Childlike Simplicity VIII

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- 1980's PERIOD
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"The Shaman Artist
Wishes to express to us
Through
The art form
That we are all
Like children
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Our childlike simplicity
With dignity and sweet humility
We view
One environment
and
Remind us of the Pure Spirit
Expressing itself upon ourselves."
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Norval Morrisseau, 1983
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* Detailed information about the painting in this posting unknown: © c. 1980s Norval Morrisseau /Private Collection/

Others about NORVAL MORRISSEAU BLOG (Part I)

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"Medicine Bear", 10"x10", © 1974 Norval Morrisseau


"I don't understand the motivation behind the pettiness of the comments. Frankly, I don't really care. It doesn't really matter, (within the larger world) and if we consider the intent and teachings of Norval Morrisseau...well! Someone isn't listening! Someone isn't seeing! What I DO KNOW is that I've been visiting this blog for some time and Spiritwalker as far as I can tell, is honouring Norval Morrisseau, his great art, his magnificent voice and his far-reaching spirit. He is a great admirer of Norval's work and is quite knowledgable; then he shares that knowledge with the world! I do not believe honourable men such as Spiritwalker who has proven himself to be of such character, would suddenly perform a deed that is in conflict with his proven nature by making any un-true claims. Common sense and evidence simply do not support such an accusation.

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But I'm thinking this is not the real issue.
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The real issue seems to be some sort of KRG* "hand out book" to customers and... I've glimpsed a slight hint here and there on the blog of some sort of conflict with Spiritwalker and KRG. I'm not interested in the nature of the conflict but I do know this. As long as these conflicts continue, and like most conflicts they are no doubt driven by fear, then Norval's worldwide reputation will suffer and his true greatness will never be given it's true and rightful stature. One of the ways that Indians have always been held down and kept in their place is through those who have always purported to be acting in our best interests. We know what that racist way of thinking does and what it is doing now. It is keeping Norval in his place! The contrary result of not acting in his best interest, or the Ojibwa for that matter, while claiming to be doing so is as old as the grass is long. I suggest very strongly that whatever issues require dialogue to resolve them, that, that process begin immediately.
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This is in the best interests of Norval, the Ojibwa, KRG and for goodness sake hopefully stop the character assination and innuendo of a lone but honourable blogger. The bigger picture here is to let go of those things that are toxic and assess the issue(s) first with respect, love, fun, passion and spirit. All the things that Norval is and more. I think if there is genuine and sincere effort to this task that all will be well, (the players are hardly what I would refer to as bad people) and that everyone's initial intent to protect the interests of Norval's voice will in fact be manifested. Bring in some elders if you need, but please let Norval fly! It's time.
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Thank you."
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Anonymous  


* Kinsman Robinson Galleries /Principal Morrisseau dealer - Representing Norval Morrisseau (1932-2007) and his artwork over the last nineteen years./


Source: A comment for "Spirit Walker meets Copper Thunderbird (Part I)"
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* The painting in this posting: "Medicine Bear", 10"x10", © 1974 Norval Morrisseau /Private Collection/

The Story of Cree Syllabics

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Story behind Norval Morrisseau's signature
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/His wife, Harriet Kakegamic, inspired him in his work and taught him Cree syllabics, form of writing developed by Methodist missionary James Evans in the 1840s, reflected in Morrisseau's own signature of his works "Copper Thunderbird"/ -
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James Evans Story
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James Evans
(1801-1846)
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James Evans was born in 1801 in Hull, England and was named for his father, a merchant captain. Although eager to enter a similar career when he was young, James Evans was discouraged from the sea by the experience of sailing with his father, and was to return to his studies after only two voyages.
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In 1820 Evans’ family moved to La Chute, Québec, while James remained in England to try his hand at business. When he later emigrated in 1822, he taught at L’Orignal and met the woman he would wed, Mary Blithe Smith. After two years the couple moved to Augusta, Upper Canada, where James made the decision to enter into missionary work.
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In 1827, James Evans received the responsibility of the mission post at Rice Lake (Rice Lake is approximately 20km north of Coburg, Ontario, and south of Peterborough). After a year there were some 40 native students, half of whom could read English. Evans himself was becoming familiar with the local languages, and wrote in Ojibwa, and in 1830 was preaching sermons in the local Ojibwa language. By 1831, Evans had produced an original orthography and the beginnings of a writing system for the native languages to replace the only current representation for the language which was in the Latin script. As the Ojibwa were being taught both in English and in their own tongue, it was confusing for them to use the same script, especially as English.
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Through his study of the language, Evans realized that the Ojibwa language could best be represented through just nine sounds, which are: a, ch, k, m, n, p, t, s, and y all of which can be combined with the basic vowels in four variations: ai, chi, ki, mi, ni, pi, ti, si, yi and so on for the vowels e, i, o, u. It was probably also around this time that Evans first considered a new syllabic writing system as being the ideal way to render the Algonkian languages.
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In 1837 Evans was able to publish some of his first translations. He had a spelling book printed for him in New York that year; hymns and music. Unfortunately the speller (Speller and Interpreter in English and Indian) was rejected by the British and Foreign Bible Society in 1838. The lack of sanction and funding from the Bible Society did not, however, prevent the use of the syllabic speller and accompanying works by either Evans or his assistant Thomas Hurlburt.
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In 1840, after two years of expedition and missionary work around Lake Superior, Evans was appointed to the post of General Superintendent of the North West Indian missions. To take up his new post, he moved to Norway House, on the shores of Playgreen Lake about 650km north of Winnipeg, Manitoba, arriving there in August of 1840.
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Norway House is strategically situated near the head of the Nelson River, which empties Lake Winnipeg and a number of smaller lakes into the Hudson Bay, and was a major waterway route for the Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC). The settlement was built c. 1819 by Norwegian carpenters on behalf of the HBC and at the time of Evans arrival served as headquarters to Governor Simpson when he was in the area.
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The spring following Evans arrival, he decided to locate his new mission outside of the fort as the conditions within the fort did not suit the interests of religion. He chose a small island some 3km from the main fort and named it ‘Rossville’ for his new friend, the chief factor of Norway House, Donald Ross. Evans employed locals to help in the construction, and over that summer built a small church and about 20 houses for the new residents. During this first year, Evans educated himself in the customs and language of the Cree. He determined that the language had 36 principal sounds and a few affixes for which he adapted a syllabic writing system he originally devised for Ojibway, of nine basic shapes which when rotated on their axis could be used to represent each syllable. Being a student of phonography1 , he was no doubt familiar with many of the efforts of others to improve, adapt or invent new systems of writing. Only 3 years previous in 1837, James Frere had devised a new alphabet for the illiterate and the blind based on a series of simple shapes. Thomas Lucas devised a writing system for shorthand notation used for embossing books for the blind. Also in 1837, Isaac Pitman published his ‘Stenographic Sound Hand’ - phonetic shorthand system where all characters may be represented with a single pen stroke of either straight or curved lines. (1837 seems to have been a busy year.)
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It was during the autumn of 1840 that Evans began his efforts at producing type so that he could print using his newly developed writing system. The Hudson’s Bay Company refused to transport printing presses and requisite materials into their territory for fear that their hold on the natives would be lost through some dissemination of information contrary to their own motivations. It is also doubtful that at the time Evans would be able to convince his superiors that it was worthwhile funding the casting of new typefaces and all that that entails, having already been rebuked in 1837. So, faced with a long winter ahead, Evans began to collect scraps of lead from the lining of tea-chests, which were in abundance due to the large trade in tea between the fur traders and the natives, as well as bullets. He engaged in several experiments, but ended by carving the characters in the end-grain of oak wood, thus fashioning a matrix. Over this he placed a hollowed-out square of metal, into which was poured the molten lead. The newly cast character was removed from this, finished by filing and was then ready for composition. Ink was manufactured by mixing fine soot (or lampblack) with fish oil and a printing press was improvised by using a jack-screw press used by the fur trade to compress hides or blankets for shipment. It is unclear what was used for paper - perhaps birch bark early on - but this was probably impractical to manufacture on any but the smallest scale.
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Evans first printing was from a stereotype plate, a showing of the syllabary, on October 15th, 1840. By November 11th, he had succeeded in his manufacture of movable type and printed three hundred copies of the hymn ‘Jesus My All to Heaven is Gone’. In the following months he printed several other hymns, the Lord’s Prayer, and a small hymnbook with 16 hymns. By mid-June, 1841 he had printed approximately 5,000 pages of material.
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It was not until autumn of 1845 that permission was obtained and a printing press was delivered to Rossville. By this time Evans was too sick with a kidney disease as well as being burdened with a allegation of moral improprieties involving native women. It is possible that these were founded on rumours started by his enemies who saw some of his Christian principals - such as forbidding his canoemen to paddle on the sabbath - as contrary to commerce if it got into the heads of the native employees, York boat brigades and trappers - many of whom were becoming converts - to do likewise. Chief amongst his antagonists was the Governor of the Territory of Rupert’s Land, Sir George Simpson, who even went so far as to charge Evans with sedition and held a trial against Evans with himself as the judge.
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Evans probably did not get the opportunity to use the new press (in fact it was a rather over-used wooden press built in 1786). He had to return to England in the summer of 1846 to defend himself against the morals charge at the Wesleyan Methodist Assembly. Although he found opinion and many of his collegues against him upon his arrival in England, no evidence was found to prove the charges, and in the end Evans was exonerated both by the Assembly and by the Canadian Court. Publication of the conspiracy against Evans rallied support and bolstered interest in his work, and so many invitations to speak at church meetings and missionary gatherings were received. And although his health was dire, he refused to stop:
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"If I cease from active labours, and have an idle hour, there comes up before me the picture of the dying interpreter. I can not be idle. I must be busy. I can not stop"
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On the 22nd of November, 1846, Evans gave a talk at a missionary meeting in his home town of Hull and died later that evening at a friend’s home.
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Postscript : Perspective
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It should be noted that while historical evidence favours Evans as the originator of the syllabic system, there are are other perspectives; some attribute the syllabic characters as a gift from the Creator Kisemanito to two Cree elders - Mistanaskowew, (Badger Bull) was from Western Canada and Machiminahtik (Hunting Rod), was from Eastern Canada. These two elders are said to have both received the knowledge of the syllabic characters at the same time, in their respective locations, and that from these elders the knowledge spread amongst the Cree nations.
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Source: TIRO TYPEWORKS
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Spirit Walker meets Copper Thunderbird (Part II)

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Thunder Bay, Ontario - May 16th, 2002
/Click on image to enlarge/-

Copper Thunderbird signing Spirit Walker's book:-Inscription made inside of the book "Legends of My People The Great Ojibway", Illustrated and told by NORVAL MORRISSEAU - edited by Selwyn Dewdeney /Toronto, Ryerson Press, 1965; ISBN: 0-7700-0110-6/
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Signed: Copper Thunderbird (Anishnaabe, Cree syllabics)
Signed: Norval Morrisseau (English)
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Reference posting: Spirit Walker meets Copper Thunderbird (Part I)

To be continued...
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Sacred Native Teachings (Part II)

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Circle
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This is part of the original 4 Directions Teachings series. These are items that pertain to tribal background from mainly the Ojibwe or Great Lakes Native Indians.
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You can see the entire series and even more at their web site: www.FourDirectionsTeachings.com.

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>"You Tube" presentation< -

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* To view all "You Tube" presentations on the NORVAL MORRISSEAU BLOG click HERE.

Norval Morrisseau's Legacy Continues (Part IV)

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Art of Little Hummingbird
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Brian Marion a.k.a. Little Hummingbird was born October 6, 1960 in Kamsack, Saskatchewan growing up amongst the Saulteaux and Cree of the Prairies and the Ojibway of the Northern Woodland of Ontario.
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In 1975 Brian began a nine-year apprenticeship with Norval Morrisseau, the internationally renowned Canadian Native Artist and founder of the Woodland School of Art. In reference to Mr. Marion, the great artist has said, "During those years of training, Brian learned both the spiritualism of the Ojibway culture and the technique of Shaman art."
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"As an artist he has learned to apply colour to forms that were derived, in part, from ancient pictographs still found in the central region of Canada. While he developed his artistic talents, he was taught to use the meanings of the legends as a basis for composition in his painting. He has acquired the knowledge from the visions of our people and has come to understand our close ties with nature. He is able to get inspiration from his native spirituality and with the blessing of the Creator, add his own emotional and intuitive interpretations to produce beautiful art."
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Brian Marion’s many achievements include a show with Norval Morrisseau at First Canadian Place, a mural commissioned by the African National Congress "Mandela Free Leonard Peltier next?"’ and a mural "Rainbow World" for the Young People’s Theatre. Other accomplishments include his artwork featured in a music video with Robby Robertson, John Tridell and Buffy Ste. Marie, three books published by Prentice Hall/Ginn Publishing, and a poster commissioned by IKEA Canada.
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In 1994 Brian was chosen to represent Canada at the 50th Anniversary D-Day Celebrations in Normandy, France.
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His work has been shown in Milan and at the Canadian embassy in Chicago, promoting aboriginal art as part of Canadian trade missions to these countries.
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His work is featured in many private and corporate collections around the world including that of the Prime Minister of Canada.
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Source: www.brianmarion.com
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Collectors' Corner VIII

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"Untitled", 23"x29", © 1971 Norval Morrisseau
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Another painting from a collector who wrote the following:
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"These paintings were bought directly from Norval Morrisseau in 1971. We were living in Kenora, Ontario at that time. Until this meeting we had never met him but had heard much about this colorful artist from our friend Robert Lavack (at that time a consultant with the Ontario Department of Education and who has recently coauthored the book “The Morrisseau Papers”). Robert had become a very good friend of Norval Morrisseau and had been pushing for his work to become recognized. In fact he had furnished him with the art materials that Norval used to do the paintings we were able to choose from.
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How the purchase of our paintings came about was this: Some friend advised us that Norval Morrisseau had just been released from the Kenora jail where he had been incarcerated as a result of a drunk and disorderly charge and was at the hotel Kenrecia with a number of paintings he had done during his jail time. And that he was interested in selling these paintings.
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I was away at the time but my wife went to see him. She remembers him as a perfect gentleman and they had a friendly chat. Out of the numerous paintings he showed her she picked fourteen, six of which we have after all these years and are the paintings in these pictures"
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Reference postings: Collector's Corner III; Collector's Corner VI
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"Let's share Norval Morrisseau's images with the World."
spiritwalker2008@gmail.com
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* Blog Master is thanking a collector for the submission of an image of the original painting by Norval Morrisseau and respects his/her decision to remain anonymous: "Untitled", 23"x29", © 1971 Norval Morrisseau

Thunderbirds of Norval Morrisseau (Part II)

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- 1970's PERIOD
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"Four Parts to Life", © 1977 Norval Morrisseau

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"I paint with these colours to heal, my paintings honour the Anishnaabe ancestors who have roamed the Great Lakes for centuries upon centuries."

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Norval Morrisseau

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* The painting in this posting: "Four Parts to Life", 26"x27", © 1977 Norval Morrisseau /Private Collection/

Sacred Native Teachings (Part I)

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Introduction
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This is part of the original 4 Directions Teachings series. These are items that pertain to tribal background from mainly the Ojibwe or Great Lakes Native Indians.
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You can see the entire series and even more at their web site: www.FourDirectionsTeachings.com.
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>"You Tube" presentation<

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* To view all "You Tube" presentations on the NORVAL MORRISSEAU BLOG click HERE.
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ART AS A MEETING PLACE

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by Her Excellency Michaëlle Jean
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Norval Morrisseau's daughters Lisa and Victoria in attendance at the unveiling of "Androgyny" at The Office of the Secretary to the Governor General (OSGG) in the Rideau Hall Ballroom on September 18th, 2008 - Ottawa, Ontario, CANADA
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"Less than one year ago, in December 2007, we lost Norval Morrisseau, one of the most remarkable Canadian painters of the last 50 years. A source of inspiration to generations of -
-artists and of pride for Canadians, his work is celebrated beyond our borders for its singularity and its powerful impact. Morrisseau was a passionate interpreter of the myths and legends of the Obijway nation. In his famous, coloured dreams, he illustrates indigenous stories and gives them new life, and a foundation and relevance in the heart of today’s realities, showing us their undeniable, universal significance.
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Last March, when I went to see the National Gallery of Canada exhibition dedicated to the recipients of the Governor General’s Awards in Visual and Media Arts, I also went through a gallery with an incredible selection of works by Norval Morrisseau. I was struck by one piece in particular, a striking, luminous and monumental painting of staggering vivacity that Morrisseau donated to the people of Canada in 1983 through the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada’s Indian and Inuit Art Centre.
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The title itself, Androgyny, is an invitation to dive into the vision he had of the fusion of beings and elements, the harmony that exists between people, the complementarity of the meeting of civilizations. (Art guides us through the opaqueness of life; this gives it power and makes it essential.) Morrisseau the shaman travels between different worlds to ward off fate and adversity. With Androgyny, he invites us to join the conversation and shows us that when One unites with Other, they become One.
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The time has come to return Jean Paul Lemieux’s Charlottetown Revisited to the Confederation Centre of the Arts. It has been on loan to us for two years and I had it installed in the Rideau Hall Ballroom, where we hold ceremonies and public events. It is now Androgyny’s turn to become one of the most visible paintings in the country. It will speak eloquently of our strong ties with the First Nations, those who have our deepest roots in Canada.
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Our decision to exhibit this painting takes into account a recommendation made by a participant at the national Art Matters forum held in Banff last April, that is, that we support the capacity of First Nations artists and communities to create, produce, distribute and participate fully and fairly in the arts community. The installation at Rideau Hall of an imposing piece bequeathed to us by one of Canada’s greatest artists speaks loudly of the presence of Aboriginal peoples, of their priceless contribution to our culture, and of the meeting of civilizations so prevalent in our history."
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Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, C.C., C.M.M., C.O.M., C.D., Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of Canada
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Source: RIDEAU HALL BLOG @ www.citizenvoices.gg.ca
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© 2008 Office of the Secretary to the Governor General
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Shamans of Norval Morrisseau (Part III)

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- 1970's PERIOD
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© 1970s Norval Morrisseau
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"I paint with these colours to heal, my paintings honour the Anishnaabe ancestors who have roamed the Great Lakes for centuries upon centuries."
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Norval Morrisseau
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Today, The Office of the Secretary to the Governor General (OSGG) will install Norval Morrisseau Painting in the Rideau Hall Ballroom

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Ottawa, Ontario, CANADA

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Norval Morrisseau in front of "ANDROGYNY" /© 2006 Bruno Schlumberger, CanWest News Service/
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OTTAWA, ONTARIO (Marketwire - Sept. 17, 2008) - The Office of the Secretary to the Governor General (OSGG) will install a new artwork in the Rideau Hall Ballroom on September 18, 2008. Created by world-renowned Canadian Aboriginal artist Norval Morrisseau, the painting, entitled Androgyny, will replace Charlottetown Revisited, a work created by the Jean Paul Lemieux, which has been on loan from the Confederation Centre of the Arts since 2006.
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In Androgyny, Morrisseau represents the Ojibway shaman's world view, showing a thriving and bountiful world in which all the diverse elements are in perfect balance. With its impressive height of 3.66 metres and width of 6.1 metres, its brilliant colours, and the artist's knowledge and understanding of the Ojibway cosmology, this artwork is a true masterpiece. Morrisseau donated this painting to the Canadian people on April 15, 1983. He was awarded the Order of Canada in 1979.
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The loan of Androgyny to Rideau Hall is made possible thanks to a partnership with the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, and the Indian and Inuit Art Centre. The piece will be on display until 2011 and will be seen by everyone visiting Rideau Hall.
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For more information on the choice of this piece, a blog by the Governor General will be posted on the Citizen Voices Web site (www.citizenvoices.gg.ca).

  



* The photograph in this post was taken in Ottawa in February, 2006 at the opening of the "Norval Morrisseau - Shaman Artist". The first solo exhibition featuring a First Nations artist in 126-year history of the National Gallery of Canada.

"Legends of The Great Ojibway" (Part II)

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"Water Legend", 36"x48", © 1979 Norval Morrisseau

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“Among the Indians, as among other nations, some people are born artists, but most are not. I am a born artist. I have as much interest in my people as any anthropologist, and I have studied our culture and lore. My aim is to reassemble the pieces of a once proud culture, and to show the dignity and bravery of my people.”

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Norval Morrisseau

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* The painting in this posting: "Water Legend", 36"x48", © 1979 Norval Morrisseau /Private Collection/

Sacred Spirit - Land of Promise

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"People had to be stripped of their culture before they could be taught to be civilized. The Natives of the Americas were not the dogs people were misled to believe, but rather a sophisticated network of different cultures, religions and so on."
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Norval Morrisseau
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>"You Tube" presentation<
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* To view all "You Tube" presentations on the NORVAL MORRISSEAU BLOG click HERE.
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Collectors' Corner VII

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"Loons", © 1980s Norval Morrisseau
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"He is one of the greatest painters Canada has ever produced. One day we were looking at the Group of Seven and he commented 'They paint trees, I paint loons and they connect to the sky'".
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Tom Hill
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"Let's share Norval Morrisseau's images with the World."
spiritwalker2008@gmail.com
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* Blog Master is thanking a collector for the submission of an image of the original painting by Norval Morrisseau and respects his/her decision to remain anonymous: "Loons", 32"x24", © 1980s Norval Morrisseau

Another painting from the Collection of the Winnipeg Art Gallery exhibited in Taipei in 2003

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Gatherings: Aboriginal Art from the Collection of the Winnipeg Art Gallery shown in Taipei
(September - October 2003)
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"Sun Serpent", © 1960's Norval Morrisseau
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原生與創生－加拿大原住民藝術家作品展　
Gatherings: Aboriginal Art from the Collection ofThe Winnipeg Art Gallery
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本項展覽來自加拿大溫尼伯美術館，介紹加拿大自七○年代至今原住民藝術的發展。七○年代，原住民藝術家運用西洋現代藝術手法創作，結合藝術家個人心志與口述歷史故事，隱喻在作品中，開始獲得非原住民藝術團體的矚目；八○年代，經過藝術學院訓練的原住民藝術家，改以拼貼、攝影、綜合媒材、裝置藝術創作，一開始他們的創作因為不符合一般人觀念裡的「原住民藝術」，甚少公開展出，然而，經過鍥而不捨地發展，漸為標榜西洋現代藝術的文化機構所接受；九○年代的原住民藝術家，有較多機會完成專業學位及參加展出，以保存原住民藝術為宗旨的大型藝術機構相繼成立，藝術家的發展又進入另一個階段，他們運用當代藝術表現手法，表現文化雜交、地域性色彩以及自我認同等主題。
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Reference posting: Morrisseau History Detective Stories (Part II)
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* The painting in this posting is from the Collection of the Winnipeg Art Gallery, Winnipeg, Manitoba, CANADA, © 1960s Norval Morrisseau

Words of Genius XIX

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Norval Morrisseau, 1977
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"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." *
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Norval Morrisseau, September 1962
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* - Norval Morrisseau's statement after his first exhibition at Jack Pollock's gallery (Pollock Gallery) on September 12, 1962 in Toronto, Ontario, CANADA /Quoted in Toronto Star article "Indian Artist Earns High Praise" by David Cobb - September 1962 /

Birds of Norval Morrisseau (Part II)

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"I transmit astral plane harmonies through my brushes into the physical plane. These otherworld colours are reflected in the alphabet of nature, a grammar in which the symbols are plants, animals, birds, fishes, earth and sky. I am merely a channel for the spirit to utilize, and it is needed by a spirit starved society."
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Norval Morrisseau
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* The painting in this posting: "Owl", 14"x11", © 1960s Norval Morrisseau /Private Collection/

www.NorvalMorrisseauLawsuit.com (Part VII)

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Otavnik Vs Vadas SC 07-51428-00
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© 1969 Norval Morrisseau
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I have collected native art all my life, as my father was a collector who planted the seed. I first became aware of Norval Morrisseau around the early 80’s, when I was introduced to him at a home of a friend in Thunder Bay, Ontario. He was staying with him and used a large room in the house to paint in. This is where I had a chance to see him at work for the first time. It was shortly after this that he went to Kenora to sell some of his works to a large fishing resort on Lake of the Woods and wound up in jail. After that episode I began to collect his paintings.
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A lot of my friends and work associates lived on and worked in or around native reserves, so this gave me access to large volumes of artwork at little expense. These pieces were mostly lesser known artists, but the odd piece would show up by by Carl Ray, Roy Thomas, Lloyd Kakepetum, and even Morrisseau. This was always a nice surprise as I would pay the same for each piece no matter who was the artist. I found myself with hundreds of paintings by such a large array of artists that I decided to begin to trade them with other collectors. I used to joke that it reminded me of trading baseball cards when I was younger.
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By the mid 90s, I owned some five hundred pieces by more well known artists, including Morrisseau.
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With a falling business and a newborn child, I decided to sell off my collection. I contacted literally every auction house In Canada testing the market. Finally when I realized there were no real market other than galleries which in my opinion would take forever. I settled with doing business with a few auction houses in Southern Ontario because I have paid little and in some cases no money for the artwork my expectations were not market value but to break even or just better.
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I know a lot of collectors, dealers, owners and in some cases artists in Northern Ontario Region and at no point in doing any sort of business with these people have I met anyone who tried to muscle their way into my business. It wasn't until I ventured into the Toronto world that I had this happen to me.
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Donald Robinson* has sold over fifty paintings that once belonged to me. He did not sell them for me but for other collectors whom I did business with. He took 25 to 30 per cent for the resale of these pieces and I was told they sold for seven to eight thousand each. Not wanting to cause any animosity between these collectors and myself I did not contact Mr. Robinson to utilize as an outlet for sale. The collectors friendships are more important to me than selling some art so I sent to Randy Potter paintings by mostly Norval Morrisseau to sell them at auction. It was shortly after this that I had my first contact with Mr. Robinson. He told me to leave the auction house and to do business with only him and he could make me more money. Normally I would have taken his offer but it was the way he said it, more like a threat than an offer. I told him I wanted nothing to do with him and that in the future it would be better not to use threats to begin a business relationship. He has tried several times since then to contact me. The paintings are real and the tactics he used are low down if not dirty. A collector friend of mine has been sending pictures to Norval Morrisseau and getting them authenticated, these were once in my collection.
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The Globe and Mail article on Morrisseau with painting “Battle for Life” on the front page was a part of my collection. The painting in the Prime Minister’s office was part of it as well. I am sure you get the point.
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I am frustrated to say the least, that people like Donald Robinson have such control over the market that he does what he wants and does not care who he hurts or what damage he does. Someone should remind him if it wasn’t for the small collectors he wouldn't exist.
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Sincerely,
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Signed on October 29th, 2001
/DAVID VOSS/
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Source: www.NorvalMorrisseauLawsuit.com
----------/Additional Filings by the Plaintiff/
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* - one of the founders of the Kinsman Robinson Galleries /Principal Morrisseau dealer - Representing Norval Morrisseau (1932-2007) and his artwork over the last nineteen years./
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- The paintings in this posting: "Untitled", 55"x19" ea., © 1969 Norval Morrisseau