual, terribly official self-congratulation.

Residential schools aside - check out Bill Reid on the twenty dollar bill. Bill Reid at the Vancouver airport. And my personal favourite, Bill Reid at the Canadian Embassy in Washington.

Many a Canadian white boy and girl has ventured forth into The Bush, however clumsily, trying to catch a whiff of the spirits. Going deep, getting back, oh yeah - getting real. Going back to the earth, because as the late, great Canadian poet Gwendolyn MacEwen once wrote: "No one invited us here."

But I wonder if any "Canadian" (and yes, in the context of this post I do feel the need to put that word in quotation marks) ever saw this 'real spirit' behind the surface of what we now call Canada better and more vibrantly than the recently, dearly departed Norval Morrisseau. His paintings were literally churning from the inside out. Skeletal and skeletons. Often called "x-ray". People within animals and animals within people and animals within animals within people covered in flowers riding on a fish, and all of it singing in the most glorious colour. And so out there and dangerous, freaky, hallucinogenic, tripping the bounds of sanity, and erotic. And inspired by sacred, ancient aboriginal myth.

"Why am I alive?"he said in a 1991 interview with The Toronto Star. "To heal you guys who are more screwed up than I am. How can I heal you? With color. These are the colors you dreamt about one night."

I've adored his work for years, before I ever knew his name or even knew who the heck he was. I bought my first Norval Morrisseau print a few years back at some poster sale in Hamilton and I remember riding the GO bus back into Toronto with the thing spread out on my lap for the whole trip, taking it in grinning ear to ear, just dazzled. And that was just a print. A poster. I tacked it to my kitchen wall and it made me happy every time I looked at it.

If anyone was the God Father of the Renaissance of Aboriginal Art and Culture that has ultimately made Canada a much humbler, more honest, better and yes more beautiful place, it had to be him. And at its heart the work was a profound movement for justice. That which cannot be denied.

Marc Chagall famously compared him to Picasso.

Keep your Group of Seven's, sure.

But Norval Morrisseau was the Best Canadian Painter Ever.

Reid Neufeld

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Source: Global Health Nexus Blog /Global Health, Politics and Culture/

* Detailed information about the painting in this post unknown: "Flower of Life", © c. 1980s or 1990s Norval Morrisseau /Private Collection/

Lister Sinclair about Norval Morrisseau

2011-12-30T16:29:00.000-04:00

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~ Reference for Morrisseau's collectors and investigators

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"Nature's Balance", acrylic on kraft paper, 73"x48", © 1975 Norval Morrisseau /Click on image to Enlarge/~ PROVENANCE: Purchased directly from the artist by Lister Sinclair's wife Faith-
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"Morrisseau, the artist, is a teller of tales. But tales such as these are only as powerful as the power of the person who tells them. Behind the visual imagery lies the power of his personal recital of a legend. Behind the legend lies the personal vision that explains everything. It may be difficult to distinguish Ojibway mythic elements from personal ones, or to separate Indian versions of Catholic iconography from Morrisseau's own set of emblems. He is at his most Indian when he offers an explanation of what he is doing. The purpose of doing it may have been to share with the world a heritage of the Great Ojibway that is proud and full of worth. The reason for doing it is very Indian. Where other artists might claim logic, tradition or authority as justification, Morrisseau always justifies himself by the most Indian of all explanations: the imperative of a personal, unique and private vision, the only real consistency which lies at the back of all his work. Everything, ultimately, is validated by Morrisseau's unanswerable claim to be responding to the demands of that personal, unique and private vision."

Lister Sinclair (1921-2006) - was a broadcaster, writer, actor, critic, producer, director, mathematician, birder, music buff and sports nut! In a career lasting more than 60 years, his erudition, wit, grace and passionate delight in learning reminded us all what public broadcasting at its best can be.

Source (text): THE ART OF NORVAL MORRISSEAU /Lister Sinclair, Jack Pollock, and Norval Morrisseau/; ISBN: 0-458-93820-3 /Toronto, Ontario: Methuen, 1979./

>>> Reference post:
- Blog Master's Pick of the Day (Part II).

*The genuine acrylic painting on kraft paper in this post: "Nature's Balance", 73"x48", © 1975 Norval Morrisseau; This painting is from the Lister Sinclair's Estate and was first publicly exhibited on page 114 of THE ART OF NORVAL MORRISSEAU [Lister Sinclair, Jack Pollock, and Norval Morrisseau; Toronto, Ontario: Methuen, 1979]

'It Came Upon a Midnight Clear' by Jana Mashonee

2011-12-30T16:23:00.002-04:00

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~ Sung in Oneida
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By JanaMashonee
-- /www.janamashonee.com /

"We natives believe in the following saying: "Our God is Native. The Great Deity of the Five Planes is so. We are neither for nor against, We speak not of Christ nor of God. We say, 'Let them be.' We follow the Spirit on its Inward Journey of Soul through attitudes and attentions. Remember we are all in a big School and the Inner Master teaches us Experience over many Lifetimes."

Norval Morrisseau

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>>> James A. Simon's 'MISHMOUNTAINS ART EXHIBITION' Ends TOMORROW

2011-12-30T13:34:00.009-04:00

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December 7th - 31st, 2011

US - CANADA Duty Free Shop Showroom
Surrey, British Columbia CANADA

"Mishmountain Collage", © James A. Simon MISHIBINIJIMA
~ Illustration by Spirit Walker
/Click on image to Enlarge/

MISHIBINIJIMA'S BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

James A. Simon MISHIBINIJIMA, one of Canada's foremost artist, has created a unique body of work over the past four decades and established a loyal following in North America and overseas. He was born February 12, 1954 in Wikwemikong, Manitoulin Island and grew up immersed in the legends of the Ojibwe people. As a youth he was known as James Alexander Simon, but now he is widely recognized as MISHIBINIJIMA, practitioner of many diverse styles and media. Over the years he has been awarded many First Place and Best of Show prize at international art exhibitions. Currently, he serves as a judge and mentor for many North American juried art shows. He also develops curriculum materials for First Nations schools and continues to amaze art collectors with the detail and intricacy of his canvases.

From the 1970s to the present, Mishibinijima has explored many of the sacred places around Manitoulin Island and originated the sought after MISHMOUNTAIN series among others.

His uplifting philosophy has struck a chord with people who are seeking solace in the midst of tragedy and meaning in a world that us often confusing and frightening. The themes depicted in his paintings have universal appeal and speak to all who yearn for spiritual sustenance. In his works he underscores the wisdom of the Grandfather teachings as a way to foster respect and peace. He also emphasizes the interconnectedness of all life and calls upon all nations to preserve our natural surroundings for the benefit of our children - always, he urges us not to take the Earth for granted.

Mishibinijima takes his role as an artist in society by courageously examining the difficult questions facing humanity. For example: he has meditated on the horrendous atrocities of the 9-11 attacks and the Holocaust on order to touch and articulate the ancient truths that have the power to save us all. For those who have yet to discover the metaphysical depths of Anishnabe culture. Mishibinijima offers timeless teachings and universal values to guide the people of the New Millennium into a positive future.

Source: M I S H I B I N I J I M A - International Contemporary Artist

/Text & images used with permission of the artist/

http://mishmountains.blogspot.com
http://mahdezewin.blogspot.com
http://mishangels.blogspot.com
http://mishbarks.blogspot.com

>>> Reference posts:

- James A. Simon's 'MISHMOUNTAINS ART EXHIBITION' Starts TODAY,
- James A. Simon's 'MISHMOUNTAINS ART EXHIBITION',
- James A. Simon's 'MISHMOUNTAINS ART EXHIBITION',
- Total Lunar Eclipse is happening TODAY,
- International Mountain Day 2011,
- 9/11 REMEMBERED,
- Touched by the Hand of God,
- Great Anishinaabe/Woodland Artists (Part XI)

-/Ref.: James A. Simon MISHIBINIJIMA; ARTIST STATEMENT/,

- When the Eagle Lands on the Moon... ,
- Anishnaabe Art, Meaning and Knowledge,
- Homage to Norval Morrisseau (Part V),

- The Art of James A. Simon MISHIBINIJIMA (Part I),
- The Art of James A. Simon MISHIBINIJIMA (Part II),
- The Art of James A. Simon MISHIBINIJIMA (Part III),
- The Four Nations on Earth &

- THE HELEN E. BAND COLLECTION.

* All artwork © James A. Simon MISHIBINIJIMA

One Native Life

2011-12-30T12:02:00.003-04:00

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* This post was originally published on February 24th, 2009
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Vanishing points

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By Richard Wagamese,
'Indian Country Today' correspondent, recepient of the National Aboriginal Achievement Award for 2012

My people say there are seven hills to life. Each represents a stage, a period, a time frame where you gather experience and add it to the pack you carry across the years, across the breadth of the journey. Each hill is a vantage point for looking back. … but not everyone takes time for reflection.

There is a hill for youth and adolescence, a hill for adulthood and parenting. Then there are the hills of middle life, the teaching time, and on into the elder years, the giving back time. The final hill is the elevation of wisdom where you can look back and see the vast panorama of your living and come to know who you are by virtue of who you’ve been.

From each hill the view is different. From each hill the feeling changes. Each climb has its virtues, its struggles and triumphs; and the Ojibway say that it is only in the looking back that you discern the trail, identify the climb and rest contented in the journey.

I heard this first from Norval Morrisseau, the great interpreter of the Sacred Scrolls, the teaching scrolls of my people. At that time I was 32 and keen on learning all I could about the mysteries surrounding the aboriginal belief system. That part of my journey was breathtaking and the view was spectacular from the hill of my young adulthood.

I went to a lot of ceremonies then. It was the late ’80s, and there seemed to be a tide of people coming back to the teachings, to the elders and the ceremonies for rejuvenation, reconnection and reclamation. It was exhilarating. From the Sun Dance to the sweat lodge, to naming ceremonies, pipe ceremonies and the opening of Sacred Bundles, I found parts of myself I had never known.

I recall sitting on a ledge of rock in the mountains of Montana with a young Blackfoot elder in the summer of 1987. We were part of a traditional gathering called Return to the Buffalo. There’s a sacred meadow there where the people of many nations gathered in pre-settlement times to share teachings and Earth knowledge. Like then, we came from diverse cultures and the time we shared there was built entirely on the true tribal way of life.

The view from that ledge was amazing. There were mountains all around us that formed a perfect bowl, a circle that seemed to contain everything. Across the gap of valley was a turquoise lake, all green and blue at once. The trees were 100 shades of green, the mountain rock variegated and the sky a visceral blue that pulled your eye upward and away and back again. The view itself was ceremony.

I was crying. The experience of living the tribal way was so enormous that I had nothing in my life to compare it to. It was what I had been searching out for years. It was the most redemptive experience of my life.

We’d been separated into clans and given responsibility for certain parts of daily life. I was Beaver Clan and we were responsible for firewood and watching over the children. There were traditional teachings around these responsibilities and we’d gather under a teaching arbor to hear them. I came to understand community then, came to know what unity looked like, how harmony could feel.

Every night we sat in a round lodge and heard the elders share. We learned sacred songs on hand drums, were given stories to carry, asked questions and were taught according to traditional protocol. In every way, it was like living 1,000 years ago when the tribal and traditional lives of our people was unsullied by incursion. It was moving and fulfilling.

But it was time to go. We’d head out, scattered across the Four Directions to wherever our homes were and the likelihood of gathering again in this way was slim. For me it was heart breaking. I had just spent time living as close to the cultural bone of my people as possible, gleaned the truth of it, claimed it, and for the first time in my life come to know myself as a Native person, a Native man.

But it was time to go.

We sat on that ledge for a long time and I told that young teacher about my journey, how much this time had meant to me and how it hurt to see it end. He listened intently and when I finished he looked across that sweep of valley for a long time. Then he told me about the seven hills again.

Nothing is ever truly lost, he told me. Everything is born, carried and exists on energy, invisible and eternal. The highest form that energy takes is feeling because it is born in our hearts and spirits. The heart has no questions he said, and the head has no answers. It’s our heads that allow us to believe in finalities, endings, losses and vanishings, but nothing is ever truly lost.

The hills of life are resting spots. You only come to know that when you take the time for retrospection, for looking back. When you do, he said, you discover that everything you carry stays the same when you bear it in your heart, when it lives in you as feeling. We are in a state of constant relationship with everything, he said; and relationships never end, they merely change.

Take this place with you. Breathe it into you. Carry the feeling of it. Someday you’ll unwrap it again and see it like it was, perfectly, truly. On that day, he said, you’ll see that there are no vanishing points, that you can see forever from those hills and you will never be lonely.

I’ve forgotten that from time to time we all allow the sublime things in life to shrink. But when I remember, especially when times are tough or unclear, I realize again that the climb’s been worth it and the view is spectacular.

Source:
'Indian Country Today' - Indian Country Today is an award-winning multimedia publisher of news, information, and imagery relevant to the Indigenous people of the Americas. Our mission is to better the lives of Indigenous peoples by delivering accurate, relevant, and culturally sensitive content.

Reference:
- Richard Wagamese's Website @ www.richardwagamese.com

Blog Master's Note: The National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation has named newspaper columnist and author Richard Wagamese as one of the 15 outstanding Canadians who will receive a 2012 National Aboriginal Achievement Award. Wagamese has worked as a columnist, reporter and features writer for newspapers across Canada and has published a number of poetry books and novels as well as a memoir.

In 1991, he became the first Native Canadian to win a National Newspaper Award for column writing for a piece that appeared in the Calgary Herald.

Wagamese, along with the 14 other recipients, will be presented with the award in February 2012.

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>>> Kateri Tekakwitha, ‘Lily of the Mohawks’ on brink of sainthood

2011-12-30T01:38:00.002-04:00

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"Lily of the Mohawk", 72"x35", © 1979 Norval Morrisseau
/Click on image to enlarge/

~ Note the inscription on the front of the canvas (bottom right) which includes the title, date (year) and recognizable signature of the artist

>>> The above presented image of a Genuine Norval Morrisseau painting is currently part of the Collection of the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI); Formerly in the collection of R.E. Mansfield (1937-2007), donated to NMAI in 2003; Catalog number: 26/4095.

Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha (1656 - 1680)
"Lily of the Mohawks"-

Kateri Tekakwitha also known as Catherine Tekakwitha/Takwita, was born in 1656 in Gandahouhague, on the south bank of the Mohawk River, in a village called Ossernenon. The Mohawks were known as the fiercest of the "Five Nations" of the Iroquois. War was waged between the Mohawks and Algonquins. Kateri's mother, a christian Algonquin, was taken captive by a Mohawk warrior and soon they were married. They had a happy life together and eventually had a girl. They named her Tekakwitha, which means "she who moves forward". When she was four years old, a smallpox epidemic claimed the lives of her parents and baby brother. Their names are unknown. Kateri survived the disease but her eyesight was impaired. Her face was scarred and the disease left her weak the rest of her life. After five years of the sickness, the survivors of the village moved to the north bank of the river to begin a new life. Tekakwitha and her relatives moved into the Turtle Clan village called Gandaouague.

She was then raised by aunts and an uncle, the Chief of the Turtle Clan.

In 1667 the Jesuit missionaries Fremin, Bruyas, and Pierron spent three days in the lodge of Tekakwutga's uncle. They had accompanied the Mohawk delegation who had been to Quebec to conclude peace with the French. From the Blackrobes she received her first knowledge of Christianity.

In 1670 the Blackrobes established St. Peter's Mission in Caughnawaga now Fonda, NY.

In 1674, Fr. James de Lamberville arrived to take charge of the mission which included the Turtle Clan.

Tekakwitha met Father de Lamberville when he visited her home. She told him about her desire to become baptized. Despite opposition to Christianity from her tribe and particularly her uncle, she met with the Blackrobe in secret. She began to take religious instructions. On Easter Sunday, April 5, 1676, at the age of 20, she was baptized and given the name Kateri, Indian for Katherine. Her family wanted her to abandon her religion. She became the subject of increased contempt from the people of her village for her conversion, as well as her refusal to work on Sundays or to marry. She practice her religion unflinchingly in the face of almost unbearable opposition. Finally her uncle's lodge ceased to be a place of protection to her.

With the help of Christian Indians she fled her village. Two months later and about two hundred miles through woods, rivers and swamps, Kateri arrived at the Sault.

On Christmas Day, 1677, Kateri received her first Holy Communion. Here she lived in the cabin of a Christian Indian, Mary Teresa Tegaiaguenta. She and Kateri became friends. Both girls performed extraordinary penance. Kateri and her friend asked permission to start a religious community. The request was denied.

At Caughnawaga she contributed to the community's economy while engaging in great personal sacrifices. She also continued to keep her personal vow of chastity.

In 1678, Kateri was enrolled in the pious society called The Holy Family because of her extraordinary practices of all virtues.

Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha died on April 17, 1680, when she was 24 years of age. When she died, much to the amazement of those in attendance, all the disfiguring scars on her face miraculously disappeared.

Pope John Paul II beatified her in Rome on June 22, 1980, in the presence of hundreds of North American Indians. She is now known to us as Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha.

Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha died on April 17, 1680, when she was 24 years of age. In the past, we commemorated her Feast Day on the day of her death. April 17 often falls during the season of Lent or during Easter Week. When the Bishops of the United States gathered for their fall meeting in Washington, DC, in November 1982, they voted to change the day of observance of the Feast of Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha to July 14th. The new feast day will enable the Church in the United States to celebrate and honor Blessed Kateri without the feast day overlapping with the season of Lent. We prayerfully await the day that our Holy Father proclaims her Saint Kateri.

Source: http://impurplehawk.com/kateri.html

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>>> Reference information:
- ‘Lily of the Mohawks’ on brink of sainthood /www.thestar.com/
- Kateri Tekakwitha, Lily of the Mohawks to be canonized /http://aptn.ca/

* The painting in this post: "Lily of the Mohawk", 72"x35", © 1979 Norval Morrisseau; Currently part of the Collection of the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI); Formerly in the collection of R.E. Mansfield (1937-2007), donated to NMAI in 2003; Catalog number: 26/4095.

'Winter Wonderland' by Jana Mashonee

2011-12-30T01:36:00.002-04:00

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~ Sung in Anishinaabemowin (Ojibwe)
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By JanaMashonee
-- /www.janamashonee.com /
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"We natives believe in the following saying: "Our God is Native. The Great Deity of the Five Planes is so. We are neither for nor against, We speak not of Christ nor of God. We say, 'Let them be.' We follow the Spirit on its Inward Journey of Soul through attitudes and attentions. Remember we are all in a big School and the Inner Master teaches us Experience over many Lifetimes."

Norval Morrisseau

Authenticity known

2011-12-30T01:35:00.002-04:00

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* This post was originally published on May 27th, 2008-

by Ross Montour
May, 2006
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Two weeks ago I attended a major retrospective of Ojibwa artist Norval Morrisseau at Canada's National Gallery of Art. There is nothing 'western' about Morrisseau's art. It grows powerfully and organically out of his own people's Native tradition. It makes no apologies on behalf of its creator - indeed it confronts western sensibilities and announces its own potency. Morrisseau could care less if the 'white man' never declared him credible; he knows his authenticity. Like the great Nanibooshou of his people's legends, Morrisseau shakes his great head, lays down his foot and the leaves fall from the trees. Compare this to European art at the turn of the last century. Photography, a creature of western technology, had only recently reared its head prompting artists to run for the cover of ingenuity. "Something new, something new," became the 'Om' of art. That most deconstructionist of artists Pablo Picasso sheds an interesting light on all of this. When he and others in his circle began co-opting forms from oceanic and African cultures it was an admission of the desperate extremes western artists would go to in order 'break new ground.'

And while their adoring publics were tittering about the greatness of these new maestros' wild and carnivorous works, the newly reforming masters of orthodoxy continued to mischaracterize the sources of Picasso et al's 'inspiration.' They continued to look down their noses at the 'primitives' (savages) who truly created the source art and their cultures. In Canada, Native artists who painted in styles and forms that grew authentically out of their own cultures had to live with the fact that in their own land their works were 'banished' from the cultural temples of white society - i.e. the major public art galleries. For over 40 years the 'esteemed' Art Gallery of Ontario revealed its ethnocentricity by declaring the works of Morrisseau and others as being fit only to be shown in ethnographic and natural history museums. How barren!

Back to the Morrisseau exhibition in Ottawa. After viewing the showing, my wife and I decided to take in the works of the permanent collection. Walking through hall after hall of Flemish masters and Italian renaissance masters etc., we stumbled across a room labeled 'New York School.' Entering the room we were immediately confronted by two massive colour field paintings by Barnett Newman. One of these - 'Red Stripe' [1] - was a triptych nearly 20 feet in height. It almost demanded an act of worship be done. I laughed out loud because, for one thing, it reminded me of my first viewing of 2001: A Space Odyssey. Remember the scene at the end when the cavemen come upon the huge blank monolith, the drums pounding out the rhythm in the soundtrack... Enigmatic to say the least! In the end they worshipped nothing. My sincerest thanks for your patience in reading this rant. I make no apology though - I am, after all, a Mohawk.

Ross Montour
Kahnawake, QC, Canada

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[1] - 'Red Stripe' is referring to the Barnett Newman's 'Voice of Fire'.

Source: Robert Genn's "The Painter's Keys"

>>> Reference post:
- The exhibition that ended institutionalized discrimination against First Nations art at the National Gallery of Canada.

* The painting in this posting: "Shaman Warrior", 48"x23", © 1990s Norval Morrisseau /Private Collection/

Robert Lavack and the Norval Morrisseau Postage Stamp /Revised/

2011-12-30T01:31:00.004-04:00

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~ Reference for Morrisseau's collectors and investigators
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© 1973 Norval Morrisseau/© 1990 Canada Post Corporation

~ Designed by Clermont Malenfant; Edition run of 72,500,000 stamps: Date of Issue: October 25, 1990; Printer: Ashton-Potter Limited; Publisher: Canada Post Corporation

"One of the many honours bestowed upon Norval Morrisseau was the request to design the annual Christmas stamp for 1990. Originally painted in 1973, the image depicts the Virgin Mary with the Christ Child and St. John the Baptist. This panting is from collection of the Indian Affairs and Northern Development, Hull, Quebec. Day of issue was October 25th, 1990."

The above text was originally posted on this blog on November 15th, 2007 (click HERE). The truth about what had really transpired prior to the stamp being issued by Canada Post Corporation was posted by Angie Littlefield on her www.angielittlefield.com in article titled:

Robert Lavack and the Norval Morrisseau Postage Stamp

"Robert Lavack started agitating for Norval to be considered to design a Native Canadian postage stamp in 1970. He contacted Keith Penner, then Member of Parliament for Thunder Bay, F.G. Flatters, the Chief of the Postage Stamp Division of the Post Office Department, Mr. Gorden Aiken M.P. for Parry Sound/Muskoka, Leo Bernier, Minister of Mines and Northern Affairs and even his old pal, Dr Walter Kenyon, then Associate Curator, Office of the Chief Archeologist of the Royal Ontario Museum. In an April 13, 1971 letter to Mr Flatters which Dr Kenyon wrote at Robert's suggestion, he wrote of Norval,

"Through his art, he has become almost a legendary spokesman, not only for his own Ojibway people, but for the Native Candians generally, and in the art galleries of the world he is respected as an outstanding Canadian. These, surely, are impressive credentials."

The letter exchange about the issue continued until just before Mr. Lavack left to work on the smallpox eradication program conducted by the World Health Organization in Africa."

Angie Littlefield

>>> Reference posts:
- 1990 Christmas Stamp Design,
- THE MORRISSEAU PAPERS (Part I),
- IN MEMORIAM: NORVAL MORRISSEAU
-/Ref. "Virgin Mary with Christ Child and St. John the Baptist"/,
- THE MORRISSEAU PAPERS (Part II);
- Friends of Norval Morrisseau (Part III) /Ref. Robert Lavack/,
- Mr. Robert Lavack's Open Letter to Spirit Walker...,
- Correspondence between Norval Morrisseau and Mr. Robert Lavack (Part I);
- Others about NORVAL MORRISSEAU BLOG (Part II) &
- NO! NO! MORRISSEAU - Review of 'Christmas Letter to Norval Morrisseau' by Mr. Robert Lavack.

* The painting appearing on Canada Post Corporation stamp: "Virgin Mary with Christ Child and St. John the Baptist", 40"x32", © 1973 Norval Morrisseau /Collection of the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs, Indian Art Centre/

This Blog has 1,800 posts!

2011-12-29T02:11:00.004-04:00

NORVAL MORRISSEAU, © Eberhard Otto

"This Blog is posted in honour of the Spirit of Norval Morrisseau a.k.a. Copper Thunderbird - Grand Shaman of the Ojibway. Also, this is the first and the only Blog incepted during Norval Morrisseau’s lifetime. It is dedicated entirely to the preservation of his artistic legacy along with the living presence of the Ojibway peoples on the North American continent."

Ugo Matulić a.k.a. Spirit Walker
/spiritwalker2008@gmail.com/

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2011-12-29T02:10:00.005-04:00

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* This post was originally published on December 28th, 2009

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"St. Rose Herself, My Spiritual Wife", © 1971 Norval Morrisseau
- In 1975 exhibited at Jack Pollock's gallery (Pollock Gallery), Toronto, ON
-/Click on image to Enlarge/

~ St. Rose Philippine Duchesne (1769-1852)
Also Known as: The Lady of Mercy; Woman Who Prays Always
~ Feast: November 18

Rose Philippine Duchesne came to the wilds of North America when anything west of Pittsburgh was considered uncharted wilderness. She came up the Mississippi to Missouri and established a school at St. Charles as early as 1818, while St. Elizabeth Seton was doing her work in the eastern United States. She is the foundress of the American branch of the Society of the Sacred Heart.

She was born in Grenoble, France, in 1769, her father a successful businessman. She was educated by the Visitation nuns and, although her father opposed her decision, she entered the Visitation Order in 1788, in the middle of the French Revolution. She was not able to make her profession because of the disruption of the Revolution and had to return home when the Visitation sisters were expelled from their convents.

During the Revolution, she cared for the sick and poor, helped fugitive priests, visited prisons, and taught children. After the Revolution, she tried to reorganize the Visitation community but was unsuccessful, so she offered the empty convent to St. Madeleine Sophie Barat, foundress of the Society of the Sacred Heart, and entered the Sacred Heart Order herself. When the bishop of New Orleans, William Du Bourg, requested nuns for his huge Louisiana diocese, St. Rose Philippine Duchesne came to the United States, arriving in New Orleans in 1818.

She and her four nuns were sent to St. Charles, Missouri, where she immediately opened a school; then at Florissant, she built a convent, an orphanage, a parish school, a school for Indians, a boarding academy, and a novitiate for her order. In 1827, she was in St. Louis where she founded an orphanage, a convent, and a parish school. Her energy and ideas were prodigious. When she was seventy-two years old, she founded a mission school for Indian girls in Kansas and spent much of her time there nursing the sick. She was ever concerned about the plight of Native Americans, and much of her work was devoted to educating them, caring for their sick, and working against alcohol abuse.

Her last years were spent at St. Charles, a model and inspiration to those around her, facing all the hardships of pioneer work. She died on November 18, 1852, at the age of eighty-three and was canonized in 1988. She was truly the "missionary of the American frontier," one that her beloved Potawatomi Indians called , "Woman-who-prays-always."

Indeed, she had need of prayer; not only to bear her many responsibilities, but also to accept the untold disappointments she met from within and without her religious community. She did not often "get her own way" but she surely accepted all tribulation as well as joy, as "God's way!"

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"We cultivate a very small field for Christ, but we love it, knowing that God does not require great achievements but a heart that holds back nothing for self."
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Saint Rose Philippine Duchesne
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"I live now in solitude and am able to use my time reflecting on the past and preparing for death. I cannot put away the thought of the Indians and in my ambition I fly to the Rockies."
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Saint Rose Philippine Duchesne
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Sources: http://www.ewtn.com/library/MARY/DUCHESNE.HTM; http://saints.sqpn.com/saintr20.htm; http://www.cin.org/kc87-4.html.

>>> To read 'The Globe and Mail' article featuring painting titled 'St. Rose Herself, My Spiritual Wife' click HERE.

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* The painting in this post: "St. Rose Herself, My Spiritual Wife", 40"x26", © 1971 Norval Morrisseau; Acquired directly from Shayne Gallery, Montreal, QC by the current owner in 1975; Earlier in 1975 "St. Rose Herself, My Spiritual Wife" was also exhibited at Jack Pollock's gallery (Pollock Gallery), Toronto, ON /Private Collection/>>> Currently availabe for purchase at the Old Downtown Gallery, Orangeville, ON / 519-943-6343 /.

'Hark The Herald Angels Sing' by Jana Mashonee

2011-12-29T02:09:00.002-04:00

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~ Sung in in Lakota

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By JanaMashonee
-- /www.janamashonee.com /

"We natives believe in the following saying: "Our God is Native. The Great Deity of the Five Planes is so. We are neither for nor against, We speak not of Christ nor of God. We say, 'Let them be.' We follow the Spirit on its Inward Journey of Soul through attitudes and attentions. Remember we are all in a big School and the Inner Master teaches us Experience over many Lifetimes."

Norval Morrisseau

"NORVAL MORRISSEAU" by Peter Goddard

2011-12-29T02:08:00.007-04:00

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* This post was originally published on December 20th, 2007

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NORVAL MORRISSEAU (1931-2007)

"We Are All One in Spirit"

NORVAL MORRISSEAU DIES AT 75

Text: Peter Goddard, December 4th, 2007

Copper Thunderbird took flight today.

Norval Morrisseau, the great Canadian artist, died at Toronto General Hospital. He was 75. His death after a long and feisty battle with Parkinson's disease won't be the end of the gritty story of the great Anishinabe painter once called "the Picasso of the north" who signed his canvases "Miskwaabik Animiki" or Copper Thunderbird.

"I've always wanted to be a role model," he told the Star several years back, his words barely audible and slurred even then. "I've always wanted to stay an Indian. I wanted the little kids to know that."

They do.

"He certainly was a role model for me as an art student," said Greg Hill, curator of "Norval Morrisseau – Shaman Artist," the groundbreaking retrospective of the artist's work last year at the National Gallery in Ottawa, which is now at the National Museum of the American Indian in New York.

"He was the first aboriginal artist I was aware of. He will always have that kind of presence." A member of the Order of Canada, Morrisseau was the sole Canadian painter shown at Paris's Georges Pompidou Centre in 1989 as part of the French celebration of the bicentennial of the French Revolution.

He "spearheaded a cultural renaissance in First Nations arts and culture in the `60s," Phil Fontaine, national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, said in a statement today. "He taught us to be proud of who we are." Morrisseau appeared in Ottawa to be awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation. "This is the highest honour we can bestow on our own," said Foundation CEO Roberta Jamieson.

She expects Morrisseau's life and art "will be the centerpiece" of the 15th annual Awards Show, March 7, 2008 at the Sony Centre in Toronto.

Morrisseau's dazzling debut show in Toronto that opened Sept. 12, 1962 at Jack Pollock's gallery instantly established the painter's reputation and led to a Time magazine story. "That was at a time when Canadian First Nations art didn't seem to exist," said Gerald McMaster, the leading First Nations historian and head of the Canadian collection at the Art Gallery of Ontario.

"Morrisseau's presence woke people up. He was the torchbearer. What he did and what he said – aside from his eccentricities – had enormous power and influence over several generations of artists."

Through the `70s and `80s, the painter's "eccentricities" – binge drinking and often a hand-to-mouth street existence – were the despair of his friends and buyers of his work who were uncertain of the authenticity of his paintings.

The artist admitted to this reporter in 2004 that he signed other artist's work "if they needed the money."

Yet surviving the mean streets in Vancouver and Toronto gave him the reputation for being indestructible. "You can't imagine he's actually gone," said a choked-up Hill.

Only a month ago, Morrisseau was taken in a van to A Space Gallery to show an exhibition. "And you could see he was very much alert," said McMaster. "There was a small crowd there moved to tears to see this great man."

Repeated heart problems weakened him noticeably over the past year, said Gabe Vadas, Morrisseau's companion and caregiver since the two meet in the `80s.

"He'd have a great day then he'd have a bad day," Vadas explained. "But he was getting worse."

"So now he's on the next part of his journey," said Jamieson. "We're going to celebrate that.

We're beaming pride through our tears."

Peter Goddard

Toronto Star

Pearl McCarthy about Norval Morrisseau

2011-12-29T02:08:00.006-04:00

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* This post was originally published on November 16th, 2007
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"Bear in Fish Spawn, © 1962 Norval Morrisseau
/Click on image to enlarge/

"Morrisseau's genius for unifying or braking space in his designs is astonishing, as sureness of line. It cannot be classed as primitive art, because both the ideas and the expression evince cultivated thought. As this mysticism has never been recorded he is breaking new ground."
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Pearl McCarthy, The Globe and Mail, August 1962- -
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Note: The above painting was used in The Globe and Mail's article titled 'Explorers Discover New Ideas' written by Pearl McCarthy; August 1962.
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2011-12-28T01:44:00.002-04:00

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* This post was originally published on December 26th, 2009

/Click on image to enlarge/

Before the 1969 reform of the Roman calendar, Christopher was listed as a martyr who died under Decius. Nothing else is known about him. There are several legends about him including the one in which he was crossing a river when a child asked to be carried across. When Christopher put the child on his shoulders he found the child was unbelievably heavy. The child, according to the legend, was Christ carrying the weight of the whole world. This was what made Christopher patron saint of travelers and is invoked against storms, plagues, etc.. His former feast day is July 25.

Before the formal canonization process began in the fifteenth century, many saints were proclaimed by popular approval. This was a much faster process but unfortunately many of the saints so named were based on legends, pagan mythology, or even other religions -- for example, the story of the Buddha traveled west to Europe and he was "converted" into a Catholic saint! In 1969, the Church took a long look at all the saints on its calendar to see if there was historical evidence that that saint existed and lived a life of holiness. In taking that long look, the Church discovered that there was little proof that many "saints", including some very popular ones, ever lived. Christopher was one of the names that was determined to have a basis mostly in legend. Therefore Christopher (and others) were dropped from the universal calendar.

Some saints were considered so legendary that their cult was completely repressed (including St. Ursula). Christopher's cult was not suppressed but it is confined to local calendars (those for a diocese, country, or so forth). His name Christopher, means Christ-bearer. He died a martyr during the reign of Decius in the third century.

Feast: 25 July (West), 9 May (East);

Attributes: tree, branch, as a giant or ogre, carrying Jesus, spear, shield, as a dog-headed man;

Patronage: bachelors, transportation (drivers, sailors, etc.), travelling (especially for long journeys), storms, Brunsweik, Saint Christopher's Island (Saint Kitts), Island Rab, Croatia, Vilnius, Lithuania; epilepsy, gardeners, holy death, toothache.

Source: www.catholic.org; 'Wikipedia', the free encyclopedia

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'Little Drummer Boy' by Jana Mashonee

2011-12-28T01:43:00.002-04:00

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~ Sung in the language of the San Juan Tewa Pueblo
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By JanaMashonee
-- /www.janamashonee.com /

"We natives believe in the following saying: "Our God is Native. The Great Deity of the Five Planes is so. We are neither for nor against, We speak not of Christ nor of God. We say, 'Let them be.' We follow the Spirit on its Inward Journey of Soul through attitudes and attentions. Remember we are all in a big School and the Inner Master teaches us Experience over many Lifetimes."

Norval Morrisseau

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"NORVAL MORRISSEAU" by Robert Houle

2011-12-28T01:42:00.002-04:00

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* This post was originally published on December 18th, 2007

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NORVAL MORRISSEAU (1931-2007)
"We Are All One in Spirit"

IN MEMORIAM - NORVAL MORRISSEAU
Text: Robert Houle

Norval Morrisseau died yesterday at the Toronto General Hospital of complications from Parkinson's disease. Named after a powerful and fantastic celestial cultural hero in Anishnabe mythology, Norval was indeed Copper Thunderbird. Apart from the romantic and exotic resonance of this spiritual name, it also signified a cultural context with which his magnificent artistic output could be framed. I am honoured to have been asked to write a few words about this great artist, someone I considered neejee, a friend.

It is my humble desire to acquiesce to this shaman who lived among us for a while and became a cultural revolutionary of great stature. His colourful and enigmatic imagery will continue to inspire us all, it will articulate the visual landscape of the Ojibway people he loved so much, and his art will find a voice in the polemics of contemporary art in our country. His legacy, through his art with its mythological elements, will always mesh with a multitude of colours to a particular end: emancipation, narration, resistance, prophecy and pride. -

Norval, whom I first met thirty years ago while doing a research paper commissioned by the Canadian Museum of Civilization, was both a mentor and a challenge. As a young Saulteaux from Manitoba, I originally found his subject matter familiar, but nonetheless, the illustration of mythology up to that moment had always been under the governance of shamanism. Needless to say, I was spellbound yet apprehensive of what Norval was sharing with the international viewing public and by the palette he used: charcoals and ochres, red and green oxides, black and white. I immediately referenced ceremonial and ritual art, something that had always been exclusive but made inclusive by Norval.

We talked endlessly about understanding the truth about why we make art and his impromptu visits led to numerous discussions on world culture from an Anishnabe perspective. As speakers of the language, he, Ojibwa and me, Saulteaux, we met at a level where the esoteric issues of art making were never talked about, but rather we would focus on the practical problems of finding a market that would support our art or a future that would buttress our desire to tell the Anishnabe story. He was fun, helpful, and inspiring, qualities that contributed to a continuing relationship of respect and camaraderie, of being Anishnabec. -

Over the years, Norval popped in and out of my life, but was always close enough to know that he could drop by to continue talking about the knowledge acquired through his travels, whether physical or astral, in the afternoon or evening. His nonlinear storytelling allowed us all to travel along with him to uncharted worlds of history, music and art. I treasure those moments, for they remind me what a great person he truly was.

The iconoclastic Morrisseau tableau is a sensuous interplay of paint, colour and image; a diorama delineated by the beginning of a cultural conceit based on mythology and art. Copper Thunderbird spoke of a cyclorama where people, animals, birds, fish, plants and demi-gods negotiated an existence over lands, highways, rivers and lakes.

Norval, like all innovators, had made a trajectory to contemporary cultural theory, an idea I was not to understand until quite recently. It situated Norval at the centre of a cultural transformation, contemporary Ojibwa art. This legendary artist had created a visual language whose lineage included the ancient shaman artists of the Midiwewin scrolls, the Agawa Bay rock paintings and the Peterborough petroglyphs. As a master narrator, he had a voice that thundered like the sentinel of a people still listening to the stories told since creation. Indeed, for me, he invented an interior colour space where the imagination with its paradigms, viewpoints and methods was in complicity with the potent traditions of critique and resistance. He was a conjurer, orchestrating themes that offered a voyage into the spiritual, the fantastical and the outrageous.

A Morrisseau painting is an articulation, a manifestation that verifies existence and formulates an identity completely intermingled with the past and the present. Its virtual space, invented by colour and content, is actually an inner space where mythology and reality are interchangeable. Despite his detractors and in spite of himself, Norval stood tall and unequivocal within the context and usage of the current art lexicon. The art of Norval Morrisseau is a beacon of post-colonial resistance and is unequalled in its originality - the true sign of an artist. Kitchi Meegwetch Norval, we will miss you.

“Art is a circle, you’re inside or outside, by accident of birth.”
Manet

Robert Houle, December 5th, 2007

Robert Houle was born in St. Boniface in 1947. He received his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Manitoba in 1972 and a Bachelor of Education from McGill University in 1975. A former curator of Contemporary Indian Art at the Canadian Museum of Civilization, Houle has contributed significantly through his writing and curating to understanding of issues facing First Nations work in Canada. He currently lives and works in Toronto.

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* Detailed information about the painting in this posting unknown: "Salmon", © 1996 Norval Morrisseau /Private Collection/

"WE ARE ALL ONE IN SPIRIT"... Norval Morrisseau

2011-12-28T01:41:00.002-04:00

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* This post was originally published on December 22nd, 2007

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NORVAL MORRISSEAU (1931-2007)
"We Are All One in Spirit"

"WE ARE ALL ONE IN SPIRIT"... Norval Morrisseau

Text: Mark A. Brennan (December 5th, 2007)

There was some significant sad news today in the Canadian Art world that deserves a mention here. Norval Morrisseau died today aged 75. Morrisseau was significant in so many ways. He was the first Native Canadian artist to make a deep impression on the mainstream art scene in Canada. He basically paved the way for many Native Canadian artists to begin their road to self expression in the Canadian art world. He also defined a new movement in Canadian art that drew together nature and art in a form that had never been seen before. This new movement became known as the ‘Woodland’ school.

There is a wonderful quote from Morrisseau in which he says, “I am merely a channel for the spirit to utilize, and it is needed by a spirit-starved society." How true those words are today. I admire this great artist, his love for his traditional Ojibwa heritage and his stark paintings depicting nature and shaman storytelling have inspired my own work, not so much in style but certainly in motivation. Anyone who paints nature in any form can feel a bond of sorts with all things wild and it was this bond that Morrissea brought out of the Ojibwa nation to release into society by way of his art.

Morrisseau’s work can arguably be defined as the true Canadian art that was born of thousands of years of living close to the land, and in doing so he put down in his paintings the story of his people.

You can read more about Norval Morrissea at http://norvalmorrisseau.blogspot.com/.

Mark Brennan

Source: "THE WILDERNESS ART OF MARK BRENNAN" Blog

* An art poster presented herein was from the Cardigan/Milne Gallery Art Exhibition of Norval Morrisseau works - Winnipeg, Manitoba, 1979

2011-12-27T03:33:00.002-04:00

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* This painting was originally published on March 4th, 2008-

"St. Michael, © 1970 Norval Morrisseau
/Click on image to enlarge/

St. Michael, the Archangel

The name Michael signifies "Who is like to God?" and was the warcry of the good angels in the battle fought in heaven against satan and his followers. Holy Scripture describes St. Michael as "one of the chief princes," and leader of the forces of heaven in their triumph over the powers of hell. He has been especially honored and invoked as patron and protector by the Church from the time of the Apostles.

Although he is always called "the Archangel," the Greek Fathers and many others place him over all the angels - as Prince of the Seraphim. St. Michael is the patron of grocers, mariners, paratroopers, police and sickness.

Feast: September 29 ("Michaelmas"); May 8; many other local and historical feasts;

Attributes: Archangel; Treading on Satan or a serpent; carrying a banner, scales, and sword;

Patronage: Paratroopers; Police officers; Mariners; Grocers; the sick; Paramedics; the German people; the Archdiocese of Toronto; The Cherubim and Seraphim Church Worldwide; the Unification Council of Cherubim and Seraphim Army of Salvation (UCCAS); guardian or protector of the Jewish people.

Source: www.catholic.org; 'Wikipedia', the free encyclopedia

'Joy To The World' by Jana Mashonee

2011-12-27T03:32:00.001-04:00

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~ Sung in Chiricahua Apache
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By JanaMashonee
-- /www.janamashonee.com /

"We natives believe in the following saying: "Our God is Native. The Great Deity of the Five Planes is so. We are neither for nor against, We speak not of Christ nor of God. We say, 'Let them be.' We follow the Spirit on its Inward Journey of Soul through attitudes and attentions. Remember we are all in a big School and the Inner Master teaches us Experience over many Lifetimes."

Norval Morrisseau

"NORVAL MORRISSEAU" by Gerald McMaster

2011-12-27T03:31:00.005-04:00

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~ Reference for Morrisseau's collectors and investigators

NORVAL MORRISSEAU (1931-2007)
"We Are All One in Spirit"

NORVAL MORRISSEAUText: Gerald McMaster, December 14, 2007

Norval Morrisseau, called Miskwaabik Animiiki or Copper Thunderbird, passed into the spirit world on December 4, 2007, after having lived on this earth for 75 years. Born in northern Ontario, Morrisseau came to prominence in the early 1960s after a sold-out exhibition at Jack Pollock’s gallery in Toronto. The artist and the dealer first met while they were both living in the pulp-and-paper town of Beardmore in northwestern Ontario, where Pollock was teaching art classes. He was struck by Morrisseau’s original imagery of colourful mythological creatures, delineated by bold black lines and painted on local kraft paper. The painter’s focus on traditional iconography - recovered from ancient memory erased by government policies of acculturation - was first met with rebuke by his elders. Over the course of his life and work, in fact, Morrisseau unleashed in a subsequent generation of artists a torrent of possibility, giving them a visual language in which to express their identity, culture and history.

In a recent tribute, Toronto artist Robert Houle, who was close friend of Morrisseau, wrote: "Norval, like all innovators, had made a trajectory to contemporary cultural theory, an idea I was not to understand until quite recently. It situated Norval at the centre of a cultural transformation, contemporary Ojibwa art. This legendary artist had created a visual language whose lineage included the ancient shaman artists of the Midiwewin scrolls, the Agawa Bay rock paintings and the Peterborough petroglyphs. As a master narrator, he had a voice that thundered like the sentinel of a people still listening to the stories told since creation.”

Source: AGO Blog - Art Matters

* The painting in this posting: "Moose Dream Legend", 22"x30", © 1962 Norval Morrisseau /Collection of Art Gallery of Ontario, Gift of Procter and Gamble Canada Ltd., 1964/

THE HELEN E. BAND COLLECTION

2011-12-27T03:31:00.002-04:00

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~ Reference for Morrisseau's collectors and investigators

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"Onaman Legend", © 1978 Norval Morrisseau
/The HELEN E. BAND Collection - Thunder Bay Art Gallery, Thunder Bay, Ontario/

The significance of the Helen E. Band Collection lies in the early dates and excellent quality of the works. Focusing primarily upon the 1970's and early 1980's, this collection features works by all of the major First Nations artists active during this seminal time period. A comprehensive survey of the Woodland School of painting can be found in the early works of Norval Morrisseau, Manitoulin artists such as Daphne Odjig, Blake Debassige, James A. Simon MISHIBINIJIMA, Carl Beam and Angus Trudeau, and Northwestern Ontario artists Carl Ray, Saul Williams, Goyce Kakegamic, Joshim Kakegamic, and Roy Thomas.

In 1994, the estate of the late Helen E. Band donated 138 artworks by 42 First Nations artists to the Thunder Bay Art Gallery. This collection complimented the already well-established collection of Native art at the gallery. The daughter of Toronto art collector, Charles S. Band, renowned for his collection of paintings by members of the Group of Seven, Helen Band understood both the need for specialization and the importance of acquiring the best work available. She began her collection in the early 1960's choosing Indian art as her focus. Although this was then regarded as an unconventional collecting direction, she was able to share her interest and enthusiasm with a growing number of other collectors in Toronto. Maclean's Magazine, in an article in the 1960's referred to the times as "the renaissance of Indian art."

Helen Band collected wisely and well. In 1992, she passed away suddenly at the age of sixty-nine. Her passing away was a great loss to the Canadian art scene. The impact she had on the perception and acceptance of Native art, on the artists themselves and on collections is most significant. The Helen E. Band Collection remains as tangible evidence of her dedication to contemporary First Nations art.

Note: To see some of the works from the Thunder Bay Art Gallery's Helen E. Band Collection click HERE (Thunder Bay Art Gallery) & HERE (University of Toronto's Justina M Barnicke Gallery/Hart House).